"Bhikkhus, just as the river Ganges slants, slopes, and inclines towards the east,

just as the river Yamuna slants, slopes, and inclines towards the east,

just as the river Aciravati slants, slopes, and inclines towards the east,

just as the river Sarabhū slants, slopes, and inclines towards the east,

just as the river Mahī slants, slopes, and inclines towards the east,

just as whatever great rivers there are— that is, the Ganges, the Yamuna, the Aciravati, the Sarabhū, the Mahī— all slant, slope, and incline towards the east,

so too, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu who develops and cultivates the Noble Eightfold Path slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna.

And how, bhikkhus, does a bhikkhu develop and cultivate the Noble Eightfold Path so that he slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna?

Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu develops right view, which slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna.
He develops right intention, which slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna.
He develops right speech, which slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna.
He develops right action, which slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna.
He develops right livelihood, which slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna.
He develops right effort, which slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna.
He develops right mindfulness, which slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna.
He develops right concentration, which slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna.

It is in this way that a bhikkhu develops and cultivates the Noble Eightfold Path so that he slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna."

127. “Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, gaṅgā nadī pācīnaninnā pācīnapoṇā pācīnapabbhārā; evameva kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu ariyaṃ aṭṭhaṅgikaṃ maggaṃ bhāvento ariyaṃ aṭṭhaṅgikaṃ maggaṃ bahulīkaronto nibbānaninno hoti nibbānapoṇo nibbānapabbhāro. Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu ariyaṃ aṭṭhaṅgikaṃ maggaṃ bhāvento ariyaṃ aṭṭhaṅgikaṃ maggaṃ bahulīkaronto nibbānaninno hoti nibbānapoṇo nibbānapabbhāro? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sammādiṭṭhiṃ bhāveti nibbānaninnaṃ nibbānapoṇaṃ nibbānapabbhāraṃ…pe… sammāsamādhiṃ bhāveti nibbānaninnaṃ nibbānapoṇaṃ nibbānapabbhāraṃ. Evaṃ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu ariyaṃ aṭṭhaṅgikaṃ maggaṃ bhāvento ariyaṃ aṭṭhaṅgikaṃ maggaṃ bahulīkaronto nibbānaninno hoti nibbānapoṇo nibbānapabbhāro”ti. Paṭhamaṃ.

128. “Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, yamunā nadī pācīnaninnā pācīnapoṇā pācīnapabbhārā; evameva kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu…pe…

129. seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, aciravatī nadī pācīnaninnā pācīnapoṇā pācīnapabbhārā; evameva kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu…pe…

130. seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, sarabhū nadī pācīnaninnā pācīnapoṇā pācīnapabbhārā; evameva kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu…pe…

131. seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, mahī nadī pācīnaninnā pācīnapoṇā pācīnapabbhārā; evameva kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu…pe…

132. seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, yā kācimā mahānadiyo, seyyathidaṃ – gaṅgā, yamunā, aciravatī, sarabhū, mahī, sabbā tā pācīnaninnā pācīnapoṇā pācīnapabbhārā;

evameva kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu ariyaṃ aṭṭhaṅgikaṃ maggaṃ bhāvento ariyaṃ aṭṭhaṅgikaṃ maggaṃ bahulīkaronto nibbānaninno hoti nibbānapoṇo nibbānapabbhāro.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu ariyaṃ aṭṭhaṅgikaṃ maggaṃ bhāvento ariyaṃ aṭṭhaṅgikaṃ maggaṃ bahulīkaronto nibbānaninno hoti nibbānapoṇo nibbānapabbhāro?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sammādiṭṭhiṃ bhāveti nibbānaninnaṃ nibbānapoṇaṃ nibbānapabbhāraṃ…pe… sammāsamādhiṃ bhāveti nibbānaninnaṃ nibbānapoṇaṃ nibbānapabbhāraṃ.

Evaṃ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu ariyaṃ aṭṭhaṅgikaṃ maggaṃ bhāvento ariyaṃ aṭṭhaṅgikaṃ maggaṃ bahulīkaronto nibbānaninno hoti nibbānapoṇo nibbānapabbhāro”ti.

Chaṭṭhaṃ.