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Keeping the Breath in Mind & Lessons in Samadhi, by Ajaan Lee Dhammadharo. (revised Dec. 15, 2018) A fundamental guidebook for breath meditation and practicing the jhānas.

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https://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/Writings/Ebooks/KeepingtheBreathinMind_181215.pdf

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Discourse on the Snake Simile
Alagaddupama Sutta (MN 22)
by Nyanaponika Thera

The discourse of the Buddha on the Snake Simile (Alagaddúpama Sutta) that is presented here, together with explanatory notes taken mostly from the commentarial literature, is the 22nd text in the “Collection of Discourses of Medium Length” (Majjhima Nikáya).
It is a text rich of contents and graced by many similes. At the very beginning there is a sequence of ten pithy similes on the perils of sense desires; then follows the simile on correctly or wrongly getting hold of a snake (from which our text derives its name); further, and still better known, the parable of the raft; and finally the simile of the vegetation of the Jeta Grove. The evocative power of these similes will strengthen the impact of the sutta’s message, in him who ponders on them deeply and repeatedly.
The main concern of this discourse is to warn against misconceptions, misrepresentations and dilution of the Teaching.

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https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel048.pdf

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Buddha protected by Serpent dragon Naga King Muccalinda as told in Muccalinda Sutta.

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GOOD, EVIL AND BEYOND KAMMA IN THE BUDDHA’S TEACHING
by Bhikkhu P. A. Payutto

The work presented here is based on a single chapter from Buddhadhamma, by Venerable P. A. Payutto. Buddhadhamma is perhaps the author’s most formal and ambitious book to date, a volume of over one thousand pages dealing with the whole of the Buddha’s teaching. Although the work is scholarly in approach, it renders the Buddhist themes so often misunderstood or considered beyond the scope of the ordinary layman more approachable in practical terms.

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https://static.sariputta.com/pdf/tipitaka/762/good_evil_beyondpdf.pdf
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“Tell me,ˮ the Bodhisatta went on, “who do you love best now — king Assaka, or this dung-worm?ˮ

“O Sir, that was my former birth,ˮ said she. “Then I lived

with him in this park, enjoying shape and sound, scent, taste and touch; but now that my memory is confused by rebirth, what is he? Why, now I would kill king Assaka and would smear the feet of my husband the dung-worm with the blood flowing from his throat!ˮ Then in the midst of the king’scompany, she uttered these verses in a human voice:

“Once with the great king Assaka,

who was my husband dear,

Loving and beloved,

I walked about this garden here.

But now new sorrows and new joys

have made the old ones flee,

And dearer far than Assaka

my Worm is now to me.ˮ

When king Assaka heard this, he repented on the spot and immediately had the queenʼs body removed from his bedchamber and washed his head. He saluted the Bodhisatta and went back to the city where he married again and ruled in righteousness. The Bodhisatta, having instructed the king and set him free from sorrow, returned again to the Himalayas.

When the Buddha had ended this discourse, he explained to the lovesick monk who the characters were in this story:

“Your late wife was Ubbarī; you, the lovesick Brother, were king Assaka; Sāriputta was the young brahmin; and the anchorite was myself.ˮ At the conclusion of these revelations,the lovesick monk attained stream-entry (sotāpanna).

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Ayutaha Dhamma Sojourn (memory of the ten thousand days of my life as a Buddhist monk)
By Sayādaw Nandasiddhi

Chapter 10

Contemplation of the Body

Part 24 of 25

Assaka Jataka

The Buddha told this story about a monk who was distracted by the recollection of his former wife, while staying in Jetavana. He asked the monk whether he was really lovesick. The monk replied briefly; “Yes.ˮ “With whom are you in love?ˮ asked the Buddha. “My late wifeˮ was the reply. Then the Buddha said, “This has not been the first time that you have been full of desire for this woman. In olden days her love brought you to great misery.ˮ And the Buddha told the following story:

Once upon a time, there was a king Assaka reigning in Potali, which is a city of the kingdom of Kasi. His queen consort, named Ubbarī, was very dear to him. She was charming, graceful and had a beauty that surpassed that of other women, though she was not as fair as a goddess. When she died, the king was plunged into grief and became sad and miserable. He had the body laid in a glass coffin, embalmed with oil and ointment and laid beneath his bed, where he lay without food, weeping and wailing. In vain did his parents and kinsfolk, friends and courtiers, priests and laymen, bid him not to grieve, since all things pass away. They could not move him, so he lay there in sorrow as seven days passed by.

