Achieving Nirvana: Excerpts From the Sutta Nipata, Part 2 of 2

Kimsîlasutta How To Obtain The Highest Good

“By what virtue, by what conduct, and performing what works, will a man be perfectly established in the commandments and obtain the highest good? Let him honor old people, not be envious, let him know the right time for seeing his Teachers, let him know the right moment for listening to Their religious discourses, let him assiduously hearken to Their well-spoken words. Let him in due time go to the presence of his Teachers, let him be humble after casting away obstinacy, let him remember and practice what is good, the Dhamma, self-restraint, and chastity. Let his pleasure be the Dhamma, let him delight in the Dhamma, let him stand fast in the Dhamma, let him know how to enquire into the Dhamma, let him not raise any dispute that pollutes the Dhamma, and let him spend his time in speaking well-spoken truths. Having abandoned ridiculous talk, lamentation, corruption, deceit, hypocrisy, greediness and haughtiness, clamor and harshness, depravity and foolishness, let him live free from infatuation, with a steady mind.

The words, the essence of which is understood, are well spoken, and what is heard, if understood, contains the essence of meditation; but the understanding and learning of the man who is hasty and careless, does not increase. Those who delight in the Dhamma, proclaimed by the Venerable Ones, are unsurpassed in speech, mind and work, they are established in peace, tenderness and meditation, and have gone to the essence of learning and understanding.”

Vangîsasutta

“[…] ‘Having earnestly called upon Him who has completely left birth and death behind and shaken off sin, I will make Him proclaim the Dhamma, for ordinary people cannot do what they want, but the Tathâgatas [Buddhas] act with a purpose. ‘This full explanation by Thee, the perfectly Wise, is accepted, this last clasping of the hands is well bent, O Thou of high Wisdom, knowing Kappa’s transmigration, do not delude us. ‘Having perfectly comprehended the Dhamma of the Venerable Ones, do not delude us, O Thou of unsurpassed strength, knowing everything; as one in the hot season pained by the heat longs for water, so I long for Thy Words; send a shower of learning. ‘The rich religious life which Kappâyana led, has not that been in vain to him, has he been completely extinguished; or is he still with some elements of existence left behind? How he was liberated, that we want to hear.’ The Blessed One: ‘He cut off the desire for name and form in this world,’ – so said the Blessed One, – ‘Kanha’s, that is, Mâra’s stream, adhered to for a long time, he crossed completely birth and death,’ so said the Blessed One, the best of the five Brâhmanas [sages]. […]”