[253] Bhikkhus, suppose a man wandering through a forest, through a woodland thicket, were to see an ancient path (magga), an ancient road, traveled along by people of former times. He would follow it, and following it he would see an ancient city, an ancient royal capital, inhabited by people of former times, endowed with parks, endowed with groves, endowed with lotus ponds, possessing ramparts, delightful. Then, bhikkhus, that man would inform the king or a king's chief minister: 'Sire, you should know this: while wandering through a forest, through a woodland thicket, I saw an ancient path, an ancient road, traveled along by people of former times. I followed it, and following it I saw an ancient city, an ancient royal capital, inhabited by people of former times, endowed with parks, endowed with groves, endowed with lotus ponds, possessing ramparts, delightful. Sire, rebuild that city!' Then, bhikkhus, the king or the king's chief minister would rebuild that city, and at a later time that city would become successful and prosperous, populous, teeming with people, attained to growth and expansion.
So too, bhikkhus, I saw an ancient path, an ancient road, traveled along by the Perfectly Enlightened Ones (sammāsambuddhā) of former times. And what, bhikkhus, is that ancient path, that ancient road, traveled along by the Perfectly Enlightened Ones of former times? It is just this Noble Eightfold Path (ariya aṭṭhaṅgika magga), namely: right view (sammādiṭṭhi) … right concentration (sammāsamādhi). This, bhikkhus, is that ancient path, that ancient road, traveled along by the Perfectly Enlightened Ones of former times. I followed it; and following it, I directly knew aging and death (jarāmaraṇa), I directly knew the origin of aging and death, I directly knew the cessation of aging and death, I directly knew the way (paṭipadā) leading to the cessation of aging and death. I followed it; and following it, I directly knew birth … I directly knew existence (bhava) … I directly knew clinging (upādāna) … I directly knew craving (taṇhā) … I directly knew feeling (vedanā) … I directly knew contact (phassa) … I directly knew the six sense bases (saḷāyatana) … I directly knew name-and-form (nāmarūpa) … I directly knew consciousness. I followed it; and following it, I directly knew volitional formations, I directly knew the origin of volitional formations, I directly knew the cessation of volitional formations, I directly knew the way leading to the cessation of volitional formations. Having directly known this, I declared it to the bhikkhus, the bhikkhunīs, the male lay followers, and the female lay followers. Thus this holy life (brahmacariya), bhikkhus, has become successful and prosperous, extended, known to many, widespread, well proclaimed as far as devas and humans.
The fifth.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.