And how is someone practicing for the cessation of skillful thoughts? It’s when a mendicant generates enthusiasm, tries, makes an effort, exerts the mind, and strives so that bad, unskillful qualities don’t arise … so that unskillful qualities are given up … so that skillful qualities arise … so that skillful qualities that have arisen remain, are not lost, but increase, mature, and are fully developed. Someone practicing like this is practicing for the cessation of skillful thoughts.

Chamberlain, when an individual person has what ten qualities do I describe them as an invincible ascetic—accomplished in the skillful, excelling in the skillful, attained to the highest attainment? It’s when a mendicant has an adept’s right view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right immersion, right knowledge, and right freedom. When an individual possesses these ten qualities, I describe them as an invincible ascetic—accomplished in the skillful, excelling in the skillful, attained to the highest attainment.” That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, Pañcakaṅga the chamberlain approved what the Buddha said.

Middle Discourses 79 The Shorter Discourse With Sakuludāyī