8.
The Discourse on Reflection
1078.
"Do not, monks, think evil unwholesome thoughts -
'The world is eternal' or 'the world is non-eternal' or 'the world is finite' or 'the world is infinite' or 'the soul is the same as the body' or 'the soul is one thing and the body another' or 'the Truth-finder exists after death' or 'the Truth-finder does not exist after death' or 'the Truth-finder both exists and does not exist after death' or 'the Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death.'
What is the reason for this?
This thought, monks, is not connected with benefit, is not fundamental to the holy life, does not lead to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to peace, to direct knowledge, to highest enlightenment, to Nibbāna.
"But when thinking, monks, you should think 'This is suffering'; you should think 'This is the origin of suffering'; you should think 'This is the cessation of suffering'; you should think 'This is the practice leading to the cessation of suffering.' What is the reason for this? This thought, monks, is connected with benefit, this is fundamental to the holy life, this leads to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to peace, to direct knowledge, to highest enlightenment, to Nibbāna.
"Therefore, monks, exertion is to be done regarding 'This is suffering', etc. exertion is to be done regarding 'This is the practice leading to the cessation of suffering.'" The eighth.