“Mendicants, the Ganges river slants, slopes, and inclines to the ocean. “Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, gaṅgā nadī samuddaninnā samuddapoṇā samuddapabbhārā; In the same way, a mendicant who develops and cultivates the noble eightfold path slants, slopes, and inclines to extinguishment. evameva kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bhāvento ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bahulīkaronto nibbānaninno hoti nibbānapoṇo nibbānapabbhāro.

And how does a mendicant who develops the noble eightfold path slant, slope, and incline to extinguishment? Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bhāvento ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bahulīkaronto nibbānaninno hoti nibbānapoṇo nibbānapabbhāro? It’s when a mendicant develops right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion, which culminate, finish, and end in freedom from death. Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sammādiṭṭhiṁ bhāveti amatogadhaṁ amataparāyanaṁ amatapariyosānaṁ …pe… sammāsamādhiṁ bhāveti amatogadhaṁ amataparāyanaṁ amatapariyosānaṁ. That’s how a mendicant who develops and cultivates the noble eightfold path slants, slopes, and inclines to extinguishment.” Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bhāvento ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bahulīkaronto nibbānaninno hoti nibbānapoṇo nibbānapabbhāro”ti.

Paṭhamaṁ.