Reading guide
A frame that will not repeat
Sāriputta staying near Nālakagāmaka in Magadha, Jambukhādaka approaching and exchanging greetings before sitting down and asking his question — the only narrative setting this entire saṃyutta will use; SN 38.2–16 continue directly as dialogue with no further frame of their own.
The shortest possible definition
“The ending of greed, hate, and delusion” — Sāriputta's own definition of extinguishment, given in a single breath and not elaborated further in this discourse.
A four-step template this saṃyutta will repeat
Define the term, confirm a path exists, name that path (the noble eightfold path, spelled out in full here), and close on Jambukhādaka's own brief approving exchange — a fixed catechism this reading guide will track as later discourses in this saṃyutta apply it to fourteen further terms.
Key terms
The text
§1At one time Venerable Sāriputta was staying in the land of the Magadhans near the little village of Nālaka. Then the wanderer Jambukhādaka went up to Venerable Sāriputta and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to Sāriputta:
§2“Reverend Sāriputta, they speak of this thing called ‘extinguishment’. What is extinguishment?” “Reverend, the ending of greed, hate, and delusion is called extinguishment.” “But, reverend, is there a path and a practice for realizing this extinguishment?” “There is, reverend.” “Well, what is it?” “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 the path, the practice, for realizing this extinguishment.” “Reverend, this is a fine path, a fine practice, for realizing this extinguishment. Just this much is enough for diligence.”
Self-check quiz
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