Slants, Slopes, and Leans Toward Nirvana

Mahanama: Kapilavatthu is rich and prosperous, populous, crowded, with congested streets. In the evening, when I enter the town after visiting the Teacher or worthy mendicants, I might encounter a runaway elephant or horse, a chariot or cart out of control, a man gone berserk. This disturbs my mindful recollection of the Buddha, dharma, and community. It occurs to me, "If at this moment I should die, what would be my destiny, what would the future hold?"

The Buddha: Do not fear, Mahanama! Do not be afraid! Your death will not be a bad one. A noble listener who possesses four things slants, slopes, and leans toward nirvana. What four? Here, Mahanama, a noble listener has lucid confidence in the Buddha, the dharma, and the community. He possesses the virtues dear to the noble ones. Suppose a tree were leaning toward the east. If it were cut down, in what direction would it fall?

Mahanama: In whatever direction it was leaning, sir.

The Buddha: So too, Mahanama, a noble listener who possesses these four things slants, slopes, and leans toward nirvana.

---Samyutta Nikaya---