Now the Bodhisatta was at that time an ascetic, who had gained the five supernatural powers and the eight attainments of absorption, while dwelling at the foot of the Himalayas. As he looked around India with his heavenly vision, he saw this king lamenting and immediately resolved to help him. By his miraculous power he rose in the air and alighted in the king’s park, sitting down on the ceremonial stone like a golden image.

A young brahmin of the city of Potali entered the park and seeing the Bodhisatta, greeted him and sat down. The Bodhisatta began to talk pleasantly with him and asked about the king. The young man said: “Why do you not free the king from this great grief? Virtuous beings like you should be able to overcome the king’s sorrow.ˮ

“I do not know the king, young man,ˮ said the Bodhisatta; “but if he were to come and ask me, I would tell him the place where his late wife has now come into the flesh again and make her speak for herself.ˮ

“Then, holy Sir, stay here until I bring the king to you.ˮ He hastened to the king and told him what the Bodhisatta had said. “You should visit this being with divine insight!ˮ He urged the king.

The king was overjoyed at the thought of seeing Ubbarī again and so he got into his chariot and drove to the park. Greeting the Bodhisatta, he sat down on one side, and asked, “Is it true, as I am told, that you know where my queen has come into being again?ˮ

“Yes, I do, my lord king,ˮ replied the Bodhisatta.

Then the king asked where she was.

The Bodhisatta replied, “O king, she was so intoxicated with her beauty, that she fell into negligence and did not do fair and virtuous acts. As a result, she has become a little dung-worm in this very park.ˮ

“I don’t believe it! ˮ said the king.

“Then I will show her to you, and make her speak,ˮ answered the Bodhisatta.

“Please make her speak!ˮ said the king.

The Bodhisatta commanded — “Let the two that are busy rolling a lump of cow-dung, come forth before the king.ˮ By his power he made them do it and they came. The Bodhisatta pointed the one out to the king: “There is your queen Ubbarī, O king! She has just come out of this lump, following her husband the dung-worm. Look and see for yourself. ˮ

“What! My queen Ubbarī a dung-worm? I don’t believe it!ˮ cried the king.

“I will make her speak, O king!ˮ

“Pray make her speak, holy Sir!ˮ said he.

The Bodhisatta by his power gave her speech. “Ubbarī!ˮ said he.

“What is it, holy Sir?ˮ she asked in a human voice.

“What was your name in your former character?ˮ the Bodhisatta asked her.

“My name was Ubbarī, Sirˮ she replied, “the consort of king Assaka.ˮ

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The Buddhist Way
By Dr. Sri K Dhammananda

Happy events such as birth and marriage, and sad occasions like sickness and death in aperson's existence very often necessitate the observance of certain rites, which have been performed in every society from time immemorial. Such rites, which originated even long before the various major world religions became established, have been handed down by our forefathers, and in the passage of time, have gradually assumed the form of traditional customary practices until the present day. We continue to practise many of these rites through ignorance and fear, not daring to change or discard them even with the acquisition of a modern education and sophisticated life-style.

In particular many of the rites performed on sad occasions like death and funerals are shrouded in mystery and superstition, and very often incur a tremendous financial burden on bereaved families.This is one of the major reasons why many Buddhists are easily converted to other religions because it offers good ammunition for other religionists to hurl their criticisms and attacks the Buddhists. It is imperative that the Buddhist community in this country should awaken to this situation and make courageous efforts to make reforms in the performance of their rites and rituals in consonance with correct Buddhist religious principles.

This book presents in a simple and understandable manner the various rites which could be performed by Buddhists on happy and sad occasions in their lives. It is hoped that they will make efforts to understand them and practise them when the occasion arises. By so doing, they will not only attain satisfaction and a sense of security in the knowledge that they are performing proper Buddhist rites, but also help to enhance the image of their own religion in the eyes of others.

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