These stories should not be seen as mere folklore. One story, indeed, can be more valuable than many pages of dry teaching, if it is read and understood correctly. These stories provide us with a little window into the lives of people who lived in the time of the Buddha. Here we can find the stories of many people who renounced the world, went to become monks and quickly saw Dhamma for themselves.
When we read these stories, we should ask ourselves: What led them to do so? How did they practice? What qualities bring them quickly forward on their path, and what faults and failings are the obstacles for those in the stories that fail, or who continue in the path of suffering?
Chapter One: Yamaka Vagga (Twin Verses)
