The Buddha advises to 1) dwell contemplating the unattractive nature of the body, 2) establish mindfulness as the first priority while breathing in and out, and 3) observe impermanence in all conditioned phenomena.

This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, as I have heard:

When approached with abundant offerings, the Buddha expresses a heartfelt wish to avoid fame, and speaks of five contemplations which result in being established in dispassion and wisdom.

Thus have I heard—At one time, the Blessed One was wandering in the Kosalan country with a large |Saṅgha::The community of monks and nuns practicing in line with the Buddha’s teachings. In the broader sense, this is the community of disciples who have realized the noble path and fruition through the Buddha’s teachings [saṅgha]| of bhikkhus, and eventually he arrived at a Kosalan brahmin village named |Icchānaṅgala::name of a brahmin village in Kosala [icchānaṅgala]|. There the Blessed One dwelled in the Icchānaṅgala forest grove. The brahmin householders of Icchānaṅgala heard:

The Buddha contemplates dependent co-arising in forward order just after his awakening.

The Buddha contemplates dependent co-arising in reverse order just after his awakening.

The Buddha contemplates dependent co-arising in forward and reverse order just after his awakening.

When the venerable Ānanda wishes to go for a solitary retreat, the Buddha teaches him to contemplate the five aggregates subject to appropriation and being assumed as one's self.

The three unwholesome thoughts are blinding, produce lack of clarity, cause ignorance, obstruct wisdom, and are troublesome and not conducive to Nibbāna. The three wholesome thoughts give sight, produce clarity and create insight, grow wisdom, and are trouble-free and conducive to Nibbāna.

1) |Thought of sensuality::thought related to enjoyment of sensual pleasures, sexual thought [kāmavitakka]|, bhikkhus, is blinding, produces lack of clarity, causes ignorance, obstructs wisdom, is troublesome and not conducive to Nibbāna. 2) |Thought of ill will::intentional thought of mental rejection, hostility, or malevolence toward others; deliberate contemplation rooted in antipathy or wishing harm [byāpādavitakka]| is blinding, produces lack of clarity, causes ignorance, obstructs wisdom, is troublesome and not conducive to Nibbāna. 3) |Thought of harming::idea of hurting, thought of cruelty [vihiṁsāvitakka]|, bhikkhus, is blinding, produces lack of clarity, causes ignorance, obstructs wisdom, is troublesome and not conducive to Nibbāna. These, bhikkhus, are the three unwholesome thoughts, which are blinding, produce lack of clarity, cause ignorance, obstruct wisdom, which are troublesome and not conducive to Nibbāna.

The Buddha describes two types of bhikkhus based on how they deal with thoughts of sensuality, ill will, and harming while walking, standing, sitting, and lying down, and which one is capable of reaching the highest awakening.

"Bhikkhus, if while a bhikkhu is walking, a |thought of sensuality::thought related to enjoyment of sensual pleasures, sexual thought [kāmavitakka]|, a |thought of ill will::intentional thought of mental rejection, hostility, or malevolence toward others; deliberate contemplation rooted in antipathy or wishing harm [byāpādavitakka]| or a |thought of harming::idea of hurting, thought of cruelty [vihiṁsāvitakka]| arises, and if that bhikkhu tolerates it, does not abandon it, dispel it, eliminate it, or bring it to an end, even while walking, such a bhikkhu is called 'unmotivated, |without concern::without regret, without remorse [anottāpī]|, constantly slack, and |weak in effort::low in energy, lacking in endurance [hīnavīriya]|.'

The Buddha describes two types of bhikkhus based on how they deal with thoughts of sensuality, ill will, and harming while walking, standing, sitting, and lying down, and which one is capable of reaching the highest awakening.

“Bhikkhus, if while a bhikkhu is walking, a |thought of sensuality::thought related to enjoyment of sensual pleasures, sexual thought [kāmavitakka]|, a |thought of ill will::intentional thought of mental rejection, hostility, or malevolence toward others; deliberate contemplation rooted in antipathy or wishing harm [byāpādavitakka]| or a |thought of harming::idea of hurting, thought of cruelty [vihiṁsāvitakka]| arises, and if that bhikkhu tolerates it, does not abandon it, dispel it, eliminate it, or bring it to an end, even while walking, such a bhikkhu is called 'unmotivated, |without concern::without regret, without remorse [anottāpī]|, constantly slack, and |weak in effort::low in energy, lacking in endurance [hīnavīriya]|.'

The Buddha explains how thoughts of sensuality, ill will, and harming arise from a cause and how to abandon them.

"|Thought of sensuality::thought related to enjoyment of sensual pleasures, sexual thought [kāmavitakka]| arises from a cause, bhikkhus, it is not without a cause; |thought of ill will::intentional thought of mental rejection, hostility, or malevolence toward others; deliberate contemplation rooted in antipathy or wishing harm [byāpādavitakka]| arises from a cause, it is not without a cause; |thought of harming::thought of cruelty, violence, or aggression [vihiṃsāvitakka]| arises from a cause, it is not without a cause.

