sn45.139:4.1 Mendicants, the Realized One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha, is said to be the best of all sentient beings—be they footless, with two feet, four feet, or many feet; with form or formless; with perception or without perception or with neither perception nor non-perception.
sn45.139:4.2 In the same way, all skillful qualities are rooted in diligence and meet at diligence,
sn45.139:4.3 and diligence is said to be the best of them.
sn45.139:4.4 A mendicant who is diligent can expect to develop and cultivate the noble eightfold path.
sn45.139:4.5 And how does a mendicant who is diligent develop and cultivate the noble eightfold path?
sn45.139:4.6 It’s when a mendicant develops right view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion, which slants, slopes, and inclines to extinguishment.
sn45.139:4.7 That’s how a mendicant who is diligent develops and cultivates the noble eightfold path.”