1 “Mendicants, there are four ways of practice. What four?
Painful practice with slow insight,
painful practice with swift insight,
pleasant practice with slow insight, and
pleasant practice with swift insight.
2 Of these, the painful practice with slow insight is said to be inferior in both ways: because it’s painful and because it’s slow. This practice is said to be inferior in both ways.
3 The painful practice with swift insight is said to be inferior because it’s painful.
4 The pleasant practice with slow insight is said to be inferior because it’s slow.
5 The pleasant practice with swift insight is said to be superior in both ways: because it’s pleasant, and because it’s swift. This practice is said to be superior in both ways.