What’s the Goal?Kimatthiyasutta

At Sāvatthī.Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

Then several mendicants went up to the Buddha … and said to him:Atha kho sambahulā bhikkhū yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu …pe… ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:

“Sir, sometimes wanderers of other religions ask us:“Idha no, bhante, aññatitthiyā paribbājakā amhe evaṁ pucchanti: ‘Reverends, what’s the goal of leading the spiritual life under the ascetic Gotama?’‘kimatthiyaṁ, āvuso, samaṇe gotame brahmacariyaṁ vussatī’ti? We answer them like this:Evaṁ puṭṭhā mayaṁ, bhante, tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ evaṁ byākaroma: ‘The goal of leading the spiritual life under the Buddha is to completely understand suffering.’‘dukkhassa kho, āvuso, pariññatthaṁ bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussatī’ti.

Answering this way, we trust that we repeat what the Buddha has said, and don’t misrepresent him with an untruth. We trust our explanation is in line with the teaching, and that there are no legitimate grounds for rebuttal or criticism.”Kacci mayaṁ, bhante, evaṁ puṭṭhā evaṁ byākaramānā vuttavādino ceva bhagavato homa, na ca bhagavantaṁ abhūtena abbhācikkhāma, dhammassa cānudhammaṁ byākaroma, na ca koci sahadhammiko vādānuvādo gārayhaṁ ṭhānaṁ āgacchatī”ti?

“Indeed, in answering this way you repeat what I’ve said, and don’t misrepresent me with an untruth. Your explanation is in line with the teaching, and there are no legitimate grounds for rebuttal or criticism.“Taggha tumhe, bhikkhave, evaṁ puṭṭhā evaṁ byākaramānā vuttavādino ceva me hotha, na ca maṁ abhūtena abbhācikkhatha, dhammassa cānudhammaṁ byākarotha, na ca koci sahadhammiko vādānuvādo gārayhaṁ ṭhānaṁ āgacchati. For the goal of leading the spiritual life under me is to completely understand suffering.Dukkhassa hi pariññatthaṁ mayi brahmacariyaṁ vussati.

If wanderers of other religions were to ask you:Sace vo, bhikkhave, aññatitthiyā paribbājakā evaṁ puccheyyuṁ: ‘Is there a path and a practice for completely understanding that suffering?’ You should answer them like this:‘atthi panāvuso, maggo, atthi paṭipadā etassa dukkhassa pariññāyā’ti, evaṁ puṭṭhā tumhe, bhikkhave, tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ evaṁ byākareyyātha: ‘There is.’‘atthi kho, āvuso, maggo, atthi paṭipadā etassa dukkhassa pariññāyā’ti.

And what is that path?Katamo ca, bhikkhave, maggo, katamā paṭipadā etassa dukkhassa pariññāyāti? It is simply this noble eightfold path, that is:Ayameva ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo, seyyathidaṁ— right view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion.sammādiṭṭhi …pe… sammāsamādhi. This is the path and the practice for completely understanding suffering.Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, maggo, ayaṁ paṭipadā etassa dukkhassa pariññāyāti. When questioned by wanderers of other religions, that’s how you should answer them.”Evaṁ puṭṭhā tumhe, bhikkhave, tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ evaṁ byākareyyāthā”ti.