At Savatthī.
i. Direct knowledge
“Bhikkhus, there are these three searches. What three? The search for sensual pleasure, the search for existence, the search for a holy life. These are the three searches. The Noble Eightfold Path is to be developed for direct knowledge of these three searches.
“What Noble Eightfold Path? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu develops right view … right concentration, which is based upon seclusion, dispassion, and cessation, maturing in release. This Noble Eightfold Path is to be developed for direct knowledge of these three searches.”
… “What Noble Eightfold Path? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu develops right view … right concentration, which has as its final goal the removal of lust, the removal of hatred, the removal of delusion.”…
… “What Noble Eightfold Path? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu develops right view … right concentration, which has the Deathless as its ground, the Deathless as its destination, the Deathless as its final goal.”… sn.v.55
… “What Noble Eightfold Path? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu develops right view … right concentration, which slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna. This Noble Eightfold Path is to be developed for direct knowledge of these three searches.”
Each of the following sub-sections ii–iv is to be elaborated in accordance with the method employed in the sub-section on direct knowledge.
ii. Full understanding
“Bhikkhus, there are these three searches. What three? The search for sensual pleasure, the search for existence, the search for a holy life. These are the three searches. The Noble Eightfold Path is to be developed for full understanding of these three searches.”…
iii. Utter destruction
“Bhikkhus, there are these three searches. What three? The search for sensual pleasure, the search for existence, the search for a holy life. These are the three searches. The Noble Eightfold Path is to be developed for the utter destruction of these three searches.”…
iv. Abandoning
“Bhikkhus, there are these three searches. What three? The search for sensual pleasure, the search for existence, the search for a holy life. These are the three searches. The Noble Eightfold Path is to be developed for the abandoning of these three searches.”… sn.v.56
Each of the following suttas is to be elaborated in accordance with the fourfold method employed in §161.