The
following is An Analysis of the Path, a sutra or discourse
delivered by Gautama Buddha from the Tipitaka, explaining this
Noble Eightfold Path in detail. In all these, the word "right" is
a translation of the word samma (Pali; Sanskrit: Samyañc),
which denotes completion, togetherness, or coherence, and which
can also carry the sense of "perfect" or "ideal".
Wisdom (pañña)
1. Right Understanding (or Right View, or Right Perspective) -
samma ditthi
" And what, monks, is right understanding? Knowledge with regard
to sadness, knowledge with regard to the origination of sadness,
knowledge with regard to the stopping of sadness, knowledge with
regard to the way of practice leading to the stopping of sadness:
This, monks, is called right understanding.
2. Right Thought (or Right Intention, or Right Resolve) - samma
sankappa
" And what is right thought? Being resolved on renunciation, on freedom
from ill will, on harmlessness: This is called right thought.
Virtue and Ethical Conduct (sila)
3. Right Speech - samma vaca
" And what is right speech? Abstaining from lying, abstaining from
divisive speech, abstaining from abusive speech, abstaining from
idle chatter: This, monks, is called right speech.
4. Right Action - samma kammanta
" And what, monks, is right action? Abstaining from taking life,
abstaining from stealing, abstaining from unchastity: This, monks,
is called right action.
5. Right Livelihood - samma ajiva
" And what, monks, is right livelihood? There is the case where a
disciple of the noble ones, having abandoned dishonest livelihood,
keeps his life going with right livelihood: This, monks, is called
right livelihood.
Concentration and Mental Development (samadhi)
6. Right Effort (or Right Endeavour) - samma vayama
"
And what, monks, is right effort? (i) There is the case where a
monk generates desire, endeavors, activates persistence, upholds & exerts
his intent for the sake of the non-arising of evil, unskillful
qualities that have not yet arisen. (ii) He generates desire, endeavors,
activates persistence (tries persistently), upholds & exerts
his intent for the sake of the abandonment of evil, unskillful
qualities that have arisen(rejects ineptitude). (iii) He generates
desire, endeavors, activates persistence, upholds & exerts
his intent for the sake of the arising of skillful qualities that
have not yet arisen.(hopes) (iv) He generates desire, endeavors,
activates persistence (tries), upholds & exerts his intent
for the maintenance (strives), non-confusion (concentrates), increase
(grows), plenitude (achieves), development (branches out), & culmination
(flowers in) of skillful qualities that have arisen: This, monks,
is called right effort.
7. Right Mindfulness - samma sati
"
And what, monks, is right mindfulness? (i) There is the case where
a monk remains focused on (his/her) body in & of itself...
ardent, aware, & mindful...putting away greed & distress
with reference to the world. (ii) (He/she) remains focused on feelings
in & of themselves...ardent, aware, & mindful...putting
away greed & distress with reference to the world. (iii) (He/she)
remains focused on the mind in & of itself...ardent, aware, & mindful...putting
away greed & distress with reference to the world. (iv) (He/she)
remains focused on mental qualities in & of themselves...ardent,
aware, & mindful...putting away greed & distress with
reference to the world. This, monks, is called right mindfulness.
8. Right Concentration - samma samadhi
"
And what, monks, is right concentration? (i) There is the case
where a monk...not ardent, quite withdrawn from sensuality, but
mindful and alert, enters in the first jhana: rapture & pleasure
born from detachment, accompanied by directed thought & evaluation.
(ii) With the stilling of directed thought & evaluation, he
enters & remains in the second jhana: rapture & pleasure
born of concentration; fixed single-pointed awareness free from
directed thought & evaluation; assurance. (iii) With the fading
of rapture, he remains in equanimity, mindful & fully aware,
and physically sensitive of pleasure. He enters & remains in
the third jhana which the Noble Ones declare to be "Equanimous & mindful,
(he/she) has a pleasurable abiding." (iv) With the abandoning
of pleasure & pain...as with the earlier disappearance of elation & distress...he
enters & remains in the fourth jhana: purity of equanimity & mindfulness,
neither in pleasure nor in pain. This, monks, is called right
concentration."
The Ninth and Tenth Elements
In the Great Forty Sutra (Mahacattarisaka Sutta), which appears
in the Pali Canon, the Buddha explains that cultivation of the
Eightfold Path leads to the development of two further stages
once enlightenment has been reached. These also fall under the
category of pañña and are Right Knowledge (sammanana)
and Right Liberation (or Right Release; sammavimutti).
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