Bāhiya of the Bark Cloth realizes the Dhamma and attains final Nibbāna immediately after receiving a concise teaching from the Buddha.

Thus have I heard—At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthi, in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's park. Now, at that time, Bāhiya of the |Bark Cloth::dressed in bark strips [dārucīriya]| was living in |Suppāraka::an ancient western seaport, modern-day Nala Sopara [suppāraka]|, by the seashore. He was honored, respected, revered, worshipped, and esteemed. He was a recipient of the four requisites: robes, alms-food, lodging, and medicines. Then, while Bāhiya was alone in seclusion, the following |train of thought::reflection, contemplation [parivitakka]| arose in his mind: "Whoever in the world are |Arahants::fully awakened ones, free from all mental defilements; worthy of offerings and veneration; also an epithet of the Buddha [arahant]| or have entered the |path to Arahantship::way of practice to the full awakening [arahattamagga]|, I am one of them."

The young deity Kassapa, on Buddha's invitation, shares a verse on the instruction for a bhikkhu.

Thus have I heard—At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthi, in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's park.

The Buddha teaches the cultivation of the noble fivefold right collectedness with vivid similes, and shares how one who has cultivated this can realize any phenomenon realizable by directly knowing.

5) Furthermore, bhikkhus, the bhikkhu's |object of contemplation::object under review, reviewing of mental states [paccavekkhaṇānimitta]| is |well grasped::correctly understood, firmly retained [suggahita]|, well attended to, |well reflected upon::carefully considered and examined [sūpadhārita]|, and |thoroughly penetrated::completely comprehended [suppaṭividdha]| by |wisdom::distinctive knowledge, discernment [pañña]|. Just as, bhikkhus, a person standing might clearly observe someone seated, or a seated person might clearly observe someone lying down. In the same way, bhikkhus, the bhikkhu's object of contemplation is well grasped, well attended to, well reflected upon, and thoroughly penetrated by wisdom. This, bhikkhus, is the fifth cultivation of the noble fivefold right collectedness.

The Buddha explains the cause for the restraint of all the taints and how there is abandoning of all the taints through the seven methods of seeing, restraint, proper use, enduring, avoiding, removing, and cultivation.

And what taints, bhikkhus, should be abandoned by removing? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu, wisely reflecting, does not tolerate an arisen |thought of sensuality::thought related to enjoyment of sensual pleasures, sexual thought [kāmavitakka]|; he abandons it, dispels it, puts an end to it, and obliterates it. He does not tolerate an arisen |thought of ill will::intentional thought of mental rejection, hostility, or malevolence toward others; deliberate contemplation rooted in antipathy or wishing harm [byāpādavitakka]|; he abandons it, dispels it, puts an end to it, and obliterates it. He does not tolerate an arisen |thought of harming::thought of cruelty, violence, or aggression [vihiṃsāvitakka]|; he abandons it, dispels it, puts an end to it, and obliterates it.

The spiritual life is lived for the abandoning and complete uprooting of the seven underlying tendencies toward 1) sensual desire, 2) aversion, 3) views, 4) doubt, 5) conceit, 6) passion for existence, and 7) ignorance.

“Bhikkhus, the |spiritual life::life of a contemplative, relating to people's thoughts and beliefs, rather than to their bodies and physical surroundings [brahmacariya]| is lived for the abandoning and |complete uprooting::cutting off, total eradication [samuccheda]| of the seven underlying tendencies. Which seven?

The Buddha describes how the spiritual life is lived in mutual dependence between monastics and householders for the sake of crossing over the flood and for the complete ending of suffering.

This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, as I have heard:

Dhammapada verses 146–156 explore impermanence, the nature of the body, and the inevitability of aging and death. Through metaphors of a world ablaze, a decaying body, the house-builder and a city of bones, they point to life's transience and the futility of clinging to sensual pleasures. The verses highlight the cultivation of wisdom, detachment, and the pursuit of an unconditioned state beyond constructs, contrasting fleeting youth and inevitable old age with the timeless teachings that lead to liberation.

What is the laughter, what is the joy, when the world is |perpetually ablaze::burning with desire, aversion, and delusion [niccaṁ + pajjalite]|; Enveloped by |darkness::blindness, ignorance of how things have come to be [andhakāra]|, why do you not seek the |light::lamp, cultivate wisdom of how things have come to be, ultimate reality [padīpa]|?

A lay disciple named Dīghāvu, who is gravely ill, is visited by the Buddha. The Buddha teaches him how to develop the qualities of a stream-enterer.

At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrels' feeding ground.

Dhammapada verses 334–359 depict craving as a binding force, likening it to a creeping vine, a trapped hare, and a spider’s web. The wise cut these bonds, free from passion, aversion, illusion, and longing, crossing beyond birth and aging. The highest gift is the Dhamma, surpassing all wealth and pleasures, and the destruction of craving is the greatest victory. Offerings to those free from defilements bear the greatest fruit.

