Sutta Library

Browse the Buddha's discourses from the Pāḷi Canon

Try a sutta ID, title, topic like "impermanence", or words like "anger", "fear", "restless"

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197 suttas found· Showing 1–50

Sorted by learning path

#16sn 56.11SN

The Setting in Motion of the Wheel of the Dhamma Sutta (Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta)

The Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path—the foundational framework of Buddhist practice. · Feb 15, 2026

Four Noble Truths

#17sn 45.8SN

The Analysis of the Path Sutta (Vibhaṅga Sutta)

The standard canonical definitions of each factor of the Noble Eightfold Path. · Feb 15, 2026

Noble Eightfold Path

#21sn 12.15SN

The Discourse to Kaccānagotta Sutta (Kaccānagotta Sutta)

The Buddhas teaching on right view and the middle way between the extremes of eternalism (everything exists) and annihilationism (everything does not exist). · Feb 15, 2026

Dependent Arising

#23sn 45.4SN

The Brahmin (Brahmana Sutta)

Sariputta explains the Noble Eightfold Path as the way to Nibbana · Feb 19, 2026

#24sn 45.57SN

Truths (Sacca Sutta)

The Noble Eightfold Path for the direct knowledge of the Four Noble Truths · Feb 19, 2026

#25sn 46.1SN

The Himavanta Sutta (Himavanta Sutta)

Just as the Himalayas support great trees, so virtue supports the development of the seven factors of awakening. · Feb 20, 2026

#26sn 56.1SN

Concentration (Samadhi Sutta)

The Buddha teaches that concentration is essential for truly understanding the Four Noble Truths and achieving liberation. · Feb 26, 2026

#27sn 56.2SN

Seclusion (Patisallana Sutta)

The Buddha explains how understanding the Four Noble Truths leads to seclusion from attachment, hatred, and delusion. · Feb 26, 2026

#28sn 56.20SN

Actual (Tathā Sutta)

You'll discover that the Four Noble Truths aren't philosophical theories or abstract concepts, but actual realities that can be directly experienced and understood. This teaching emphasizes that suffe · Feb 21, 2026

#35sn 45.2SN

Half (Upaddha Sutta)

Good friendship is not half but the whole of the spiritual life · Feb 19, 2026

#39sn 1.10SN

The Wilderness (Aranna Sutta)

A deva asks the Buddha about the qualities needed to dwell fearlessly in the wilderness, and he responds with the virtues of a perfected monk. · Feb 26, 2026

#40sn 3.2SN

A Person (Purisa Sutta)

The Buddha explains to King Pasenadi that a person's worth is determined by their conduct and virtue, not by birth or social class. · Feb 26, 2026

#41sn 6.2SN

Reverence (Garava Sutta)

The Buddha explains to Brahma Sahampati why he lives without reverence, as there is no one superior to him in wisdom and virtue. · Feb 26, 2026

#42sn 7.1SN

Dhananjani (Dhananjani Sutta)

A brahmin named Dhananjani questions the Buddha about proper conduct and receives teachings on ethical behavior and spiritual practice. · Feb 26, 2026

#43sn 12.44SN

Householders (Loka Sutta)

The Buddha explains to mendicants how the world arises and ceases through the twelve-fold chain of dependent origination, beginning with sense consciousness and contact leading to suffering. This teac · Feb 26, 2026

#44sn 12.46SN

Householders (Annatara Sutta)

A brahmin questions the Buddha about whether the doer of deeds and the experiencer of results are the same or different persons, and the Buddha explains that both views represent extremes that lead to · Feb 26, 2026

#45sn 22.1SN

Nakula's Father (Nakulapitā Sutta)

This sutta offers the Buddha's compassionate guidance to an elderly householder facing illness and death, teaching how to distinguish between bodily suffering and mental anguish. You'll discover practical wisdom for maintaining inner peace even when the physical body is declining or in pain. · Feb 19, 2026

#46sn 22.22SN

The Burden (Bhāra Sutta)

The Buddha teaches that the five aggregates of clinging (form, sensation, perception, mental formations, consciousness) constitute a burden we carry, while we ourselves are the burden-bearers. This sutta explains how we take up this burden through craving and lay it down by eliminating craving entirely. · Feb 19, 2026

#47sn 22.122SN

A Dhamma speaker (Simsapa Sutta)

In this sutta, Venerable Mahākoṭṭhita asks Venerable Sāriputta what an ethical mendicant should contemplate, receiving instruction on applying mindful attention to the five aggregates and other key Bu · Feb 26, 2026

#48sn 46.3SN

Virtue (Sila Sutta)

Virtue accomplished and hearing the Dhamma lead to the awakening factors · Feb 19, 2026

#49sn 55.1SN

The Cakkavatti Sutta (Cakkavatti Sutta)

The Buddha explains the four factors of stream-entry: confirmed confidence in the Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha, and virtues dear to the noble ones. · Feb 20, 2026

#50sn 55.7SN

The People of Bamboo Gate (Veḷudvāreyya Sutta)

You'll discover how to live ethically as a householder while still enjoying worldly pleasures, using the golden rule as your foundation. The Buddha shows how reflecting on your own desires and aversio · Feb 21, 2026

#93sn 54.13SN

Mindfulness of Breathing (Anapanasati Sutta)

The sixteen steps of breath meditation in condensed form · Feb 19, 2026

#95sn 16.9SN

Jhana (Jhana Sutta)

The Buddha describes the four jhanas as states of mental absorption that lead to wisdom and liberation from suffering. · Feb 26, 2026

