Venerable Sāriputta answers the wanderer Jambukhādaka on what’s the goal?, explaining the Dhamma and the practice that leads to extinguishment.

SN 38.4 What’s the Goal?

“Kimatthiyaṁ, āvuso sāriputta, samaṇe gotame brahmacariyaṁ vussatī”ti?

“Dukkhassa kho, āvuso, pariññatthaṁ bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussatī”ti.

“Atthi panāvuso, maggo atthi paṭipadā etassa dukkhassa pariññāyā”ti?

“Atthi kho, āvuso, maggo atthi paṭipadā, etassa dukkhassa pariññāyā”ti?

“Katamo panāvuso, maggo katamā paṭipadā, etassa dukkhassa pariññāyā”ti?

“Ayameva kho, āvuso, ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo, etassa dukkhassa pariññāya, seyyathidaṁ sammādiṭṭhi …pe… sammāsamādhi. Ayaṁ kho, āvuso, maggo ayaṁ paṭipadā etassa dukkhassa pariññāyā”ti. “Bhaddako, āvuso, maggo bhaddikā paṭipadā, etassa dukkhassa pariññāya. Alañca panāvuso sāriputta, appamādāyā”ti.

Catutthaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Kimatthiyaṁ, āvuso sāriputta, samaṇe gotame brahmacariyaṁ vussatī”ti?

“Reverend Sāriputta, what’s the goal of leading the spiritual life under the ascetic Gotama?”

“Dukkhassa kho, āvuso, pariññatthaṁ bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussatī”ti.

“The goal of leading the spiritual life under the Buddha is to completely understand suffering.”

“Atthi panāvuso, maggo atthi paṭipadā etassa dukkhassa pariññāyā”ti?

“But, reverend, is there a path and a practice for completely understanding this suffering?”

“Atthi kho, āvuso, maggo atthi paṭipadā, etassa dukkhassa pariññāyā”ti?

“There is.” …

“Katamo panāvuso, maggo katamā paṭipadā, etassa dukkhassa pariññāyā”ti?

“Ayameva kho, āvuso, ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo, etassa dukkhassa pariññāya, seyyathidaṁ

sammādiṭṭhi …pe… sammāsamādhi.

Ayaṁ kho, āvuso, maggo ayaṁ paṭipadā etassa dukkhassa pariññāyā”ti.

“Bhaddako, āvuso, maggo bhaddikā paṭipadā, etassa dukkhassa pariññāya.

Alañca panāvuso sāriputta, appamādāyā”ti.

Catutthaṁ.

Qualities:

Spiritual life

Spiritual life

A life of celibacy, contemplation, and ethical discipline lived for the sake of liberation; oriented toward inner development rather than sensual pleasures

Also known as: abstinence, celibacy, chastity, holy life, sexual restraint
Pāli: brahmacariya
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Suffering

Suffering

Unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering that is inherent in conditioned existence.

Also known as: discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentedness, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, distress, affliction
Pāli: dukkha
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Last updated on July 27, 2026