For a human who lives with |negligence::carelessness, heedlessness [pamāda]|, |craving::wanting, yearning, longing, attachment, lit. thirst [taṇha]| grows like a |māluvā::a fast-growing, parasitic vine that climbs onto trees. As it grows, it tightens its grip, restricting the host tree’s growth and often strangling it to death. [māluvā]| creeper; He swings from this life to the next, like a monkey seeking fruit in the forest.

The Buddha describes four ways to attain final Nibbāna with or without exertion.

"Bhikkhus, there are these four kinds of persons found existing in the world. What four?

The Buddha uses the simile of an ocean to describe the six sense bases and their respective objects.

"Bhikkhus, the uninstructed ordinary person speaks of 'ocean, ocean.' Yet in the discipline of the Noble Ones, bhikkhus, that is not truly an ocean. That, bhikkhus, is merely a great mass of water, a vast expanse of water.

The Buddha teaches that a wise person aspiring for the three kinds of happiness - of 1) praise, 2) wealth, and 3) good rebirth - should safeguard their virtue.

This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, as I have heard:

Venerable Khemaka is ill, and some elder bhikkhus ask Dāsaka to convey their concern to him. A series of exchanges ensue, mediated by Dāsaka, until Khemaka, despite his illness, goes to see the elder bhikkhus himself. The elders inquire about his understanding of the Dhamma. Khemaka explains that while he does not identify any of the five |aggregates::form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness| as self, he still experiences a subtle "I am" conceit associated with these aggregates. He likens this to the lingering scent on a cleaned cloth, which eventually fades away.

On one occasion, several elder bhikkhus were dwelling at Kosambi, in Ghosita's park. At that time, the venerable Khemaka was residing at the Jujube Tree Park, and he was sick, experiencing pain, and gravely ill.

A bhikkhu asks the Buddha about the nature of the world, the mind, and wisdom.

Then, a certain bhikkhu approached where the Blessed One was; having approached and paid homage, he sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, that bhikkhu said to the Blessed One:

The Buddha describes the further training guideline on how to practice the Dhamma while walking, standing, sitting, and lying down for bhikkhus who are virtuous, and accomplished in the moral code of conduct.

This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, as I have heard:

A detailed analysis of the four bases of psychic powers - collectedness arising from aspiration, energy, purification of mind, and investigation.

"Bhikkhus, these four bases of psychic powers, when developed and frequently practiced, are of great fruit and benefit.

The Buddha presents a series of similes for the five aggregates - physical form is akin to a lump of foam, feelings akin to water bubbles, perception like a mirage, intentional constructs are like a tree without a core, and consciousness is similar to a magic trick.

Once, the Blessed One was dwelling at |Ayujjhā::Ayodhya| on the banks of the river Ganges. There, the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus:

The Buddha teaches the importance of frequently reflecting upon the five subjects of 1) aging, 2) illness, 3) death, 4) separation from everyone and everything dear and pleasing, and 5) one's relation to one's actions.

"Bhikkhus, there are these five subjects that |should be frequently reflected::should be regularly considered, contemplated, reviewed [abhiṇha + paccavekkhitabba]|, whether by a woman, a man, a householder, or |one gone forth::renunciate, ordained [pabbajita]|. What five?

The Buddha describes the four establishments of mindfulness to be cultivated in detail, namely - mindfulness of the body, mindfulness of the felt experience, mindfulness of the mind, and mindfulness of the mental qualities.

Thus have I heard—At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling in the land of the Kurus, in a town of the Kurus named Kammāsadhamma. There, the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: "Bhikkhus."

The young brahmin Subha questions the Buddha about whether householders or renunciants are superior and what brings the greatest merit. The Buddha explains that he evaluates actions with discernment, and then teaches the path to companionship with Brahmā through cultivation of the qualities of loving-kindness, compassion, appreciative joy, and equanimity.

Thus have I heard—At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthi, in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.

The Buddha answers the questions of the reputed brahmin Caṅkī's learned student, who asks the Buddha on how there is preservation of truth, awakening to the truth, final arrival at the truth, and what is most helpful for the final arrival at the truth.

Thus have I heard—At one time, the Blessed One was wandering in the Kosalan country with a large |Saṅgha::The community of monks and nuns practicing in line with the Buddha’s teachings. In the broader sense, this is the community of disciples who have realized the noble path and fruition through the Buddha’s teachings [saṅgha]| of bhikkhus, and eventually he arrived at a Kosalan brahmin village named |Opāsāda::In ancient India, certain villages were primarily inhabited by Brahmins, the priestly class. These villages often had a focus on Vedic rituals and learning. [opāsāda]|. There, the Blessed One stayed in the |Grove of the Gods::Divine forest. A quiet, possibly revered location, suitable for teaching and meditation. [devavana]| among the Sal trees to the north of Opāsāda.