#96sn 22.5SN

Concentration (Samādhi Sutta)

This sutta teaches how proper concentration naturally leads to seeing the impermanent, suffering, and non-self nature of the five aggregates (form, feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness). It shows the direct connection between meditative stability and liberating insight into the true nature of our experience. · Feb 19, 2026

#97sn 35.117SN

The World and the Kinds of Sensual Stimulation (Kamaguna Sutta)

This sutta recounts the Buddha's pre-awakening reflections on how the mind tends to wander toward past, present, or future sensual experiences, and his resolve to cultivate diligence and mindfulness t · Feb 26, 2026

#98sn 36.1SN

Concentration (Samadhi Sutta)

The Buddha explains how pleasant, painful, and neutral feelings arise in concentrated and unconcentrated minds. · Feb 26, 2026

#99sn 36.7SN

With Verses (Gelanna Sutta)

The Buddha visits an infirmary and instructs the mendicants on how to maintain mindfulness and awareness while facing illness or death. He teaches the four foundations of mindfulness as essential prac · Feb 26, 2026

#100sn 36.8SN

With Verses (Dutiyagelanna Sutta)

The Buddha visits an infirmary and instructs mendicants on maintaining mindfulness and awareness while facing illness or death. This sutta emphasizes the importance of practicing the four foundations · Feb 26, 2026

#101sn 47.2SN

Mindful (Sato Sutta)

The four foundations of mindfulness for practitioners at all levels · Feb 19, 2026

#102sn 47.4SN

At Sāla (Sāla Sutta)

The Buddha teaches the four foundations of mindfulness to the people of Sāla, emphasizing their importance for spiritual development and liberation. · Feb 22, 2026

#103sn 47.6SN

The Hawk (Sakuṇagghi Sutta)

The Buddha uses the analogy of a quail escaping a hawk to illustrate how staying within the domain of mindfulness provides protection from Mara. · Feb 22, 2026

#104sn 47.7SN

The Makkata Sutta (Makkata Sutta)

A monkey caught in tar—how beings get stuck in sense experience and how mindfulness keeps us free. · Feb 20, 2026

#105sn 47.8SN

The Cook (Sūda Sutta)

You'll discover that effective mindfulness practice requires paying attention not just to your meditation object, but to how your mind responds to the practice. Like a skilled cook who notices what pl · Feb 21, 2026

#106sn 47.10SN

Bhikkhu (Bhikkhunupassaya Sutta)

Do not let your life pass you by - establish mindfulness · Feb 19, 2026

#107sn 47.15SN

Bāhiya (Bāhiya Sutta)

The Buddha teaches Bāhiya how to practice mindfulness of the body through careful attention to bodily activities and postures. · Feb 22, 2026

#108sn 47.19SN

At Sedaka (1) (Sedaka Sutta)

Through the metaphor of tightrope walkers, the Buddha teaches that mindfulness protects both oneself and others when practiced with care. · Feb 26, 2026

#109sn 47.42SN

Origin (Samudaya Sutta)

The Buddha explains how the four foundations of mindfulness arise from contact between sense organs, objects, and consciousness. · Feb 26, 2026

#110sn 48.10SN

Faculties (Indriya Sutta)

The five faculties: faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration, wisdom · Feb 19, 2026

#111sn 51.15SN

To a Brahmin (Brahmana Sutta)

The four bases of spiritual power for developing concentration · Feb 19, 2026

#112sn 52.1SN

In Private (Rahogata Sutta)

Anuruddha reflects on the four foundations of mindfulness · Feb 19, 2026

#142sn 36.6SN

The Arrow Sutta (Sallatha Sutta)

The famous simile of the two arrows: when painful feeling arises, the untrained person experiences two pains—physical and mental—like being shot with two arrows. · Feb 15, 2026

Pain / Grief / Suffering

#143sn 1.1SN

The Flood (Ogha Sutta)

A deva asks the Buddha how he crossed the flood of existence, and he replies that he crossed by neither standing still nor struggling. · Feb 26, 2026

#144sn 2.1SN

Kassapa (Kassapa Sutta)

The Buddha teaches the brahmin Kassapa that true spiritual accomplishment comes from inner purification rather than external practices. · Feb 26, 2026

#145sn 3.1SN

Young (Dahara Sutta)

King Pasenadi boasts about his youth to the Buddha, who responds that one should not be proud of being young, middle-aged, or old. · Feb 26, 2026

#146sn 3.8SN

With Queen Mallikā (Mallikasuttam) (Mallikā Sutta)

This sutta teaches that each individual considers themselves the most dear to themselves, highlighting the universal nature of self-love. · Feb 19, 2026

#147sn 4.1SN

Austere Practice (Tapokamma Sutta)

Mara tempts the Buddha to abandon his austere practices, but the Buddha declares he has already achieved his goal through enlightenment. · Feb 26, 2026

#148sn 4.8SN

Delight (Nandana Sutta)

Mara tempts the Buddha with sensual pleasures, but the Buddha remains unmoved, explaining how he has transcended all worldly delights. · Feb 26, 2026

#149sn 5.1SN

Alavika (Alavika Sutta)

A yakkhini named Alavika tests the Buddha with a riddle about what cuts through all things, and he answers that wisdom cuts through ignorance. · Feb 26, 2026

#150sn 5.2SN

Somā (Somasuttam) (Somā Sutta)

The Soma Sutta teaches about overcoming doubt and fear, particularly for women on the spiritual path. · Feb 19, 2026