Saṃyutta Nikāya
Mahāvaggo
Maggasaṃyuttaṃ
Avijjāvaggo
Vibhaṅgasuttaṃ
SN45.8
Situated at Sāvatthi.
'I shall point out, I shall divide, to you, almsmen, the noble eightfold way. Hear that, pay attention well; I shall talk'.
OK, so those almsmen replied to the exalted one:
'Venerable'
The exalted one said this:
'And which, almsmen, noble eightfold way? viz. right view, right attitude, right speech, right doing, right way of life, right exertion, right recollection, right concentration.
And which, almsmen, right view?
OK what is, almsmen, knowledge about suffering, knowledge about the rise of suffering, knowledge about the cessation of suffering, knowledge about the path heading for the cessation of suffering. This is called, almsmen, right view.
And which, almsmen, right attitude?
OK what is, almsmen, an attitude of abstinence, an attitude without anger, an attitude without harm. This is called, almsmen, right attitude.
And which, almsmen, right speech?
OK what is, almsmen, refrainment from false theories, refrainment from gossiping, refrainment from aggressive speech, refrainment from nonsense. This is called, almsmen, right speech.
And which, almsmen, right doing?
OK what is, almsmen, refrainment from killing, refrainment from taking what is not given, refrainment from unclergy conduct. This is called, almsmen, right doing.
And which, almsmen, right way of life?
Here almsmen, the hearer of what is noble gives up a wrong way of life, constructs a living by a right way of life. This is called, almsmen, right way of life.
And which is, almsmen, right exertion?
Here, almsmen, an almsman creates desire, exerts & applies vigour, strains & confronts the mind, for the non-arising of unarisen evil unwholesome principles. He creates desire ... for the rejection of arisen evil unwholesome principles. He creates desire ... for the arising of wholesome principles. He creates desire, exerts & applies vigour, strains & confronts the mind, for the state of non-forgetfulness, for the increase, fullness, perfection for cultivation of arisen wholesome principles. This is called, almsmen, right exertion.
And which, almsmen, right recollection?
Here, almsmen, an almsman looking into body dwells in body as the ardent aware recollector would remove the avarice and distress about the world; looking into feelings dwells in feelings as the ardent aware recollector would remove the avarice and distress about the world; looking into mind dwells in mind as the ardent aware recollector would remove the avarice and distress about the world; looking into principles dwells in principles as the ardent aware recollector would remove the avarice and distress about the world. This is called, almsmen, right recollection.
And which, almsmen, right concentration?
Here, almsmen, an almsmen is just withdrawing from lusts, withdrawing from unwholesome principles, with thoughts with thinking, withdrawal-borne the pleasantness and happiness, he dwells having obtained the first radiance. From the ease of thoughts and thinking, inner serenity, determination of mind, without thoughts without thinking, concentration-borne the pleasantness and happiness, he dwells having obtained the second radiance. And from the pleasantness fading he dwells and objective and recollected, aware, and the happiness with the body he does experience, that what nobles disclose: 'An objective recollector, a happy dweller', he dwells having obtained the third radiance. And from the rejection of happiness and from the rejection of suffering, from the settling down of the just prior contentment and distress, neither happily nor sufferingly, pure objective the recollection, he dwells having obtained the fourth radiance. This is called, almsmen, right concentration.'