The Noble Eightfold Path |
The one and only path that leads to the realization of the Four Noble Truths, the one and only path that assures the eradication of passion, hatred and delusion, and the one and only path that ends suffering forever is the Noble Eightfold Path. The Supreme Buddha and all Arahants attained the Arahant-hood by practicing the Noble Eightfold Path. The Noble Eightfold path is practiced at two different levels: the path practiced by the disciples of the Buddha to become stream-entrants, and the path practiced by the noble disciples of the Buddha who are stream-entrants, once returners and non-returners.
Listed below are the eight elements of the Noble Eightfold Path.
The precursor for all acts by body, speech and mind is a thought; an idea developed in the mind. If that thought is unwholesome, supported by unwise thinking and proliferation, one engages in unwholesome acts by body, speech and mind. One who knows the teachings of the Buddha, having developed right-mindfulness, see the initiation of that unwholesome thought. Then, thinking wisely and having disgusted at the unwholesome thought, he or she refrains from acting on that unwholesome thought and eradicates that unwholesome thought. Here, he or she practices right-effort to remove that unwholesome thought before it becomes an act. By continuously practicing right-mindfulness and right-effort to eliminate unwholesome, on purifies his or her virtue. The virtuous, blameless person develops right-concentration. The virtuous, blameless person with right-concentration develops the wisdom to know and see by himself “this is suffering, this is the origination of suffering, this is the cessation of suffering, and this is the path leading to the cessation of suffering”. Thus, the Noble Eightfold Path is the one and only way for the purification of bodily, verbal and mental acts; one and only way for the purification of beings. |