The Life of the Recluse (b)

THUS have I heard:

Once the Exalted One was staying near Sāvatthī.

Then the Exalted One addressed the monks,
saying:

"Monks."

"Yes, lord," replied those monks to the Exalted One.

The Exalted One said:

"I will teach you, monks, both the life of the recluse
and the aim of the life of the recluse.

Do ye listen to it.

And what, monks, is the life of the recluse?

It is just this Ariyan eightfold way,
to wit:

Right view,
right aim,
right speech,
right action,
right living,
right effort,
right mindfulness
right concentration.

This is called
'the life of the recluse.'

And what, monks, is
the aim of the life of the recluse?

The destruction of lust,
the destruction of hatred,
the destruction of illusion.

These, monks, are called
'the aim of the life of the recluse.'"¹

¹ Cf. Pts. of Controv., p. 208.