This Sotapanna handbook is really informative. It covers the essence of Buddha's teaching like the Noble Eightfold path and the 12 links of dependent origination.
“When this does not exist, that does not come to be,
With the cessation of this, that ceases.
When there is no consciousness, name-and-form does not come to be.
When there is no name-and-form, the six senses bases do not come to be.
When there is no six senses bases, contact does not come to be.
When there is no contact, feeling does not come to be.
Whern there is no feeling, craving does not come to be.
When there is no craving, clinging does not come to be.
When there is no clinging, existence does not come to be.
When there is no existence, birth does not come to be.
When there is no birth, aging-and-death does not come to be.
He understands thus, “ In such a way the world ceases.”
Introduction to Agama Sutra: The First Buddhist Scripture by Thomas Tam, Ph.D., M.P.H
(Click above link to read more)
(Click above link to read more)
'The Buddha told him: "What is this world? It is the receptacles of matter, feelings, thoughts, actions, and consciousness. The world is formed when we fastened to these receptacles because of our desire. It disappears when we can give them up, and leave them alone.... When you understand suffering, and how they come about, know how they can cease, and practice ways to cease them, you would have overcome your desire and crossed the edge of the world."'
The five receptacles that the Buddha mentioned: matter, feelings, thoughts, actions, and consciousness, are what constitute the external and internal world of every sentient being. Through our sense organs, we take note of the external and internal world. For example, let us focus on only the interaction between matter and us, the sentient being. Our eyes see an image, our ears hear a sound, our nose smells a scent, our tongue perceives a taste, our body sense a touch, our mind recognizes an event. All these become consciousness and stored in that receptacle. How the sentient being handle the interaction makes all the difference between imprisonment in, and liberation from, Samsara, the endless cycle of births and deaths. Failing to understand the transient nature of what we perceive or interact with, we may like and enjoy them to the point of clinging onto them, thinking that they are eternally lasting. This may lead to actions that have all kinds of dire consequences, including getting stuck in Samsara. So, to stay away from trouble and become liberated, we should learn to sever our greed, and control our desire. The crux is in understanding the interrelatedness of all things, and to be constantly aware of the falsehood induced by our ego.
The five receptacles that the Buddha mentioned: matter, feelings, thoughts, actions, and consciousness, are what constitute the external and internal world of every sentient being. Through our sense organs, we take note of the external and internal world. For example, let us focus on only the interaction between matter and us, the sentient being. Our eyes see an image, our ears hear a sound, our nose smells a scent, our tongue perceives a taste, our body sense a touch, our mind recognizes an event. All these become consciousness and stored in that receptacle. How the sentient being handle the interaction makes all the difference between imprisonment in, and liberation from, Samsara, the endless cycle of births and deaths. Failing to understand the transient nature of what we perceive or interact with, we may like and enjoy them to the point of clinging onto them, thinking that they are eternally lasting. This may lead to actions that have all kinds of dire consequences, including getting stuck in Samsara. So, to stay away from trouble and become liberated, we should learn to sever our greed, and control our desire. The crux is in understanding the interrelatedness of all things, and to be constantly aware of the falsehood induced by our ego.
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