Majjhima Nikāya — The Middle-Length Discourses – page 2
156 texts · page 2 of 2 (texts 101–156)
MN 98: With Vāseṭṭha
Two brahmin students ask the Buddha about what makes a brahmin: birth or deeds? the Buddha points out that, while the species of animals are determined by birth, for humans what matters is how you chose to live. This discourse anticipates the modern view that there are no such things as clearly defined racial differences among humans.
MN 99: With Subha
Working hard is not valuable in and of itself; what matters is the outcome. And just as in lay life, spiritual practice may or may not lead to fruitful results.
MN 100: With Saṅgārava
Angered by the devotion of a brahmin lady, a brahmin visits the Buddha. He positions himself against traditionalists and rationalists, as someone whose teaching is based on direct experience.
MN 101: At Devadaha
The Buddha tackles a group of Jain ascetics, pressing them on their claim to be practicing to end all suffering by self-mortification. He points out a series of fallacies in their logic, and explains his own middle way.
MN 102: The Five and Three
A middle length version of the more famous Brahmajāla Sutta (DN1), this surveys a range of speculative views and dismisses them all.
MN 103: Is This What You Think Of Me?
The Buddha teaches the monks to not dispute about the fundamental teachings, but to always strive for harmony.
MN 104: At Sāmagāma
Hearing of the death of the Jain leader Nigaṇṭha Nātaputta, the Buddha encourages the Saṅgha to swiftly resolve any disputes. He lays down a series of seven methods for resolving disputes. These form the foundation for the monastic code.
MN 105: With Sunakkhatta
Not all of those who claim to be awakened are genuine. The Buddha teaches how true spiritual progress depends on an irreversible letting go of the forces that lead to suffering.
MN 106: Conducive to the Imperturbable
Beginning with profound meditation absorption, the Buddha goes on to deeper and deeper levels, showing how insight on this basis leads to the detaching of consciousness from any form of rebirth.
MN 107: With Moggallāna the Accountant
The Buddha compares the training of an accountant with the step by step spiritual path of his followers. But even with such a well explained path, the Buddha can only show the way, and it is up to us to walk it.
MN 108: With Moggallāna the Guardian
Amid rising military tensions after the Buddha’s death, Venerable Ānanda is questioned about how the Saṅgha planned to continue in their teacher’s absence. As the Buddha refused to appoint a successor, the teaching and practice that he laid down become the teacher, and the Saṅgha resolves issues by consensus.
MN 109: The Longer Discourse on the Full-Moon Night
On a lovely full moon night, one of the mendicants presents the Buddha with a series of questions that go to the heart of the teaching. But when he hears of the doctrine of not-self, another mendicant is unable to grasp the meaning.
MN 110: The Shorter Discourse on the Full-Moon Night
A good person is able to understand a bad person, but not vice versa.
MN 111: One by One
The Buddha describes in technical detail the process of insight of Venerable Sāriputta. Many ideas and terms in this text anticipate the Abhidhamma.
MN 112: The Sixfold Purification
If someone claims to be awakened, their claim should be interrogated with a detailed series of detailed questions. Only if they can answer them clearly should the claim be accepted.
MN 113: A True Person
The Buddha explains that a truly good person does not disparage others or feel superior because of their attainment.
MN 114: What Should and Should Not Be Cultivated
The Buddha sets up a framework on things to be cultivated or avoided, and Venerable Sāriputta volunteers to elaborate.
MN 115: Many Elements
Beginning by praising a wise person, the Buddha goes on to explain that one becomes wise by inquiring into the elements, sense fields, dependent origination, and what is possible and impossible.
MN 116: At Isigili
Reflecting on the changes that even geographical features undergo, the Buddha then recounts the names of sages of the past who have lived in Mount Isigili near Rājagaha.
MN 117: The Great Forty
A discourse on the prerequisites of right samādhi that emphasizes the interrelationship and mutual support of all the factors of the eightfold path.
MN 118: Mindfulness of Breathing
Surrounded by many well-practiced mendicants, the Buddha teaches mindfulness of breathing in detail, showing how it relates to the four kinds of mindfulness meditation.
MN 118: Mindfulness of Breathing
16 steps of mindfulness of breathing — the most foundational meditation practice.
MN 119: Mindfulness of the Body
This focuses on the first aspect of mindfulness meditation, the observation of the body. This set of practices, simple as they seem, have far-reaching benefits.
MN 120: Rebirth by Choice
The Buddha explains how one can make a wish to be reborn in different realms.
MN 121: The Shorter Discourse on Emptiness
The Buddha describes his own practice of the meditation on emptiness.
MN 122: The Longer Discourse on Emptiness
A group of mendicants have taken to socializing too much, so the Buddha teaches on the importance of seclusion in order to enter fully into emptiness.
MN 123: Incredible and Amazing
Venerable Ānanda is invited by the Buddha to speak on the Buddha’s amazing qualities, and proceeds to list a series of apparently miraculous events accompanying his birth. The Buddha caps it off by explaining what he thinks is really amazing about himself.
