8.
The Final Nibbāna Without Clinging Discourse
48.
At Sāvatthī.
"If, monks, heterodox wandering ascetics were to ask you thus -
'For what purpose, friend, is the holy life lived under the ascetic Gotama?' - thus asked, you, monks, should answer those heterodox wandering ascetics thus -
'For the purpose of final nibbāna without clinging, friend, is the holy life lived under the Blessed One.'
But if, monks, heterodox wandering ascetics were to ask you thus -
'But is there, friend, a path, is there a practice for final nibbāna without clinging?' - thus asked, you, monks, should answer those heterodox wandering ascetics thus -
'There is indeed, friend, a path, there is a practice for final nibbāna without clinging.'
And what, monks, is the path, what is the practice for final nibbāna without clinging?
It is just this noble eightfold path, as follows -
right view, etc.
right concentration.
This, monks, is the path, this is the practice for final nibbāna without clinging.
Thus asked, you, monks, should answer those heterodox wandering ascetics thus."
The eighth.