The Eightfold Noble Path

An outstanding aspect of the Buddha’s teaching is the adoption of the Eight-fold Noble Path as the way of living. Another name for the Eightfold Noble Path is the Middle Path. The Buddha advised his followers to follow this path so as to avoid the extreme of sensual pleasures and self-mortification. A person, who practises this way, chooses this self-imposed discipline for a definite end in view: self-purification. The Eightfold path consists of the following eight factors:

1. Right Understanding (Sammā-diṭṭhi)

3. Right Speech (Sammā-vācā)          

4. Right Action   (Sammā-kammanta)

5. Right Livelihood  (Sammā-ājīva)

6. Right Effort  (Sammā-vāyāma)        

7. Right Mindfulness (Sammā-sati)

8. Right Concentration   (Sammā-samādhi)

- Right Understanding is explained as having the knowledge of the Four Noble Truths. In other words, it is the understanding of things as they really are. He understands the three Characteristics of life and the Law of Dependent Origination.

 - Right Thought serves a double purpose of eliminating evil thoughts and developing pure thoughts. This means that he is free from sensuous desire, ill-will, and cruelty in thought.

- Right Speech: abstaining from lying, slandering, harsh language, and vain talk.

- Right Action: abstaining from killing, stealing, and unlawful sexual intercourse.

- Right Livelihood: abstaining from a livelihood that brings harm to other beings such as trading in arms, in living beings, intoxicating drinks and poison, or killing, slaughtering, fishing, deceit, treachery, soothsaying trickery, usury, etc.

- Right Effort: the effort of avoiding or overcoming evil and unwholesome deeds, and of developing and maintaining wholesome deeds.

- Right Mindfulness: Mindfulness and awareness in contemplating body, feelings, mind, and Dhammas.

- Right concentration: concentration of mind associated with wholesome (kusala) consciousness, which eventually may reach the Absorptions (Jhāna). If we tread consistently along the Eightfold Noble Path (sīla, samādhi, paññā), we definitely attain Nibbāna sooner or later.