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← Saṃyutta Nikāya

The Ascetic Life (2nd)

SN 45.36 · Dutiyasāmaññasutta

A weathered pine on a quiet rocky hillside.

At Sāvatthī.

“Mendicants, I will teach you the ascetic life and the goal of the ascetic life. Listen …

And what is the ascetic life? It is simply this noble eightfold path, that is: right view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion. This is called the ascetic life.

And what is the goal of the ascetic life? The ending of greed, hate, and delusion. This is called the goal of the ascetic life.”

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About this edition

Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato · SuttaCentral · CC0

This translation is an expression of an ancient spiritual text that has been passed down by the Buddhist tradition for the benefit of all sentient beings. It is dedicated to the public domain via Creative Commons Zero (CC0). You are encouraged to copy, reproduce, adapt, alter, or otherwise make use of this translation. The translator respectfully requests that any use be in accordance with the values and principles of the Buddhist community. In particular, please do not use this work in AI training datasets, for the development of any AI model or algorithm, or in any AI-derived technologies.

Published source. Translation wording and order are preserved; source headings and notes are retained, with navigation and formatting adapted for this reader.

The opening image is AI-generated nature artwork for Buddhist Atlas, an evocative companion rather than a historical depiction.