Sagatha Vagga

Category: Samyutta Nikaya

From Buddhist Encyclopedia

Sagatha Vagga - The Section of Verses

1. Devata-samyutta - Devas

• Ogha-tarana Sutta — Crossing Over the Flood. The Buddha explains how he "crossed over the flood" of craving.
• Aranna Sutta — The Wilderness. Why do monks living in the forest wilderness look so happy?
• Hiri Sutta — Conscience [Thanissaro]. A lovely short teaching on the rarity and value of conscientiousness.
• Samiddhi Sutta — About Samiddhi [Thanissaro]. A devata wonders: why waste time meditating in the hopes of some future reward, when one can enjoy sensual pleasures right here and now?
• Sakalika Sutta — The Stone Sliver [Thanissaro]. After an attempt on his life, the Buddha shows by example how to handle pain.
• Aditta Sutta — (The House) on Fire. A deva visits the Buddha and recites a lovely verse on the urgency of giving.
• Kindada Sutta — A Giver of What [Thanissaro]. The Buddha explains to a deva the true value of various kinds of gifts.
• Iccha Sutta — Desire [Thanissaro]. A brief and elegant summary of the heart of the Buddha's teaching.
• Ghatva Sutta — Having Killed [Thanissaro]. The Buddha describes one thing that deserves to be killed.

2. Devaputta-samyutta — Sons of the Devas

• Kamada Sutta — Kamada's Lament (excerpt) {S i 48; CDB i 142} [Olendzki]. The Buddha reassures a doubting deva that, though the journey to Awakening may indeed be long and hard, it really can be done.
• Candima Sutta — The Moon Deity's Prayer for Protection {S i 50; CDB i 144} [Piyadassi].
• Suriya Sutta — The Sun Deity's Prayer for Protection {S i 51; CDB i 145} [Piyadassi].

In these two suttas the Buddha intervenes on behalf devas caught in the grips of a wicked demon. This sutta belongs to the group of paritta (protection) suttas that are chanted by monastics for devotional and ceremonial purposes.

• Uttara Sutta — Uttara the Deva's son {S i 54; CDB i 150} [Thanissaro]. Doing good and making merit: are these the best one can aim for in this short life?

3. Kosala-samyutta - King Pasenadi of Kosala

• Dahara Sutta - The Buddha reminds King Pasenadi that one's age is no measure of one's wisdom.
• Piya Sutta — Dear {S i 71; CDB i 167} [Thanissaro]. If you truly care about your own and others' welfare, then choose your actions with care!
• SN 3.5: Atta-rakkhita Sutta — Self-protected {S i 72; CDB i 169} [Thanissaro]. The Buddha's defense policy.
• SN 3.6: Appaka Sutta — Few {S i 73; CDB i 168} [Thanissaro]. The Buddha reminds King Pasenadi of the pitfalls of wealth and luxury.
• SN 3.7: Atthakarana Sutta — In Judgment {S i 74; CDB i 170} [Thanissaro]. King Pasenadi discovers what motivates people to tell lies.
• Donapaka Sutta — King Pasenadi Goes on a Diet {S i 81; CDB i 176} [Olendzki]. With the Buddha's help, King Pasenadi learns to use mindfulness to control his tendency to overeat.
• SN 3.14: Sangama Sutta — A Battle (1). {S i 82; CDB i 177}
• SN 3.15: Sangama Sutta — A Battle (2) {S i 84; CDB i 178} [Thanissaro].

Two stories about the battles fought between rival kings, poignantly demonstrating how in war there is security neither for the victor nor the vanquished.

• SN 3.17: Appamada Sutta — Heedfulness {S i 86; CDB i 179} [Thanissaro]. The Buddha reveals the one quality in the heart that offers real security.
• SN 3.19: Aputtaka Sutta — Heirless (1) {S i 89; CDB i 182} [Thanissaro]. The Buddha advises a rich householder on the proper use and enjoyment of wealth.
• SN 3.20: Aputtaka Sutta — Heirless (2) {S i 92; CDB i 183} [Thanissaro]. Give generously and without regret, or you may suffer the same sad consequences as this wealthy householder.
• SN 3.23: Loka Sutta — (Qualities of) the World {S i 98; CDB i 189} [Thanissaro]. Three common things in the world that inevitably lead to harm and suffering.
• SN 3.24: Issattha Sutta — Archery Skills {S i 98; CDB i 190} [Thanissaro]. We all know that generosity brings about good results, but to whom should we give gifts so as to reap the very highest rewards?
• SN 3.25: Pabbatopama Sutta — The Simile of the Mountains {S i 100; CDB i 192} SuttaReadings.net icon [Olendzki (excerpt) | Thanissaro]. The Buddha delivers a stirring discourse to King Pasenadi on the imminence of death and the urgency of Dhamma practice.

