Reading guide
The fourth cell, completing half the matrix
Confirmed by reading all four discourses so far (SN 45.35–38) together: two path-names (sāmañña, brahmañña), each crossed with two targets (fruits, goal), with no combination repeated — two-thirds of this vagga's own final matrix now complete.
The goal formula, a fourth appearance
“The ending of greed, hate, and delusion” now names the goal of the unconditioned (SN 43), the spiritual path (SN 45.6), extinguishment and freedom from death (SN 45.7), the ascetic life (SN 45.36), and here the brahmin life — confirmed by direct comparison across all five, the identical three-root ending naming five differently framed goals.
Key terms
The text
§1At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, I will teach you life as a brahmin and the goal of life as a brahmin. Listen … And what is life as a brahmin? 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 life as a brahmin. And what is the goal of life as a brahmin? The ending of greed, hate, and delusion. This is called the goal of life as a brahmin.”
Self-check quiz
3 questions. Click an answer to see immediate feedback. No score is recorded — this is for your own checking.