And what is that ancient path, that ancient road, traveled by the Rightly Self-awakened Ones of former times? Just this noble eightfold path: right view, right aspiration, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration. That is the ancient path, the ancient road, traveled by the Rightly Self-awakened Ones of former times. I followed that path. Following it, I came to direct knowledge of aging & death, direct knowledge of the origination of aging & death, direct knowledge of the cessation of aging & death, direct knowledge of the path leading to the cessation of aging & death. I followed that path. Following it, I came to direct knowledge of birth… becoming… clinging… craving… feeling… contact… the six sense media… name-&-form… consciousness, direct knowledge of the origination of consciousness, direct knowledge of the cessation of consciousness, direct knowledge of the path leading to the cessation of consciousness. I followed that path.
— The Buddha, Nagara Sutta, Samyutta Nikaya ii.124, Translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu [104][105]
In this section, the Buddha references the antiquity of the Noble Eightfold Path ‘travelled by the Rightly Self-awakened Ones of former times’. Even in his day it was an ‘ancient road’. This is a bona fide historical statement indicating that core Buddhist practices, still practiced today, predate all of the world’s major religions. This is worth contemplating, reflecting on. The eighth stage of this ancient road can also be translated as samadhi. ABN
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