4. Mara-samyutta — Mara {S i 103; CDB i 195}. [go up]

Stories of Mara's attempts to outwit the Buddha.

• SN 4.8: Nandana Sutta — Delight {S i 107; CDB i 200} [Thanissaro]. Are possessions a source of joy or of grief? Mara and the Buddha debate this question.
• SN 4.13: Sakalika Sutta — The Stone Sliver {S i 110; CDB i 203} [Thanissaro]. The Buddha, recuperating from an assassination attempt, receives an unwelcome visit from Mara.
• SN 4.19: Kassaka Sutta — The Farmer {S i 114; CDB i 208} [Thanissaro]. Mara proclaims his dominion over the sensory world, but the Buddha explains that he (Buddha) dwells in the one place that Mara can never go.
• SN 4.20: Rajja Sutta — Rulership {S i 116; CDB i 209} [Thanissaro]. Mara, seeing that the Buddha has developed the four bases of power (iddhipada), tries to persuade him to give up the monk's life and become a righteous and powerful world ruler.

5. Bhikkhuni-samyutta — Nuns {S i 128; CDB i 221} [go up]

Stories of Mara's attempts to lure the nuns away from their meditation spots in the forest by asking them provocative questions. Without exception, these wise women conquer Mara decisively.

• SN 5.1: Alavika Sutta — Sister Alavika {S i 128; CDB i 221} [Bodhi | Thanissaro]. Mara: Why bother meditating? Why not just enjoy life's pleasures?
• SN 5.2: Soma Sutta — Sister Soma {S i 129; CDB i 222} [Bodhi | Olendzki (excerpt) | Thanissaro]. Can women achieve Awakening? Ven. Sister Soma conquers this misguided question with ease.
• SN 5.3: Gotami Sutta — Sister Gotami {S i 129; CDB i 223} [Bodhi | Thanissaro]. Mara: Why bother sitting in solitude in the forest?
• SN 5.4: Vijaya Sutta — Sister Vijaya {S i 130; CDB i 224} [Bodhi | Thanissaro]. Mara: Why don't we just put aside the meditation for awhile and go out dancing?
• SN 5.5: Uppalavanna Sutta — Sister Uppalavanna {S i 131; CDB i 225} [Bodhi | Thanissaro]. Mara: Why don't you just give up the dangers of the forest and live somewhere safer?
• SN 5.6: Cala Sutta — Sister Cala {S i 132; CDB i 226} [Bodhi | Thanissaro]. Mara: What's wrong with being reborn, anyway?
• SN 5.7: Upacala Sutta — Sister Upacala {S i 133; CDB i 227} [Bodhi | Thanissaro]. Mara: Why not just settle for a happy rebirth among the devas?
• SN 5.8: Sisupacala Sutta — Sister Sisupacala {S i 133; CDB i 227} [Bodhi | Thanissaro]. Sister Sisupacala shows Mara how following the path of Dhamma doesn't mean buying into to a fixed philosophy.
• SN 5.9: Sela Sutta — Sister Sela {S i 134; CDB i 228} [Bodhi | Thanissaro]. Mara tries to trip up Ven. Sister Sela with metaphysical questions.
• SN 5.10: Vajira Sutta — Sister Vajira {S i 134; CDB i 229} [Bodhi | Thanissaro]. Have you ever found yourself getting pulled out of meditation by some fascinating, but utterly speculative, train of thought? Ven. Sister Vajira shows how to deal with this situation.

6. Brahma-samyutta — Brahma deities {S i 136; CDB i 231} [go up]

• SN 6.1: Ayacana Sutta — The Request {S i 136; CDB i 231} [Thanissaro]. Immediately after his Awakening, the Buddha receives a visit from Brahma Sahampati, who pleads with the Buddha to teach the Dhamma, for the sake of those "with little dust in their eyes."
• SN 6.2: Garava Sutta — Reverence {S i 138; CDB i 233} [Thanissaro]. Shortly after his Awakening, the Buddha reviews the world around him, searching for another being whom he can now rightly call his teacher.
• SN 6.13: Andhakavinda Sutta — Let the Wilderness Serve! (excerpt) {S i 154; CDB i 248} [Olendzki]. Brahma Sahampati offers up verses of praise for the Buddha, who sits meditating alone in the wilderness.
• SN 6.15: Parinibbana Sutta — Total Unbinding {S i 157; CDB i 251} [Thanissaro]. Four eyewitness accounts of the passing away of the Buddha.