MN 124: With Bakkula
Venerable Bakkula, regarded as the healthiest of the mendicants, explains to an old friend his strict and austere practice. The unusual form of this discourse suggests it was added to the canon some time after the Buddha’s death.
MN 125: The Level of the Tamed
A young monk is unable to persuade a prince of the blessings of peace of mind. The Buddha offers similes based on training an elephant that would have been successful, as this was a field the prince was familiar with.
MN 126: With Bhūmija
Success in the spiritual life does not depend on any vows you may or may not make, but on whether you practice well.
MN 127: With Anuruddha
A lay person becomes confused when encouraged to develop the “limitless” and “expansive” liberations, and asks Venerable Anuruddha to explain whether they are the same or different.
MN 128: Corruptions
A second discourse set at the quarrel of Kosambi, this depicts the Buddha, having failed to achieve reconciliation between the disputing mendicants, leaving the monastery. He spends time in the wilderness before encountering an inspiring community of practicing monks. There he discusses in detail obstacles to meditation that he encountered before awakening.
MN 129: The Foolish and the Astute
A fool suffers both in this life and the next, while the astute benefits in both respects.
MN 130: Messengers of the Gods
Expanding on the previous, this discourse contains the most detailed descriptions of the horrors of hell.
MN 131: One Fine Night
This discourse opens with a short but powerful set of verses extolling the benefits of insight into the here and now, followed by an explanation.
MN 132: Ānanda and One Fine Night
The same discourse as MN 131, but spoken by Venerable Ānanda.
MN 133: Mahākaccāna and One Fine Night
The verses from MN 131 are explained in a different way by Venerable Mahakaccāna.
MN 134: Lomasakaṅgiya and One Fine Night
A monk who does not know the verses from MN 131 is encouraged by a deity to learn them.
MN 135: The Shorter Analysis of Deeds
The Buddha explains to a brahmin how your deeds in past lives affect you in this life.
MN 136: The Longer Analysis of Deeds
Confronted with an overly simplistic version of his own teachings, the Buddha emphasizes the often overlooked nuances and qualifications in how karma plays out.
MN 137: The Analysis of the Six Sense Fields
A detailed analysis of the six senses and the relation to emotional and cognitive processes.
MN 138: A Summary Recital and its Analysis
The Buddha gives a brief and enigmatic statement on the ways consciousness may become attached. Venerable Mahākaccāna is invited by the mendicants to draw out the implications.
MN 139: The Analysis of No Strife
Achieving peace is no simple matter. The Buddha explains how to avoid conflict through contentment, right speech, understanding pleasure, and not insisting on local conventions.
MN 140: The Analysis of the Elements
While staying overnight in a potter’s workshop, the Buddha has a chance encounter with a monk who does not recognize him. They have a long and profound discussion based on the four elements. This is one of the most insightful and moving discourses in the canon.
MN 141: The Analysis of the Truths
Expanding on the Buddha’s first sermon, Venerable Sāriputta gives a detailed explanation of the four noble truths.
MN 142: The Analysis of Religious Donations
When his step-mother Mahāpajāpatī wishes to offer him a robe for his personal use, the Buddha encourages her to offer it to the entire Saṅgha instead. He goes on to explain that the best kind of offering to the Saṅgha is one given to the dual community of monks and nuns, headed by the Buddha.
MN 143: Advice to Anāthapiṇḍika
As the great lay disciple Anāthapiṇḍika lies dying, Venerable Sāriputta visits him and gives a powerful teaching on non-attachment.
MN 144: Advice to Channa
The monk Channa is suffering a painful terminal illness and wishes to take his own life.
MN 145: Advice to Puṇṇa
On the eve of his departure to a distant country, full of wild and unpredictable people, Venerable Puṇṇa is asked by the Buddha how he would respond if attacked there.
MN 146: Advice from Nandaka
When asked to teach the nuns, Venerable Nandaka proceeds by inviting them to engage with his discourse and ask if there is anything that needs further explanation.
MN 147: The Shorter Advice to Rāhula
The Buddha takes Rāhula with him to a secluded spot in order to lead him on to liberation.
MN 148: Six By Six
The Buddha analyzes the six senses from six perspectives, and demonstrates the emptiness of all of them.
MN 149: The Great Discourse on What Relates to the Six Sense Fields
Explains how insight into the six senses is integrated with the eightfold path and leads to liberation.
MN 150: With the People of Nagaravinda
In discussion with a group of householders, the Buddha helps them to distinguish those spiritual practitioners who are truly worthy of respect.
MN 151: The Purification of Alms
The Buddha notices Venerable Sāriputta’s glowing complexion, which is the result of his deep meditation. He then presents a series of reflections by which a mendicant can be sure that they are worthy of their alms-food.
MN 152: The Development of the Faculties
A brahmin teacher advocates that purification of the senses consists in simply avoiding seeing and hearing things. The Buddha explains that it is not about avoiding sense experience, but understanding it and learning to not be affected by sense experience.