With What Purpose?
Kimatthiya Sutta (SN 38:4)
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, with what purpose is the holy life lived under Gotama the contemplative?”
“The holy life is lived under the Blessed One with the purpose of the full comprehension of stress & suffering.”
“But is there a path, is there a practice for the full comprehension of this stress & suffering?”
“Yes, there is a path, there is a practice for the full comprehension of this stress & suffering.”
“Then what is the path, what is the practice for the full comprehension of this stress & suffering?”
“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 full comprehension of this stress & suffering.”
“It’s an auspicious path, my friend, an auspicious practice for the full comprehension of this stress & suffering—enough for the sake of heedfulness.”
See also: SN 22:23
