The Buddha is reflecting on whether it is possible for Kings to rule the world with justice. Māra, finding this out, comes to the wrong conclusion, and tries to tempt him. The Buddha explains what is truly good.
Buddhakhetta and Buddhāpadāna
BWV 024: The Provenance of the Buddhas
The Asokan Missions from the Extended Mahavamsa
The first translation of the Extended Mahāvaṁsa chapters XII-XIV, which describe the missions sent out during King Asoka’s time to bring the Dhamma to the outlying districts and countries.
BWV 023: The Gift of Fearlessness
The gods come to see the Buddha and praise various kinds of giving, including the gift of fearlessness.
BWV 020: Four Things leading to Success
A monkey-King outwits a crocodile who tries to eat him, and the crocodile acknowledges his escape with the following verse.
BWV 022: Wise Discrimination
The Bodhisatta uncovers a female monkey as the real thief of the King’s jewels, and the King praised him with the following verse.
Devadatta vs. the Buddha
I wrote the following to replace an inaccurate account on Wikipedia of Devadatta’s position in Theravāda Buddhism, which denied any canonical evidence for his standing, and blamed it on later, non-Canonical sources.
BWV 021: Three Things leading to Success
The Bodhisatta escapes from a man-eating ogre (rakkhasa) and the latter acknowledges his escape with the following verse.
The Ascendency of Theravada Buddhism in Southeast Asia
Book Review of The Ascendency of Theravada Buddhism in Southeast Asia by Prapod Assavavirulhakarn
BWV 019: The Path to Heaven
The Bodhisatta, reborn as the Lord of the Gods Sakka, explains the path to Heaven to his former wife.
BWV 018: The Purification of Mortals
Anāthapiṇḍika is reborn as a god in Heaven. Later he comes to see the Buddha and utters these words.
BWV 017: Truth and Untruth have Different Results
To protect their new-born son, the Bodhisatta, the King and Queen build an iron house and keep him in it. On coming of age, though, he realises he is not safe from old age and death and proclaims 24 verses which culimate in the following famous verses.
BWV 016: The Priority of Truth
The Bodhisatta’s teaching to the man-eating King, which eventually persuades him to give up his evil habit.
Why the Buddha Suffered
A new text and translation of a section of the Apadāna, together with its commentary, explaining why the Buddha suffered in his last life.
BWV 015: Merits follow one to the Next World
A rich merchant dies after living like a pauper. The Buddha explains that in a previous life he had given alms to a Paccekabuddha, and so in this life he became rich; however, he regreted it later, so he couldn’t enjoy it.
BWV 014: Four Well-Said Verses
Some verses that were taught to the Bodhisatta by a brāhman who had heard them from the Buddha Kassapa. He is rewarded with a thousand coins for each of the verses.
Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi: Recollecting Ven. Bhikkhu Sumedha
On the occasion of the official launch of the Bhikkhu Sumedha Trust in December 2011, Bhikkhu Bodhi wrote this recollection of the monk he described as his closest friend.
BWV 013: Four Things to Cultivate
The yakkha Ālavaka asked the Buddha various questions on the spiritual life, and this verse is part of the answer.
