This chapter contains discourses that explore sets of ten qualities, concepts, or principles crucial to the Buddha's teachings. Each sutta delves into groups such as the ten courses of wholesome action, the ten perfections (pāramīs), or the ten fetters. These teachings illustrate the interconnectedness and collective importance of these elements in the practice of the Dhamma. The "Book of Tens" provides comprehensive insights into how these grouped qualities contribute to spiritual development and the way of practice leading to enlightenment.
The Book of the Tens
Venerable Sāriputta explains the ten strengths of a bhikkhu who has exhausted the defilements.
Approaching wrongness leads to failure, not success. Approaching rightness leads to success, not failure.
With wrong view, all actions lead to suffering. With right view, all actions lead to happiness. The Buddha explains this with an example of seeds.
The Buddha describes the ten bases for the wearing away of the multitude harmful, unwholesome qualities, and for the development of multitude wholesome qualities.