Suttas for the Householder

[manas]

Following the links kindly provided by Bodom above, I found this interesting sutta:

Piti Sutta: Rapture

Then Anathapindika the householder, surrounded by about 500 lay followers, went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there the Blessed One said to him, "Householder, you have provided the community of monks with robes, alms food, lodgings, & medicinal requisites for the sick, but you shouldn't rest content with the thought, 'We have provided the community of monks with robes, alms food, lodgings, & medicinal requisites for the sick.' So you should train yourself, 'Let's periodically enter & remain in seclusion & rapture.' That's how you should train yourself."

When this was said, Ven. Sariputta said to the Blessed One, "It's amazing, lord. It's astounding, how well put that was by the Blessed One: 'Householder, you have provided the community of monks with robes, alms food, lodgings, & medicinal requisites for the sick, but you shouldn't rest content with the thought, "We have provided the community of monks with robes, alms food, lodgings, & medicinal requisites for the sick." So you should train yourself, "Let's periodically enter & remain in seclusion & rapture." That's how you should train yourself.'

"Lord, when a disciple of the noble ones enters & remains in seclusion & rapture, there are five possibilities that do not exist at that time: The pain & distress dependent on sensuality do not exist at that time. The pleasure & joy dependent on sensuality do not exist at that time. The pain & distress dependent on what is unskillful do not exist at that time. The pleasure & joy dependent on what is unskillful do not exist at that time. The pain & distress dependent on what is skillful do not exist at that time. When a disciple of the noble ones enters & remains in seclusion & rapture, these five possibilities do not exist at that time."

[The Blessed One said:] "Excellent, Sariputta. Excellent. When a disciple of the noble ones enters & remains in seclusion & rapture, there are five possibilities that do not exist at that time: The pain & distress dependent on sensuality do not exist at that time. The pleasure & joy dependent on sensuality do not exist at that time. The pain & distress dependent on what is unskillful do not exist at that time. The pleasure & joy dependent on what is unskillful do not exist at that time. The pain & distress dependent on what is skillful do not exist at that time. When a disciple of the noble ones enters & remains in seclusion & rapture, these five possibilities do not exist at that time."

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html

Here, the Buddha seems to be exhorting the assembled lay practitioners to take their practice further, to not just rest content with the thought, 'We have provided the community of monks with robes, alms food, lodgings, & medicinal requisites for the sick', but to also 'periodically enter & remain in seclusion & rapture.' So even in the Buddha's time, there was more to being a layman than just 'doing lots of good kamma and going to heaven' - we were encouraged to do bhavana, mental development, as well. We are encouraged to train ourselves like this.

[Mkoll]

AN 9.20: Velāma Sutta: About Velāma
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html

This sutta lists in order of least to greatest fruitfulness:

An unimaginably large alms offering < feeding a stream enterer < feeding a once-returner < feeding a nonreturner < feeding an arahant < feeding a paccekabuddha < feeding a Perfectly Enlightened Buddha < feed the Saṅgha headed by a Buddha < build a monastery for the Saṅgha < undertaking the 5 precepts and go for Refuge in the Triple Gem < develop a mind of loving-kindness even for the time it takes to pull a cow's udder < develop the perception of impermanence just for the time it takes to snap one's fingers

For the last two, loving-kindness and impermanence, developing them is more fruitful than all those preceding it combined. It goes to show how fruitful it is for us householders to develop the perception of impermanence, even if for just the time it takes to snap one's fingers!

[mirco]

_()_

Dhamma Greetings,


may I add a list of Suttas from the Book "Der Buddha sprach nicht nur für Mönche und Nonnen" (The Buddha did not speak to monks and nuns only) by Fritz Schäfer:

Page 826
Page 827
Page 828

I did not post them as pictures in here, because they are to big and smaller versions would be uneasy to read.


May All Beings Be Well,

_()_

[starter]

AN 5.175 Candala sutta http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html

"Endowed with these five qualities, a lay follower is an outcaste of a lay follower, a stain of a lay follower, a dregs of a lay follower. Which five? He/she does not have conviction [faith in the Buddha and his teaching]; is unvirtuous; is eager for protective charms [paritta - chants?] & ceremonies; trusts protective charms & ceremonies, not kamma; and searches for recipients of his/her offerings outside [of the Sangha], and gives offerings there first. Endowed with these five qualities, a lay follower is an outcaste of a lay follower, a stain of a lay follower, a dregs of a lay follower.

"Endowed with these five qualities, a lay follower is a jewel of a lay follower, a lotus of a lay follower, a fine flower of a lay follower. Which five? He/she has conviction; is virtuous; is not eager for protective charms & ceremonies; trusts kamma, not protective charms & ceremonies; does not search for recipients of his/her offerings outside [of the Sangha], and gives offerings here first. Endowed with these five qualities, a lay follower is a jewel of a lay follower, a lotus of a lay follower, a fine flower of a lay follower."

[pilgrim]

These two suttas are particularly useful for the householder

Upajjhatthana Sutta: Five Subjects for Contemplation
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html

Tamonata Sutta: Darkness ( Four types of people to be found existing in the world )
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html

[culaavuso]

AN 3.48: Pabbata Sutta may be inspirational for some.