Steps to attaining the final knowledge

“Bhikkhus, I do not say that final knowledge is achieved all at once. On the contrary, final knowledge is achieved by gradual training, by gradual practice, by gradual progress.”

"And how is final knowledge achieved by gradual training, gradual practice, gradual progress? Here one who has faith [in a teacher] visits him; when he visits him, he pays respect to him; when he pays respect to him, he gives ear; one who gives ear hears the Dhamma; having heard the Dhamma, he memorises it; he examines the meaning of the teachings he has memorised; when he examines their meaning, he gains a reflective acceptance of those teachings; when he has gained a reflective acceptance of those teachings, zeal springs up in him; when zeal has sprung up, he applies his will; having applied his will, he scrutinises; having scrutinised, he strives; resolutely striving, he realises with the body the supreme truth and sees it by penetrating it with wisdom.”

The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha,

A Translation of the Majjhima Nikaya, by Bhikkhu Nanamoli and

Bhikkhu Bodhi, Wisdom Publications,Boston, 2009

The Buddha taught to meerly see, hear, smell, taste sense, and cognised with no desire, lust or affection as a path to Nibbana

Then the Venerable Māluṅkyaputta approached the Blessed One ... and said to him: “Venerable sir, it would be good if the Blessed One would teach me the Dhamma in brief, so that, having heard the Dhamma from the Blessed One, I might dwell alone, withdrawn, diligent, ardent, and resolute.” 

“Here now, Māluṅkyaputta, what should I say to the young bhikkhus when a bhikkhu like you—old, aged, burdened with years, advanced in life, come to the last stage—asks me for an exhortation in brief?”

“Although, venerable sir, I am old, aged, burdened with years, advanced in life, come to the last stage, let the Blessed One teach me the Dhamma in brief, let the Fortunate One teach me the Dhamma in brief. Perhaps I may understand the meaning of the Blessed One’s statement, perhaps I may become an heir to the Blessed One’s statement.” 

“What do you think, Māluṅkyaputta, do you have any desire, lust, or affection for those forms cognizable by the eye that you have not seen and never saw before, that you do not see and would not think might be seen?”

“No, venerable sir.” 

“Do you have any desire, lust, or affection for those sounds cognizable by the ear ... for those odours cognizable by the nose ... for those tastes cognizable by the tongue ... for those tactile objects cognizable by the body ... for those mental phenomena cognizable by the mind that you have not cognized and never cognized before, that you do not cognize and would not think might be cognized?” 

“No, venerable sir.” 

“Here, Māluṅkyaputta, regarding things seen, heard, sensed, and cognized by you: in the seen there will be merely the seen; in the heard there will be merely the heard; in the sensed there will be merely the sensed; in the cognized there will be merely the cognized.

“When, Māluṅkyaputta, regarding things seen, heard, sensed, and cognized by you, in the seen there will be merely the seen, in the heard there will be merely the heard, in the sensed there will be merely the sensed, in the cognized there will be merely the cognized, then, Māluṅkyaputta, you will not be ‘by that.’ When, Māluṅkyaputta, you are not ‘by that,’ then you will not be ‘there- in.’ When, Māluṅkyaputta, you are not ‘therein,’ then you will be neither here nor beyond nor in between the two. This itself is the end of suffering.” 

“I understand in detail, venerable sir, the meaning of what was stated by the Blessed One in brief:

“Having seen a form with mindfulness muddled,

Attending to the pleasing sign,

One experiences it with infatuated mind

And remains tightly holding to it.”

“Many feelings flourish within,

Originating from the visible form,

Covetousness and annoyance as well

By which one’s mind becomes disturbed.

For one who accumulates suffering thus

Nibbāna is said to be far away.” 

“Having heard a sound with mindfulness muddled ...

“Having smelt an odour with mindfulness muddled ...

“Having enjoyed a taste with mindfulness muddled ...

“Having felt a contact with mindfulness muddled ...

“Having known an object with mindfulness muddled ...

For one who accumulates suffering thus Nibbāna is said to be far away.” 

“When, firmly mindful, one sees a form,

One is not inflamed by lust for forms;

One experiences it with dispassionate mind

And does not remain holding it tightly.”

“One fares mindfully in such a way

That even as one sees the form,

And while one undergoes a feeling,

[Suffering] is exhausted, not built up.

For one dismantling suffering thus,

Nibbāna is said to be close by.” 

“When, firmly mindful, one hears a sound,

One is not inflamed by lust for sounds; ... “

“When, firmly mindful, one smells an odour,

One is not inflamed by lust for odours; ...

“When, firmly mindful, one enjoys a taste,

One is not inflamed by lust for tastes; ...

“When, firmly mindful, one feels a contact,

One is not inflamed by lust for contacts; ...

“When, firmly mindful, one knows an object,

One is not inflamed by lust for objects; ...

For one diminishing suffering thus Nibbāna is said to be close by.

“It is in such a way, venerable sir, that I understand in detail the meaning of what was stated by the Blessed One in brief.” 

“Good, good, Māluṅkyaputta! It is good that you understand in detail the meaning of what was stated by me in brief.” 

(The Buddha here repeats the above verses in full.)

The Connected Discourses of the Buddha:

A Translation of the Samyutta Nikaya, by Bodhi Bhikkhu,

Wisdom Publication, Boston, 2000