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The Heart of the Teaching

Six short discourses that carry the whole teaching in seed form: the middle way, the four noble truths, not-self, and how to test a teaching for yourself.

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  1. SN 56.11Rolling Forth the Wheel of Dhamma Dhammacakkappavattanasutta

    The first teaching after the awakening: two extremes to avoid, the middle way, and the four noble truths with their three rounds and twelve aspects.

  2. SN 22.59The Characteristic of Not-Self Anattalakkhaṇasutta

    The second teaching. If form, feeling, perception, choices and consciousness were self, we could command them. We can’t.

  3. SN 35.28Burning Ādittasutta

    The third teaching: the senses, their objects and the mind are burning with greed, hate and delusion.

  4. MN 141The Analysis of the Truths Saccavibhaṅgasutta

    Sāriputta explains each noble truth in detail. Use it as a reference for the definitions.

  5. SN 56.31In a Rosewood Forest Sīsapāvanasutta

    A handful of leaves: why the Buddha taught only what leads to the end of suffering.

  6. AN 3.65With the Kālāmas of Kesamutta Kesamuttisutta

    How to evaluate a teaching: not by tradition or authority, but by seeing in your own experience what leads to harm and what leads to welfare.