Reading guide
Three titles, one progression
Principled speaker (teaches the giving-up), good practitioner (practices the giving-up), Holy One (has already given up) — three distinct titles mapped onto three stages of the identical process applied to the same three roots.
A vivid image for what's already gone
The Holy One's greed, hate, and delusion are described as “cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated, and unable to arise in the future” — a stronger image than the bare “ending” used for nibbāna and arahatta at SN 38.1–2.
The last discourse to spell out the path in full
Sujato's own English elision of the eightfold-path recitation begins at the next discourse, SN 38.4; this is the final discourse in this saṃyutta where the full text appears in English even though root Pali has already been eliding it since SN 38.2.
Key terms
The text
§1“Reverend Sāriputta, who in the world have principled speech? Who in the world practice well? Who are the Holy Ones in the world?” “Reverend, those who teach principles for giving up greed, hate, and delusion have principled speech in the world. Those who practice for giving up greed, hate, and delusion are practicing well in the world. Those who have given up greed, hate, and delusion—so they’re cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated, and unable to arise in the future—are Holy Ones in the world.”
§2“But, reverend, is there a path and a practice for giving up that greed, hate, and delusion?” “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, this is the practice for giving up that greed, hate, and delusion.” “This is a fine path, a fine practice, for giving up greed, hate, and delusion. Just this much is enough for diligence.”
Self-check quiz
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