The Book of Nines

From Buddhist Encyclopedia

9. Book of the Nines [go up]

• AN 9.1: Sambodhi Sutta — Self-awakening {A iv 350} [Thanissaro]. Having admirable friends, companions, and comrades is an essential part of the path to Awakening.
• AN 9.7: Sutava Sutta — To Sutavan {A iv 369} [Thanissaro]. Nine unskillful acts an Awakened one is incapable of doing.
• AN 9.13: Kotthita Sutta — With Kotthita {A iv 381} [Thanissaro]. The holy life is lived, not with the purpose of altering the results of past actions, but with the purpose of gaining direct knowledge of the four noble truths.
• AN 9.14: Samiddhi Sutta — About Samiddhi {A iv 382} [Thanissaro]. Where do thoughts and intentions come from?
• AN 9.15: Ganda Sutta — A Boil {A iv 384} [Thanissaro]. Nine good reasons not to get enchanted with the body.
• AN 9.16: Sañña Sutta — Perceptions {A iv 386} [Thanissaro]. Nine useful perceptions.
• AN 9.34: Nibbana Sutta — Unbinding {A iv 414} [Thanissaro]. Ven. Sariputta explains to Ven. Udayin how even the most exquisitely refined and beautiful mental states are beset with dukkha; only Nibbana itself can truly be called "pleasant."
• AN 9.35: Gavi Sutta — The Cow {A iv 418} [Thanissaro]. The Buddha explains that if you try to move on to the next level of concentration before you've mastered the last, you're sure to stumble, like a foolish cow on a steep hill.
• AN 9.36: Jhana Sutta — Mental Absorption {A iv 422} [Thanissaro]. Meditation, like archery, is a skill that develops over time, through practice, practice, practice.
• AN 9.37: Ananda Sutta — With Ananda {A iv 426} [Thanissaro]. On subtle states of concentration in which the sense spheres are present to one's awareness, but one is not taking mental note of them.
• AN 9.40: Naga Sutta — The Tusker {A iv 433} [Thanissaro]. With gentle humor, the Buddha tells how to allay the itch in your mind.
• AN 9.41: Tapussa Sutta — To Tapussa (On Renunciation) {A iv 438} [Thanissaro]. The Buddha tells how the long road of meditation practice that culminates in Awakening begins with appreciating the value of renunciation.
• AN 9.43: Kayasakkhi Sutta — Bodily Witness {A iv 451}
• AN 9.44: Paññavimutti Sutta — Released Through Discernment {A iv 452}
• AN 9.45: Ubhatobhaga Sutta — (Released) Both Ways {A iv 453} [Thanissaro].

In this group of short suttas, Ven. Ananda answers Ven. Udayin's lingering questions about the meaning of several key terms that the Buddha uses in other suttas: What is a "bodily witness"? What is "discernment-release"? What is "released both ways"? Ven. Ananda shows here that the development of jhana plays an integral part in the development of wisdom.

• AN 9.62: Bhabba Sutta — Capable {A iv 456} [Thanissaro]. Nine barriers to arahantship.
• AN 9.63: Sikkha-dubbalya Sutta — Things That Weaken the Training {A iv 457} [Thanissaro]. How to overcome the obstructions to one's progress in meditation.
• AN 9.64: Nivarana Sutta — Hindrances {A iv 457} [Thanissaro]. How to overcome the five hindrances.