Reading guide
The pattern holds a third and final time
Confirmed now for all three sets in turn (SN 45.109, 45.121, and this discourse), the closing formula is fixed per set of twelve, never varying between a set's own east-bound and ocean-bound halves.
Key terms
The text
§1“Mendicants, the Ganges river slants, slopes, and inclines to the ocean. In the same way, a mendicant who develops and cultivates the noble eightfold path slants, slopes, and inclines to extinguishment. And how does a mendicant who develops the noble eightfold path slant, slope, and incline to extinguishment? It’s when a mendicant develops right view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion, which slants, slopes, and inclines to extinguishment. That’s how a mendicant who develops and cultivates the noble eightfold path slants, slopes, and inclines to extinguishment.”
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