Unbinding
Nibbāna Sutta (SN 38:1)
On one occasion Ven. Sāriputta was staying in Magadha near Nāla Village. Then Jambukhādaka the wanderer went to Ven. Sāriputta and, on arrival, exchanged courteous greetings with him. After an exchange of friendly greetings & courtesies, he sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to Ven. Sāriputta: “‘Unbinding, unbinding,’ it is said, my friend Sāriputta. Which unbinding (are they referring to)?”
“The ending of passion, the ending of aversion, the ending of delusion: This is called unbinding.”
“But is there a path, is there a practice for the realization1 of this unbinding?”
“Yes, there is a path, there is a practice for the realization of this unbinding.”
“Then what is the path, what is the practice for the realization of this unbinding?”
“Precisely this noble eightfold path, my friend: right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration. This is the path, this is the practice for the realization of this unbinding.”
“It’s an auspicious path, my friend, an auspicious practice for the realization of this unbinding—enough for the sake of heedfulness.”
Note
1. Realization is the duty with regard to the third noble truth.
See also: MN 72; SN 35:117; SN 43; SN 56:11; Ud 1:10; Ud 8:1–4; Ud 8:9–10
