Eastward (a)

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:

“Just as, monks, the river Ganges flows, slides and tends to the East, even so a monk who cultivates and makes much of the seven limbs of wisdom flows, slides, tends to Nibbāna.
And how, monks, by cultivating and making much of the seven limbs of wisdom does a monk flow, slide and tend to Nibbāna.

Herein a monk cultivates the limb of wisdom that is mindfulness, which is based on seclusion, on dispassion, on cessation, which ends in self-surrender.
He cultivates the limb of wisdom that is investigation of the Norm, which is based on seclusion, on dispassion, on cessation, which ends in self-surrender.
He cultivates the limb of wisdom that is energy, which is based on seclusion, on dispassion, on cessation, which ends in self-surrender.
He cultivates the limb of wisdom that is zest, which is based on seclusion, on dispassion, on cessation, which ends in self-surrender.
He cultivates the limb of wisdom that is tranquillity, which is based on seclusion, on dispassion, on cessation, which ends in self-surrender.
He cultivates the limb of wisdom that is concentration, which is based on seclusion, on dispassion, on cessation, which ends in self-surrender.
He cultivates the limb of wisdom that is equanimity, which is based on seclusion, on dispassion, on cessation, which ends in self-surrender.
Thus cultivating, thus making much of the seven limbs of wisdom a monk flows, slides and tends to Nibbāna.”