“The footprints of all creatures that walk can fit inside an elephant’s footprint. So an elephant’s footprint is said to be the biggest of them all. In the same way, all skillful qualities are rooted in diligence and meet at diligence, and diligence is said to be the best of them. A mendicant who is diligent can expect to develop and cultivate the noble eightfold path. And how does a mendicant who is diligent develop and cultivate the noble eightfold path? It’s when a mendicant develops right view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion, which rely on seclusion, fading away, and cessation, and ripen as letting go. … That’s how a mendicant who is diligent develops and cultivates the noble eightfold path.”

Linked Discourses 45.141–145 11. Abbreviated Texts on Diligence A Roof Peak

“Mendicants, the rafters of a bungalow all lean to the peak, slope to the peak, and meet at the peak, so the peak is said to be the topmost of them all. In the same way …” (Tell in full as in the previous discourse.)

“Of all kinds of fragrant root, spikenard is said to be the best. …”