Discourse on To Nirvana via the Noble Eightfold PathAccording to the Buddha, knowledge relating to the Noble Path transports one to the stage of all suffering or unsatisfactoriness ceasing. But it must always be borne in mind that the Path offers liberation only to those who actually practice it.
In your travels a vehicle takes you to your destination, while those who stand by it are left behind. Knowledge about the Noble Path is like that vehicle. If you ride in it, you will be conveyed to your destination; if you merely stand by, you will be left behind.
Those who desire to be liberated from all suffering should use that vehicle. That is to say, they should use knowledge gained for practical purposes. The most important task for someone born into a rare historical period when the Buddha's Dispensation exists is to practice Dharma so as to reach nirvana when all suffering ceases.
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