The Noble Eightfold Path: The Way to the End of SufferingThe Buddha's teachings center around two basic principles. One is the Four Noble Truths, in which the Buddha diagnoses the problem of suffering and indicates the treatment necessary to remedy this problem. The other is the Noble Eightfold Path, the practical discipline he prescribes to uproot and eliminate the deep underlying causes of suffering. The present book offers, in simple and clear language, a concise yet thorough explanation of the Eightfold Path. Basing himself solidly upon the Buddha's own words, the author examines each factor of the path to determine exactly what it implies in the way of practical training. Finally, in the concluding chapter, he shows how all eight factors of the path function in unison to bring about the realization of the Buddhist goal: enlightenment and liberation. |
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abstaining achievement action aggregates appear application arises attainment aversion awareness become body breath brings Buddha called cause changing clear comes concentration concerned conditioned consciousness contemplation continue course craving defilements delusion desire develop direct discipline dukkha effort element energy enlightenment enters entire existence experience factors faculties feeling final five follows four gain give goal greed happiness hindrances hold ignorance insight intention involves jhāna kamma kind knows lead liberation living loving means meditation ment mental method mind moral nature ness Noble Eightfold Path Noble Truths noting object one's oneself origin pain perception person phenomena pleasure practice present primary principles qualities reach realization regarding remains renunciation requires right intention right view root Sammá seen sense speech spiritual stages suffering taking teaching things third thoughts tion truth turn understanding unwholesome wholesome wisdom wrong
Popular passages
Page 69 - ... with the body, or an object with the mind, he neither adheres to the whole, nor to its parts. And he strives to ward off that through which evil and...
Page 105 - Happily lives he who is equanimous and mindful' — thus he enters and dwells in the thiid jhana. With the abandoning of pleasure and pain, and with the previous disappearance of joy and grief, he enters...
Page 81 - The only way that leads to the attainment of purity, to the overcoming of sorrow and lamentation, to the end of pain and grief, to the entering upon the right path and the realization of Nibbana, is the contemplation on the four fundamentals of mindfulness.
Page 50 - What he has heard here, he does not repeat there, so as to cause dissension there; and what he has heard there, he does not repeat here, so as to cause dissension here. Thus he unites those that are divided, and those that are united he encourages. Concord gladdens him, he delights and rejoices in concord; and it is concord that he spreads by his words.
Page 76 - Herfin the disciple rouses his will to maintain the wholesome things that have already arisen, and not to allow them to disappear, but to bring them to growth, to maturity and to the full perfection of development (bhavana) ; and he makes effort, stirs up his energy, exerts his mind and strives.
Page 53 - ... —He avoids vain talk and abstains from it. He speaks at the right time, in accordance with facts, speaks what is useful, speaks about the...
Page 10 - This is the noble Eightfold Way, namely right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration.
Page 122 - Birth is destroyed, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming to any state of being.
Page 53 - ... language— rather, he speaks such words as are gentle, soothing to the ear and loving, words which go to the heart, are courteous and friendly and agreeable to many. And, finally, he avoids vain talk; he speaks at the right time, in accordance with the facts, speaks what is useful, speaks about the law and the discipline. His speech is like a treasure, uttered at the right moment, accompanied by arguments which are moderate and full of sense. 4. Right action is abstaining from killing, from...
Page 25 - Now this, monks, is the noble truth of the origin of suffering: it is this craving that leads to renewed existence, accompanied by delight and lust, seeking delight here and there; that is, craving for sensual pleasures, craving for existence, craving for extermination.