Dhammapada verses 320–333 highlight self-discipline, wisdom, and perseverance through the imagery of elephants. They highlight inner mastery over strength, the value of solitude over company of immature persons, and the importance of taming one’s mind. Honoring parents, cultivating virtue, and letting go of suffering lead to true ease.

Dhammapada verses 360–382 depict the ideal bhikkhu as one who restrains the senses, body, speech, and mind, leading to freedom from suffering. Emphasis is placed on mindfulness, inner joy, collectedness, and self-reliance. Through discipline and reflection, the bhikkhu advances towards the peace of Nibbāna, shining like the moon freed from clouds.

The Buddha describes the sentient beings who lack in wisdom as truly deprived, dwelling in suffering, annoyance, hardship, and distress.

The Buddha advises to live with training as the benefit, wisdom as the north star, liberation as the essence, ruled by mindfulness.

Beings come together and associate with other beings according to their disposition. Therefore, one should avoid associating with those that are lazy and keep company with the wise.

The Buddha illustrates that his true inheritance is the Dhamma, not material possessions. Venerable Sāriputta clarifies the practice of seclusion by listing numerous harmful qualities to abandon and the Middle Way that leads to abandoning of them, to clear vision, wisdom, tranquility, to full awakening.

The Buddha uses the simile of a defiled cloth to explain how the mind can be similarly defiled by various impurities, and how it can be purified by abandoning them. The Blessed One also addresses a brahmin in verses who believes in purification by bathing in river.

The Buddha distinguishes peaceful abidings in the here and now from the way of effacement leading upwards to complete quenching. Effacement is shown as the gradual chipping away of defilements through restraint, cultivation of the noble eightfold path, and diligent training, culminating in the complete freedom of Nibbāna.

The Buddha outlines an approach to cross-examine other sects and their doctrines, and how to distinguish between the true Dhamma and the false Dhamma through the comprehension of the four kinds of clinging.

The Buddha explains the difference between cultivation and lack of cultivation with regard to body and mind, and recounts his own journey to full awakening.

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.

The Buddha teaches in detail how to develop mindfulness while breathing in and out through sixteen naturally unfolding steps, showing how their cultivation fulfills the four establishments of mindfulness, which in turn fulfill the seven factors of awakening, culminating in true knowledge and liberation.

Verses urging one to rise from negligence, train steadfastly for the state of peace, and not waste the fleeting opportunity of the present moment. The teaching emphasizes the urgency of effort with the imagery of the afflicted pierced by a dart and the King of Death misleading one who remains negligent.

Ajita asks the Buddha a series of questions about the nature of the world, the currents of defilements, how to overcome name and form and the conduct of those who have comprehended the Dhamma.

Household Anāthapiṇḍika, after passing away, appears as a young deity and recites verses to the Buddha on the value of thoroughly examining the Dhamma.

The Buddha reflects on who he should honor and respect after his full awakening. Brahmā Sahampati encourages him to honor and respect the Dhamma.

After examining the impermanence, dis-satisfactoriness, and the changing nature of the five aggregates, the Buddha teaches how to see them with proper wisdom, with identifying with them.

The Venerable Rādha asks the Buddha on how to know and see so that the underlying tendencies to self-identification, possessiveness, and pride cease to arise.

The Buddha shares vivid similes to illustrate the benefits of developing the recognition of impermanence. This practice gradually exhausts all passion for sensual pleasure, materiality, becoming, ignorance, and uproots the conceit ‘I am.’

The Buddha teaches on how to know and see the impermanence of the six sense bases and the process leading up to the arising of feeling and perception for the abandoning of ignorance and the arising of wisdom.

The Buddha answers Sakka's question on the causes and supporting conditions whereby some beings do not attain Nibbāna in this very life and some beings do attain Nibbāna in this very life.

The Buddha contrasts the suffering experienced by gods and humans, who delight in impermanent sense objects, with the contentment of the Tathāgata who understands their true nature, highlighting the differing views of happiness held by the world and the Noble Ones.

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

The Buddha likens the six types of desirable sense objects to baited hooks, set in the world for the misfortune of beings—those who cling to them fall under Māra’s power.

The Buddha explains in detail each factor of the noble eightfold path—right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right collectedness.

The Buddha contrasts the misdirected and well-directed mind, and explains the importance of directing the mind.

The Buddha explains the importance of good friendship, the consequences of habitual engagement in unwholesome and wholesome qualities, wise and unwise attention, the loss or increase of relatives, wealth, and reputation contrasted with the loss or increase of wisdom.

The Buddha describes the unique qualities of the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the perfectly Awakened One.

Short teachings on the impossibility of certain events, actions, or outcomes.

Short teachings on the benefits of cultivating mindfulness of the body.

The Buddha describes three cases where vigour should be applied.

Three things thrive when obscured, not when exposed. And three things that shine forth when exposed, not when obscured.

The Buddha reflects on who he should honor and respect after his full awakening. Brahmā Sahampati encourages him to honor and respect the Dhamma.

Venerable Sāriputta describes the four analytical knowledges he realized a half-month after his full ordination.

The Buddha describes the seven powers in brief, of 1) faith, 2) energy, 3) conscience, 4) fear of wrongdoing, 5) mindfulness, 6) collectedness, and 7) wisdom.

The Buddha describes the seven powers in detail, of 1) faith, 2) energy, 3) conscience, 4) fear of wrongdoing, 5) mindfulness, 6) collectedness, and 7) wisdom.

The Buddha describes the seven kinds of wealth in brief, of 1) faith, 2) virtue, 3) conscience, 4) fear of wrongdoing, 5) learning, 6) generosity, and 7) wisdom.

The Buddha describes the seven kinds of wealth in detail, of 1) faith, 2) virtue, 3) conscience, 4) fear of wrongdoing, 5) learning, 6) generosity, and 7) wisdom. One who possesses these is not truly poor, and their life is not lived in vain.

Migāra of Rohaṇa is a wealthy man, but even his riches are vulnerable to the vicissitudes of life, unlike the seven kinds of wealth the Buddha describes which cannot be taken away.

The Buddha describes the seven wonderful and marvelous qualities of the householder Hatthaka of Āḷavī. When he learns about this from a certain bhikkhu, Hatthaka is concerned if any other householder heard the praise. Learning of this, the Buddha adds contentment as the eighth wonderful and marvelous quality of Hatthaka.

The Buddha expresses an inspired utterance contrasting one who has comprehended the nature of reality with one who is with possessions.