A Speaker of Dhamma
Dhammavādin Sutta (SN 38:3)
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: “Friend Sāriputta, who in the world are speakers of Dhamma? Who in the world are those who practice rightly? Who in the world are well-gone?”
“Friend, those who teach the Dhamma for the abandoning of passion, for the abandoning of aversion, for the abandoning of delusion: They are speakers of Dhamma in the world. Those who practice the Dhamma for the abandoning of passion, for the abandoning of aversion, for the abandoning of delusion: They are those who practice rightly in the world. Those whose passion has been abandoned—its root destroyed, made like a palmyra stump, deprived of the conditions of development, not destined for future arising; whose aversion has been abandoned… whose delusion has been abandoned—its root destroyed, made like a palmyra stump, deprived of the conditions of development, not destined for future arising: They in the world are well-gone.”
“But is there a path, is there a practice for the abandoning of this passion, aversion, & delusion?”
“Yes, there is a path, there is a practice for the abandoning of this passion, aversion, & delusion.”
“Then what is the path, what is the practice for the abandoning of this passion, aversion, & delusion?”
“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 abandoning of this passion, aversion, & delusion.”
“It’s an auspicious path, my friend, an auspicious practice for the abandoning of this passion, aversion, & delusion—enough for the sake of heedfulness.”
