“Bhikkhus, I proclaim the |wearing away of the taints::gradual exhaustion and elimination of the mental defilements or deep-seated afflictions such as sensual desire, craving for existence, views, and ignorance [āsava + khaya]| for one who knows and sees, not for one who does not know and does not see. What, bhikkhus, does one need to know and see for the wearing away of the mental defilements to occur?
‘This is |suffering::discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering [dukkha]|,’ bhikkhus, by knowing and seeing this, the wearing away of the mental defilements occurs;
‘This is the arising of suffering,’ by knowing and seeing this, the wearing away of the mental defilements occurs;
‘This is the |ending of suffering::ending of discontentment, cessation of distress [dukkhanirodha]|,’ by knowing and seeing this, the wearing away of the mental defilements occurs;
‘This is the |way of practice leading to the ending of suffering::i.e. the noble eightfold path [dukkhanirodhagāmī]|,’ by knowing and seeing this, the wearing away of the mental defilements occurs. Thus, bhikkhus, for one who knows in this way and sees in this way, the wearing away of the mental defilements occurs.
Therefore, here, bhikkhus, one should undertake the task to understand ‘This is suffering’, ‘This is the arising of suffering’, ‘This is the ending of suffering’, and ‘This is the way of practice leading to the ending of suffering.’”