At Sāvatthi.

"Bhikkhus, as far as beings go — whether they are without feet, with two feet, with four feet, or with many feet; with form or formless; having perception, non-percipient, or neither percipient nor non-percipient; the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Awakened One is regarded the foremost among them. In the same way, bhikkhus, whatever wholesome qualities there are, they are all rooted in diligence, and they meet together in diligence; diligence is regarded the foremost among the qualities. For a diligent bhikkhu, this is to be expected - that he will develop and extensively cultivate the Noble Eightfold Path.

And how, bhikkhus, does a diligent bhikkhu develop and extensively cultivate the Noble Eightfold Path? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu develops right view dependent on seclusion, supported by dispassion, based on ending, culminating in complete relinquishment; similarly he develops right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right collectedness, dependent on seclusion, supported by dispassion, based on ending, culminating in complete relinquishment. It is in this way, bhikkhus, that a diligent bhikkhu develops and extensively cultivates the Noble Eightfold Path.

Bhikkhus, as far as beings go — whether they are without feet, with two feet, with four feet, or with many feet; with form or formless; having perception, non-percipient, or neither percipient nor non-percipient; the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Awakened One is regarded the foremost among them. In the same way, bhikkhus, whatever wholesome qualities there may be, they are all rooted in diligence, and they meet together in diligence; diligence is regarded the foremost among the qualities. For a diligent bhikkhu, this is to be expected - that he will develop and extensively cultivate the Noble Eightfold Path.

And how, bhikkhus, does a diligent bhikkhu develop and extensively cultivate the Noble Eightfold Path? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu develops right view, culminating in the removal and ending of desire, culminating in the removal and ending of aversion, and culminating in the removal and ending of illusion; similarly he develops right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right collectedness, culminating in the removal of lust, culminating in the removal of aversion, and culminating in the removal of delusion. In this way, bhikkhus, a diligent bhikkhu develops and extensively cultivates the Noble Eightfold Path.

Bhikkhus, as far as beings go — whether they are without feet, with two feet, with four feet, or with many feet; with form or formless; having perception, non-percipient, or neither percipient nor non-percipient; the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Awakened One is regarded the foremost among them. In the same way, bhikkhus, whatever wholesome qualities there may be, they are all rooted in diligence, and they meet together in diligence; diligence is regarded the foremost among the qualities. For a diligent bhikkhu, this is to be expected - that he will develop and extensively cultivate the Noble Eightfold Path.

And how, bhikkhus, does a diligent bhikkhu develop and extensively cultivate the Noble Eightfold Path? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu develops right view, leading to the deathless, directed towards the deathless, and culminating in the deathless; similarly he develops right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right collectedness, culminating in the removal of lust, culminating in the removal of aversion, and culminating in the removal of delusion. In this way, bhikkhus, a diligent bhikkhu develops and extensively cultivates the Noble Eightfold Path.

Bhikkhus, as far as beings go — whether they are without feet, with two feet, with four feet, or with many feet; with form or formless; having perception, non-percipient, or neither percipient nor non-percipient; the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Awakened One is regarded the foremost among them. In the same way, bhikkhus, whatever wholesome qualities there may be, they are all rooted in diligence, and they meet together in diligence; diligence is regarded the foremost among the qualities. For a diligent bhikkhu, this is to be expected - that he will develop and extensively cultivate the Noble Eightfold Path.

And how, bhikkhus, does a diligent bhikkhu develop and extensively cultivate the Noble Eightfold Path? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu develops right view, slanting towards Nibbāna, sloping towards Nibbāna, and inclining towards Nibbāna; similarly he develops right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right collectedness, slanting towards Nibbāna, sloping towards Nibbāna, and inclining towards Nibbāna. In this way, bhikkhus, a diligent bhikkhu develops and extensively cultivates the Noble Eightfold Path."