Do you see, Monks, that great log being carried along by the current of the river Ganges?

‘Yes, Venerable Sir.’

If, Monks, that log does not veer towards the near shore, does not veer towards the far shore, does not sink in mid-stream, does not get cast up on high ground, does not get caught by human beings, does not get caught by non-human beings, does not get caught in a whirlpool, and does not become inwardly rotten, it will slant, slope, and incline towards the ocean.

For what reason?

Because the current of the river Ganges slants, slopes, and inclines towards the ocean.

So too, Monks, if you do not veer towards the near shore, do not veer towards the far shore, do not sink in mid-stream, do not get cast up on high ground, do not get caught by human beings, do not get caught by non-human beings, do not get caught in a whirlpool and do not become inwardly rotten, you will slant, slope, and incline towards Nibbāna (Enlightenment).

For what reason?

Because Right View slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna (Enlightenment).

When this was said, a certain Monk asked The Perfectly Enlightened One: ‘What, Venerable Sir, is the near shore? What is the far shore? What is sinking in mid-stream? What is getting cast up on high ground? What is getting caught by human beings, what is getting caught by non-human beings, what is getting caught in a whirlpool? What is inward rottenness?’

‘The near shore’, Monk: this is a designation for the six internal sense bases. ‘The far shore’: this is a designation for the six external sense bases. ‘Sinking in mid-stream’: this is a designation for excitement and desire. ‘Getting cast up on high ground’: this is a designation for the conceit ‘I am’.