7. Brahmana-samyutta — Brahmans {S i 160; CDB i 254} [go up]

• SN 7.2: Akkosa Sutta — Insult/Bharadvaja the Abusive {S i 161; CDB i 255} SuttaReadings.net icon [Buddharakkhita | Thanissaro]. What is your best response when someone is angry with you? Hint: if you offer some food to a guest, but the guest declines the offer, to whom does the food belong?
• SN 7.6: Jata Sutta — The Tangle {S i 165; CDB i 259} [Thanissaro]. The Buddha answers Jata Bharadvaja's famous question, "Who can untangle this tangle [of craving]?"
• SN 7.11: Kasi Bharadvaja Sutta — To the Plowing Bharadvaja {S i 171; CDB i 266} [Piyadassi | Thanissaro]. The Buddha answers a farmer who asserts that monks do no useful work, and thus don't deserve to eat. (This sutta also appears at Sn 1.4.)
• SN 7.12: Udaya Sutta — Breaking the Cycle (excerpt) {S i 173; CDB i 268} [Olendzki]. In delightfully alliterative Pali verse, the Buddha tells how, without true wisdom, the cycle of death and re-becoming are doomed to drone on and on and on.
• SN 7.14: Maha-sala Sutta — Very Rich {S i 175; CDB i 271} [Thanissaro]. A touching glimpse into the sorrow that a father feels when his ungrateful children fail to honor him in his old age. Treat your parents well.

• SN 7.17: Navakammika Sutta — The Builder {S i 179; CDB i 274} [Thanissaro]. What useful work can one possibly accomplish by sitting in meditation under a tree in the forest?

• SN 7.18: Katthaharaka Sutta — Firewood-gathering {S i 180; CDB i 275} [Olendzki (excerpt) | Thanissaro]. How does the Buddha practice jhana in the forest?

8. Vangisa-samyutta — Ven. Vangisa {S i 185; CDB i 280} [go up]

• SN 8.4: Ananda Sutta — Ananda (Instructions to Vangisa) {S i 188; CDB i 283} [Thanissaro]. Ven. Ananda offers advice to Ven. Vangisa on how to subdue lust.

9. Vana-samyutta — The forest {S i 197; CDB i 294} [go up]

• SN 9.1: Viveka Sutta — Seclusion {S i 197; CDB i 294} [Thanissaro]. A deva comes to the aid of a forest monk whose mind had been wandering during meditation.

• SN 9.6: Anuruddha Sutta — Anuruddha {S i 200; CDB i 297} [Thanissaro]. One of Ven. Anuruddha's consorts from a previous life as a deva, visits him and invites him back.

• SN 9.9: Vajjiputta Sutta — The Vajjian Princeling {S i 201; CDB i 300} [Thanissaro]. If you've ever wondered, "Why bother meditate?", listen to this devata's advice.

• SN 9.11: Ayoniso-manasikara Sutta — Inappropriate Attention {S i 203; CDB i 301} [Thanissaro]. Food for thought for a monk being gnawed away by his thoughts.

• SN 9.14: Gandhatthena Sutta — The Thief of a Scent {S i 204; CDB i 303} [Olendzki (excerpt) | Thanissaro]. Have you ever wished for a guardian angel to warn you before you do something foolish? Here's one with an important lesson.

10. Yakkha-samyutta — Yakkha demons {S i 206; CDB i 305} [go up]

• SN 10.8: Sudatta Sutta — About Sudatta (Anathapindika) {S i 210; CDB i 311} [Thanissaro]. Anathapindika, the wealthy benefactor who would later donate the famous Jeta's Grove monastery to the Sangha, meets the Buddha for the first time.

• SN 10.12: Alavaka Sutta — To the Alavaka Yakkha {S i 213; CDB i 314} [Piyadassi | Thanissaro]. A yakkha challenges the Buddha with riddles and threatens to beat him up. (This sutta also appears at Sn 1.10.)

11. Sakka-samyutta — Sakka (the Deva king) {S i 216; CDB i 317} [go up]

• SN 11.3: Dhajagga Sutta — The Top of the Standard {S i 218; CDB i 319} [Piyadassi | Thanissaro]. Are you ever overcome by fear? The Buddha offers an antidote.

• SN 11.4: Vepacitti Sutta — Calm in the Face of Anger (excerpt) {S i 220; CDB i 321} [Olendzki]. Sakka, king of the devas, explains to a skeptic how forbearance is the best response to another's anger.

• SN 11.5: Subhasita-jaya Sutta — Victory Through What is Well Spoken {S i 222; CDB i 323} [Thanissaro]. Marvelous account of a debating contest between two deities concerning the best way to respond to an angry person.