1"Venerable sir, it is said, ‘the removal of lust, the removal of hatred, the removal of delusion.’ Of what now, venerable sir, is this the designation?"

2"This, bhikkhu, is a designation for the element of Nibbāna: the removal of lust, the removal of hatred, the removal of delusion. The destruction of the taints is spoken of in that way." [n.15] Spk: The removal of lust, etc., is a designation for the unconditioned, deathless Nibbāna element. The destruction of the taints is arahantship. The removal of lust, etc., is a name for arahantship too.

3When this was said, that bhikkhu said to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, it is said, ‘the Deathless, the Deathless.’ What now, venerable sir, is the Deathless? What is the path leading to the Deathless?"

"The destruction of lust, the destruction of hatred, the destruction of delusion: this is called the Deathless. This Noble Eightfold Path is the path leading to the Deathless; that is, right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration."

1Sāvatthinidānaṁ. Atha kho aññataro bhikkhu yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami … pe … ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

2"‘Rāgavinayo dosavinayo mohavinayo’ti, bhante, vuccati. Kissa nu kho etaṁ, bhante, adhivacanaṁ: ‘rāgavinayo dosavinayo mohavinayo’"ti? "Nibbānadhātuyā kho etaṁ, bhikkhu, adhivacanaṁ: ‘rāgavinayo dosavinayo mohavinayo’ti. Āsavānaṁ khayo tena vuccatī"ti.

3Evaṁ vutte, so bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: "‘amataṁ, amatan’ti, bhante, vuccati. Katamaṁ nu kho, bhante, amataṁ, katamo amatagāmimaggo"ti?

"Yo kho, bhikkhu, rāgakkhayo dosakkhayo mohakkhayo – idaṁ vuccati amataṁ. Ayameva ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo amatagāmimaggo, seyyathidaṁ – sammādiṭṭhi … pe … sammāsamādhī"ti.

Sattamaṁ.