1.
The First Discourse on Slanting Towards the Ocean
109.
"Just as, monks, the river Ganges slants towards the ocean, slopes towards the ocean, inclines towards the ocean;
so too, monks, a monk developing the noble eightfold path, cultivating the noble eightfold path, slants towards Nibbāna, slopes towards Nibbāna, inclines towards Nibbāna.
And how, monks, does a monk developing the noble eightfold path, cultivating the noble eightfold path, slant towards Nibbāna, slope towards Nibbāna, incline towards Nibbāna?
Here, monks, a monk develops right view, with the removal of lust as its final goal, with the removal of hate as its final goal, with the removal of delusion as its final goal, etc.
he develops right concentration, with the removal of lust as its final goal, with the removal of hate as its final goal, with the removal of delusion as its final goal.
Thus, monks, a monk developing the noble eightfold path, cultivating the noble eightfold path, slants towards Nibbāna, slopes towards Nibbāna, inclines towards Nibbāna."
The first.