[247] Setting at Sāvatthī. Bhikkhus, to whatever extent there are beings — whether footless, two-footed, four-footed, or many-footed; whether possessing form or formless; whether percipient, non-percipient, or neither-percipient-nor-non-percipient — the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One, is declared the foremost of them. Even so, bhikkhus, whatever wholesome dhammas there are, all of them are rooted in diligence (appamāda), converge upon diligence; diligence is declared the foremost of those dhammas. Bhikkhus, for a diligent bhikkhu this may be expected: he will develop the Noble Eightfold Path, he will cultivate the Noble Eightfold Path.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.