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examining touches in the world… examining mental phenomena in the world is dear and delightful; there, this craving, being abandoned, is abandoned; there, being ceased, it ceases. This, monks, is called the Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering. Exposition of the Truth of the Path And what, monks, is the Noble Truth of the Path leading to the Cessation of Suffering? It is this Noble Eightfold Path, namely: Right View, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration. And what, monks, is Right View? The knowledge of suffering, monks, the knowledge of the origin of suffering, the knowledge of the cessation of suffering, the knowledge of the path leading to the cessation of suffering— this, monks, is called Right View. And what, monks, is Right Intention? The intention of renunciation, the intention of non-ill-will, the intention of non-harming— this, monks, is called Right Intention. And what, monks, is Right Speech? Abstinence from false speech, abstinence from slanderous speech, abstinence from harsh speech, abstinence from idle chatter— this, monks, is called Right Speech. And what, monks, is Right Action? Abstinence from taking life, abstinence from taking what is not given, abstinence from sexual misconduct— this, monks, is called Right Action. And what, monks, is Right Livelihood? Here, monks, a noble disciple, having abandoned wrong livelihood, sustains life by right livelihood— this, monks, is called Right Livelihood. "And what, monks, is Right Effort? Here, monks, a monk, for the non-arising of unarisen evil unwholesome states, generates desire, endeavors, arouses energy, grasps the mind, and exerts himself; for the abandonment of arisen evil unwholesome states, generates desire, endeavors, arouses energy, grasps the mind, and exerts himself; for the arising of unarisen wholesome states, generates desire, endeavors, arouses energy, grasps the mind, and exerts himself; for the stability, non-confusion, increase, growth, development, and fulfillment of arisen wholesome states, generates desire, endeavors, arouses energy, grasps the mind, and exerts himself. This, monks, is called Right Effort. "And what, monks, is Right Mindfulness? Here, monks, a monk dwells contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in the world; dwells contemplating feelings in feelings, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in the world; dwells contemplating mind in mind, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in the world; dwells contemplating mental phenomena in mental phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in the world. This, monks, is called Right Mindfulness. "And what, monks, is Right Concentration? Here, monks, a monk, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, with initial application and sustained application, born of seclusion, with rapture and pleasure, enters and dwells in the first jhana. With the subsiding of initial and sustained application, with internal assurance and unification of mind, without initial application and sustained application, born of concentration, with rapture and pleasure, enters and dwells in the second jhana. With the fading of rapture, he dwells equanimous, mindful and clearly comprehending, and experiences pleasure with the body, that of which the noble ones declare: 'equanimous, mindful, dwelling in pleasure', he enters and dwells in the third jhana. Of pleasure And from the abandoning of pleasure and the abandoning of pain, with the prior fading away of joy and sorrow, he enters and remains in the fourth jhāna, which is neither painful nor pleasant, with the purity of mindfulness due to equanimity. This, bhikkhus, is called right concentration. This, bhikkhus, is called the noble truth of the path leading to the cessation of suffering. 403. Thus he dwells contemplating phenomena in phenomena internally, or he dwells contemplating phenomena in phenomena externally, or he dwells contemplating phenomena in phenomena internally and externally. He dwells contemplating the nature of arising in phenomena, or he dwells contemplating the nature of passing away in phenomena, or he dwells contemplating the nature of both arising and passing away in phenomena. Or else, mindfulness that 'there are phenomena' is established in him just to the extent of knowledge and recollection. And he dwells unattached, and he does not cling to anything in the world. In this way too, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating phenomena in phenomena, in the Four Noble Truths. The section on Truths is finished. The contemplation of phenomena is finished. 404. Bhikkhus, if anyone would thus develop these four foundations of mindfulness for seven years, for him one of two fruits is to be expected: either final knowledge in this very life; or, if there is a remainder of clinging, non-returning. Let seven years pass, bhikkhus. If anyone, bhikkhus, would thus develop these four foundations of mindfulness for six years... for five years... for four years... for three years... for two years... for one year... Let one year pass, bhikkhus. If anyone, bhikkhus, would thus develop these four foundations of mindfulness for seven months, for him one of two fruits is to be expected: either final knowledge in this very life; or, if there is a remainder of clinging, non-returning. Let seven months pass, bhikkhus. If anyone, bhikkhus, would thus develop these four foundations of mindfulness for six months... for five months... for four months... for three months... for two months... for one month... for half a month... Well then, let half a month pass, monks. Whoever, monks, would thus develop these four foundations of mindfulness for seven days, for him one of two fruits is to be expected: in this very life, final knowledge; or, if there is a remainder of clinging, non-returning. “This is the one-way path, monks, for the purification of beings, for the overcoming of sorrow and lamentation, for the disappearance of pain and distress, for the attainment of the true way, for the realization of Nibbāna, namely, the four foundations of mindfulness. Thus, what was said, it was said with reference to this.” This the Blessed One said. Delighted, those monks rejoiced in the Blessed One’s words. The Great Discourse on the Foundations of Mindfulness, the ninth, is finished.