Moggallāna speaks to the mendicants of a time when his practice of the first absorption was faltering. He expresses his gratitude for the Buddha, who urged him to stabilize that attainment.

SN 40.2: A Question About the Second Absorption

Moggallāna speaks to the mendicants of a time when his practice of the second absorption was faltering. He expresses his gratitude for the Buddha, who urged him to stabilize that attainment.

SN 40.3: A Question About the Third Absorption

Moggallāna speaks to the mendicants of a time when his practice of the third absorption was faltering. He expresses his gratitude for the Buddha, who urged him to stabilize that attainment.

SN 40.4: A Question About the Fourth Absorption

Moggallāna speaks to the mendicants of a time when his practice of the fourth absorption was faltering. He expresses his gratitude for the Buddha, who urged him to stabilize that attainment.

SN 40.5: A Question About the Dimension of Infinite Space

Moggallāna speaks to the mendicants of a time when his practice of the dimension of infinite space was faltering. He expresses his gratitude for the Buddha, who urged him to stabilize that attainment.

SN 40.6: A Question About the Dimension of Infinite Consciousness

Moggallāna speaks to the mendicants of a time when his practice of the dimension of infinite consciousness was faltering. He expresses his gratitude for the Buddha, who urged him to stabilize that attainment.

SN 40.7: A Question About the Dimension of Nothingness

Moggallāna speaks to the mendicants of a time when his practice of the dimension of nothingness was faltering. He expresses his gratitude for the Buddha, who urged him to stabilize that attainment.

SN 40.8: A Question About the Dimension of Neither Perception Nor Non-Perception

Moggallāna speaks to the mendicants of a time when his practice of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception was faltering. He expresses his gratitude for the Buddha, who urged him to stabilize that attainment.

SN 40.9: A Question About the Signless

Moggallāna speaks to the mendicants of a time when his practice of the signless immersion was faltering. He expresses his gratitude for the Buddha, who urged him to stabilize that attainment.

SN 40.10: With Sakka

Moggallāna ascended to the heaven of the Thirty-Three to address Sakka, the lord of gods, and his extensive retinue. He spoke in praise of going for refuge, as it leads to heaven. Sakka affirmed this on multiple occasions, adding that gods who had gone for refuge and kept ethics surpassed the other deities in the heavens.

SN 40.11: With Candana, Etc.

The dialogue in SN 40.10 is repeated with a series of other deities.

SN 41.1: The Fetter

Citta the householder hears of a conversation among the monks regarding the distinction between the fetters and the things that are fettered. He goes to ask them on this topic, but they are unable to give a satisfactory answer, so he explained it to them. It is desire that is the fetter, like the yoke that binds two oxen.

SN 41.2: Isidatta (1st)

Citta the householder invites some mendicants to his home for a meal. He asks them about the diversity of the elements, but only the junior monk, Isidatta, is able to answer.

SN 41.3: With Isidatta (2nd)

Citta the householder invites some mendicants to his home for a meal. He asks them what is the cause of the ten metaphysical questions and the 62 views of the Brahmajāla Sutta, but only the junior monk, Isidatta, is able to answer. Citta realizes that Isidatta is in fact an unseen friend of his from Avantī. He offers to support him with requisites, but Isidatta left, never to return.

SN 41.4: Mahaka’s Demonstration

Citta the householder invites some mendicants to his home for a meal. When they left he followed them, and witnessed the junior monk Venerable Mahaka performing a psychic feat. Citta approached Mahaka in his hut and asked him to demonstrate his skills, and Mahaka obliged. Citta offers to support him with requisites, but Mahaka left, never to return.

SN 41.5: With Kāmabhū (1st)

Venerable Kāmabhū asks Citta to explain an enigmatic verse on a “one-spoked chariot”. After a brief consideration, Citta is able to explain it in detail.

SN 41.6: With Kāmabhū (2nd)

Citta asks Kāmabhū about the different kinds of processes (<i lang='pi' translate='no'>saṅkhāra</i>) in a series of questions that lead to the most profound of meditation experiences.

