Venerable Sāriputta teaches the wanderer Sāmaṇḍaka that extinguishment is the ending of greed, hate, and delusion and that the noble eightfold path is the practice for realizing it, applying the same formula as the discourses with Jambukhādaka across this grouped range.

SN 39.1-15 With Sāmaṇḍaka on Extinguishment

Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā sāriputto vajjīsu viharati ukkacelāyaṁ gaṅgāya nadiyā tīre. Atha kho sāmaṇḍako paribbājako yenāyasmā sāriputto tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā sāriputtena saddhiṁ sammodi. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho sāmaṇḍako paribbājako āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ etadavoca:

“‘Nibbānaṁ, nibbānan’ti, āvuso sāriputta, vuccati. Katamaṁ nu kho, āvuso, nibbānan”ti?

“Yo kho, āvuso, rāgakkhayo dosakkhayo mohakkhayo idaṁ vuccati nibbānan”ti.

“Atthi panāvuso, maggo atthi paṭipadā, etassa nibbānassa sacchikiriyāyā”ti?

“Atthi kho, āvuso, maggo atthi paṭipadā, etassa nibbānassa sacchikiriyāyā”ti.

“Katamo panāvuso, maggo katamā paṭipadā etassa nibbānassa sacchikiriyāyā”ti?

“Ayameva kho, āvuso, ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo, etassa nibbānassa sacchikiriyāya, seyyathidaṁ sammādiṭṭhi …pe… sammāsamādhi. Ayaṁ kho, āvuso, maggo ayaṁ paṭipadā, etassa nibbānassa sacchikiriyāyā”ti.

“Bhaddako, āvuso, maggo bhaddikā paṭipadā, etassa nibbānassa sacchikiriyāya. Alañca panāvuso sāriputta, appamādāyā”ti.

Paṭhamaṁ.

(Yathā jambukhādakasaṁyuttaṁ, tathā vitthāretabbaṁ.)

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā sāriputto vajjīsu viharati ukkacelāyaṁ gaṅgāya nadiyā tīre.

At one time Venerable Sāriputta was staying in the land of the Vajjis near Ukkacelā on the bank of the Ganges river.

Atha kho sāmaṇḍako paribbājako yenāyasmā sāriputto tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā sāriputtena saddhiṁ sammodi.

Then the wanderer Sāmaṇḍaka went up to Venerable Sāriputta and exchanged greetings with him.

Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho sāmaṇḍako paribbājako āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ etadavoca:

When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to Sāriputta:

“‘Nibbānaṁ, nibbānan’ti, āvuso sāriputta, vuccati.

“Reverend Sāriputta, they speak of this thing called ‘extinguishment’.

Katamaṁ nu kho, āvuso, nibbānan”ti?

What is extinguishment?”

“Yo kho, āvuso, rāgakkhayo dosakkhayo mohakkhayo

“Reverend, the ending of greed, hate, and delusion

idaṁ vuccati nibbānan”ti.

is called extinguishment.”

“Atthi panāvuso, maggo atthi paṭipadā, etassa nibbānassa sacchikiriyāyā”ti?

“But, reverend, is there a path and a practice for realizing this extinguishment?”

“Atthi kho, āvuso, maggo atthi paṭipadā, etassa nibbānassa sacchikiriyāyā”ti.

“There is, reverend.”

“Katamo panāvuso, maggo katamā paṭipadā etassa nibbānassa sacchikiriyāyā”ti?

“Well, what is it?”

“Ayameva kho, āvuso, ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo, etassa nibbānassa sacchikiriyāya, seyyathidaṁ

“It is simply this noble eightfold path, that is:

sammādiṭṭhi …pe… sammāsamādhi.

right view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion.

Ayaṁ kho, āvuso, maggo ayaṁ paṭipadā, etassa nibbānassa sacchikiriyāyā”ti.

This is the path, the practice, for realizing this extinguishment.”

“Bhaddako, āvuso, maggo bhaddikā paṭipadā, etassa nibbānassa sacchikiriyāya.

“Reverend, this is a fine path, a fine practice, for realizing this extinguishment.

Alañca panāvuso sāriputta, appamādāyā”ti.

Just this much is enough for diligence.”

Paṭhamaṁ.

(Yathā jambukhādakasaṁyuttaṁ, tathā vitthāretabbaṁ.)

(Tell in full as the Linked Discourses with Jambukhādaka.)

Topics & Qualities:

Diligence

Diligence

The protective quality of guarding the mind amidst sensory experience. By restraining the faculties, the mind remains unsoiled by attraction.

Also known as: alertness, carefulness, heedfulness, conscientiousness, vigilance
Pāli: appamāda, uṭṭhāna
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Ending

Ending

The complete exhaustion and ending of craving, aversion, and delusion—the three roots of suffering. It refers to both the gradual wearing away of defilements through practice and the final cessation that constitutes Nibbāna.

Also known as: cessation, exhaustion, gradual ending, wearing away
Pāli: khaya, khīṇa, nirodha
View all discourses →
Mindfulness

Mindfulness

Active presence of mind and lucid retention; the faculty that remembers the Dhamma, anchors attention to the chosen object or present experience, and guards the mind against unwholesome states.

Also known as: recollecting, remembering, keeping in mind, presence, awareness
Pāli: sati, anussati
View all discourses →
Right effort

Right effort

Energy and resolve directed toward preventing unwholesome states from arising, abandoning arisen unwholesome states, cultivating wholesome states, and maintaining arisen wholesome states; persistent application of the mind aligned with the path.

Also known as: right endeavor, right striving
Pāli: sammāvāyāma, padhāna
View all discourses →
Right livelihood

Right livelihood

Means of living that does not cause harm to others or oneself; earning a living ethically without deceit, exploitation, or violence.

Also known as: correct livelihood, right mode of earning a living
Pāli: sammāājīva
View all discourses →
Right speech

Right speech

Speech that is purified by abstaining from falsehood, divisive talk, harsh words, and idle chatter.

Also known as: truthful speech, honest speech, kind speech, beneficial speech, harmonious speech, articulate words, eloquent communication
Pāli: sammāvācā
View all discourses →

Last updated on July 27, 2026