The gist of Buddha’s teaching---6

The gist of Buddha’s teaching---6

Bhikkhu Dhammavaro
Buddharatana Monastery of Australia

2. The eightfold path

Right view is the view about life as a whole, common people believes there is a life after death, such as those of Christian and Hindu belief, they believe in a permanent self; while other believes life ends on death. Both of these are considered as wrong view in Buddhism, which is why believing in the triple gems is considered rare, because The Blessed One teaches us that the consciousness is impermanent, and we don’t have a soul other than consciousness.

Right contemplation is to apply the teaching into practice internally, constantly reflecting about the impermanency of phenomena, the nature of suffering, and selflessness nature of these phenomena.

Right action is to observe three physical actions of no killing, no stealing, and no sexual misconduct.

Right speech is to speak truthfully, no harsh languages, no divisive talk, and no idle gossips.

Right livelihood is to engage oneself in the correct way of maintaining one’s living. Any occupation that inflicts harms on others is considered wrong livelihood. These include gambling, selling of alcohol and illicit drugs, poison, making and selling of weapons, dealing in the breeding and slaughtering of animal or fish, dealing in sex trade, smuggling and tax evasion etc.

Right effort is the most important of this path, constantly preventing the appearing of non virtuous thoughts, constantly cutting off these; constantly cultivating the good thoughts, constantly nurturing these.

Right mindfulness is the mindful of the body, contemplating the body, putting in effort, and training in the mindfulness, freeing oneself from greed and weariness; and the other three foundations of mindfulness: feeling, mental states, and Dhamma.

Right meditation is the practice of mental concentration. When a practitioner is able to focus his/her mind one-pointedly, then that mind is clear and dustless and able to penetrate into the true nature of ourselves, thereby attaining liberation by practising the dual methods of mental purification and investigation.

In DN 16 the Blessed One said to Subhadda: “In whatsoever Dhamma and Discipline, Subhadda, there is not found the Noble Eightfold Path, neither is there found a true ascetic of the first (stream-enterer), second (once returner), third (non returner), or fourth (Arahant) degree of saintliness. But in whatsoever Dhamma and Discipline there is found the Noble Eightfold Path, there is found a true ascetic of the first, second, third, and fourth degrees of saintliness. Now in this Dhamma and Discipline, Subhadda, is found the Noble Eightfold Path; and in it alone are also found true ascetics of the first, second, third, and fourth degrees of saintliness. Devoid of true ascetics are the systems of other teachers. But if, Subhadda, the bhikkhus live righteously, the world will not be empty of arahants.”