{"collection":"Samyutta Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_sn45.5/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_sn45.5","id":"suttacentral_sn45.5","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/sn45.5/en/sujato","summary":null,"tags":["Early Buddhist Texts","Samyutta Nikaya"],"text":"At S\u0101vatth\u012b. Then several mendicants went up to the Buddha \u2026 and said to him: \u201cSir, sometimes wanderers of other religions ask us: \u2018Reverends, what\u2019s the goal of leading the spiritual life under the ascetic Gotama?\u2019 We answer them like this: \u2018The goal of leading the spiritual life under the Buddha is to completely understand suffering.\u2019 Answering this way, we trust that we repeat what the Buddha has said, and don\u2019t 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.\u201d \u201cIndeed, in answering this way you repeat what I\u2019ve said, and don\u2019t misrepresent me with an untruth. Your explanation is in line with the teaching, and there are no legitimate grounds for rebuttal or criticism. For the goal of leading the spiritual life under me is to completely understand suffering. If wanderers of other religions were to ask you: \u2018Is there a path and a practice for completely understanding that suffering?\u2019 You should answer them like this: \u2018There is.\u2019 And what is that path? It is simply this noble eightfold path, that is: right view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion. This is the path and the practice for completely understanding suffering. When questioned by wanderers of other religions, that\u2019s how you should answer them.\u201d","title":"What\u2019s the Goal?","tradition":"Samyutta Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":231}