SN 41.7: With Godatta

Venerable Godatta asks Citta whether the liberations of measurelessness, nothingness, emptiness, and signlessness are different states, or just different words for the same thing. Citta explains that they are both: they are terms for different meditation experiences, but may also be used of perfection or arahantship.

SN 41.8: The Jain Ascetic of the Ñātika Clan

The Jain leader Mahāvīra, known as Nigaṇṭha Nātaputa in the Buddhist tradition, is visited by Citta. Mahāvīra asks him whether he believes in a certain state of immersion. When Citta replies that he doesn’t go by faith in the Buddha on this point, Mahāvīra is delighted. But it turns out Citta doesn’t need faith, as he experiences such a state for himself.

SN 41.9: With Kassapa, the Naked Ascetic

Citta meets with the naked ascetic Kassapa, an old friend of his, and asks what gains he has realized from the spiritual life. Kassapa admits he has realized no higher attainments, whereupon Citta reveals he has realized many such attainments. Kassapa decides to ordain as a Buddhist mendicant.

SN 41.10: Seeing the Sick

When Citta was on his deathbed, rather than receiving comfort, he gave comfort and teaching to those present.

SN 42.1: Fury

A headman known for his aggressive nature approaches the Buddha and asks how to give up irritability. The Buddha points out that such reactions are fueled by greed, hate, and delusion.

SN 42.2: With Tālapuṭa

Talapuṭa the head of a troupe of performers asks the Buddha whether the belief that performers have a good rebirth is correct. The Buddha tries to dissuade him, but ultimately reveals that by inciting lust they head to a bad rebirth. Talapuṭa is distressed and asks to ordain.

SN 42.3: A Warrior

Yodhājı̄va the professional warrior asks the Buddha whether the belief that warriors have a good rebirth is correct. The Buddha tries to dissuade him, but ultimately reveals that by following the way of violence they head to a bad rebirth. Yodhājı̄va is distressed and takes refuge.

SN 42.4: An Elephant Marshal

Hatthāroha the elephant warrior asks the Buddha whether the belief that warriors have a good rebirth is correct. The Buddha tries to dissuade him, but ultimately reveals that by following the way of violence they head to a bad rebirth. Hatthāroha is distressed and takes refuge.

SN 42.5: A Cavalryman

Assāroha the cavalry warrior asks the Buddha whether the belief that warriors have a good rebirth is correct. The Buddha tries to dissuade him, but ultimately reveals that by following the way of violence they head to a bad rebirth. Yodhājı̄va is distressed and asks to ordain.

SN 42.6: With Asibandhaka’s Son

The chief Asibandhakaputta asks whether the rituals advocated by the western brahmins can bring a person to heaven. The Buddha asserts that only good deeds can take you to a good rebirth, and rituals have no effect.

SN 42.7: The Simile of the Field

The chief Asibandhakaputta asks the Buddha why, if he has equal compassion for all, he teaches some more than others. The Buddha answers with a simile of a field: a farmer knows to put most of their effort into the fertile land.

SN 42.8: A Horn Blower

The Buddha asks the chief Asibandhakaputta, a Jain, how Mahāvīra the Jain leader teaches his followers. He replies that you go to a rebirth depending on what you usually do. But the Buddha points out that even a killer only spends a small amount of time actually killing. The Buddha’s approach is to point out that deeds have results, and to encourage the abandoing of bad deeds and the adoption of good deeds.

SN 42.9: Families

Mahāvīra asks Asibandhakaputta to refute the Buddha on behalf of the Jains. He suggests to try to trap the Buddha with a dilemma: he claims to have compassion for householders, yet visits them with a large Saṅgha in a time of scarcity. But the Buddha says no family has been harmed from this.

