[265] "Furthermore, Kassapa, let the wise examine us, press us, and cross-question us, comparing teacher with teacher and community with community: 'Of the qualities (dhammā) of these worthy ones, those that are wholesome (kusala) and reckoned as wholesome, blameless and reckoned as blameless, fit to be cultivated and reckoned as fit to be cultivated, worthy of the noble ones and reckoned as worthy of the noble ones, bright and reckoned as bright — who proceeds having undertaken these qualities without remainder: the community of disciples of Gotama, or the other worthy communities of disciples of teachers of groups?'
"Now this is possible, Kassapa: that the wise, examining, pressing, and cross-questioning, would speak thus: 'Of the qualities of these worthy ones, those that are wholesome and reckoned as wholesome, blameless and reckoned as blameless, fit to be cultivated and reckoned as fit to be cultivated, worthy of the noble ones and reckoned as worthy of the noble ones, bright and reckoned as bright — it is the community of disciples of Gotama that proceeds having undertaken these qualities without remainder, rather than the other worthy communities of disciples of teachers of groups.' Thus indeed, Kassapa, the wise, examining, pressing, and cross-questioning, would for the most part praise just us in that regard.
"There is, Kassapa, a path (magga); there is a way of practice, practicing in accordance with which one will know just by oneself, will see by oneself: 'The ascetic Gotama speaks at the proper time, speaks what is true, speaks what is meaningful, speaks in accordance with the Dhamma, speaks in accordance with the Vinaya.' And what, Kassapa, is the path, and what the way of practice, practicing in accordance with which one will know just by oneself, will see by oneself: 'The ascetic Gotama speaks at the proper time, speaks what is true, speaks what is meaningful, speaks in accordance with the Dhamma, speaks in accordance with the Vinaya'? It is just this Noble Eightfold Path, namely: right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness (sammāsati), right concentration (sammāsamādhi). This, Kassapa, is the path, this the way of practice, practicing in accordance with which one will know just by oneself, will see by oneself: 'The ascetic Gotama speaks at the proper time, speaks what is true, speaks what is meaningful, speaks in accordance with the Dhamma, speaks in accordance with the Vinaya.'"
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.