SN 42.10: With Maṇicūḷaka

Several members of the king’s retinue criticize the Buddhist mendicants for accepting offerings of money. Chief Maṇicūḷaka is among them, and he visits the Buddha to find out the truth. The Buddha categorically denies the accusation.

SN 42.11: With Bhadraka

The chief Bhadraka asks the Buddha about the origin and ending of suffering, and the Buddha points out that a loss among Bhadraka’s own community would cause him suffering, due to his attachment.

SN 42.12: With Rāsiya

The chief Rāsiya asks whether the Buddha completely rejects all forms of asceticism. The Buddha denies that this is the case, and explains what he means by the middle way in a lengthy disquisition, covering useful and useless forms of asceticism.

SN 42.13: With Pāṭaliya

The chief Pāṭaliya asks whether the Buddha knows magic. He says he does—but that does not make him a magician.

SN 43.1: Mindfulness of the Body

SN 43.2: Serenity and Discernment

SN 43.3: Placing the Mind and Keeping it Connected

SN 43.4: Emptiness Immersion

SN 43.5: Mindfulness Meditation

SN 43.6: Right Efforts

SN 43.7: Bases of Psychic Power

SN 43.8: Faculties

SN 43.9: Powers

SN 43.10: Awakening Factors

SN 43.11: The Path

SN 43.12: The Unconditioned

SN 43.13: Uninclined

SN 43.14–43: Undefiled, Etc.

SN 43.44: The Final Haven

SN 44.1: With Khemā

While staying in Toraṇavatthu, King Pasenadi wishes to visit a spiritual teacher, and the nun Khemā is highly recommended to him. He asks her about whether a realized one still exists after death, and she says this is not answerable. Later he visits the Buddha, who replies in exactly the same way.

SN 44.2: With Anurādha

Venerable Anurādha is questioned by a number of ascetics, and ends up by saying that a realized one is described in terms other than “still existing after death” and so on. The wanderers say he’s a fool, so he checks with the Buddha, who says that a realized one is not even apprehended in this life, so how can they be described after death?

SN 44.3: With Sāriputta and Koṭṭhita (1st)

Mahākoṭṭhita asks Sāriputta whether a Realized One exists after death. Sāriputta says that to answer this would be to get involved in the five aggregates, something that a Realized One is free from.

SN 44.4: With Sāriputta and Koṭṭhita (2nd)

Mahākoṭṭhita asks Sāriputta whether a Realized One exists after death. Sāriputta says that one who understands the five aggregates would not think in such terms.

SN 44.5: With Sāriputta and Koṭṭhita (3rd)

Mahākoṭṭhita asks Sāriputta whether a Realized One exists after death. Sāriputta says that only someone who has desire for the five aggregates would think in such terms.

SN 44.6: With Sāriputta and Koṭṭhita (4th)

Sāriputta asks Mahākoṭṭhita whether a Realized One exists after death. Mahākoṭṭhita says that only someone who delights in the five aggregates would think in such terms, and offers a variety of further explanations of the same point.

SN 44.7: With Moggallāna

The wanderer Vacchagotta asks Moggallāna the ten metaphysical questions, starting with whether the cosmos is eternal. Moggallāna says such questions would only be answered by someone who identifies with the six senses. Vacchagotta then asks the Buddha the same questions.

SN 44.8: With Vacchagotta

The wanderer Vacchagotta asks the Buddha the ten metaphysical questions, starting with whether the cosmos is eternal. He says such questions would only be answered by someone who identifies with the five aggregates.

SN 44.9: The Debating Hall

The wanderer Vacchagotta reports to the Buddha a conversation among ascetics on the views of the six heretical teachers as to where a perfected one is reborn. Unsure of what the Buddha’s position was, he asks how it is to be understood. The Buddha says it is like a flame that burns dependent on fuel, and goes out when that fuel is extinguished.

SN 44.10: With Ānanda

Vacchagotta asks the Buddha whether a self exists, but the Buddha is silent. When Ānanda later asks him why he didn’t answer, the Buddha replied that it was to avoid misunderstanding.