Lesson Seven: The Timeless Truth (Part 2)
The Noble Eightfold Path shows a clear,
straight road leading to Nibbana.
No other religion or philosophy reveals so clearly
the Path of Virtue, leading to deliverance. As
Prof. Rhys Davids wrote:
"Buddhist or not Buddhist, I have examined
every one of the great religious systems of the
world, and in none of them have I found
anything to surpass, in beauty and
comprehensiveness, the Noble Eightfold Path
and the Four Noble Truths of the Buddha. I am
content to shape my life according to that
Path."- TheFourth Noble Truth: The Path Leadingto
the End of Dukkha
The Four Noble Truth, also known as the
Eightfold Path, avoids the extremes of sensual
pleasure andself-mortification,eternalismand
nihilism, optimism and pessimismit is a Middle
Path.It is a planned course of inward culture and
progress. As a righteous way of living, it does not
consist in accepting decrees given by someone
outside oneself. Nor is it practicedout of any fear
of the supernatural. It is practicedwhen oneis
convinced of its intrinsic value as a way of life.The Eightfold Path, a map showing us the way to
reach the final goal of life-Nibbana, consists of
eight divisions, namely,- Right Understanding
- Right Thought
- Right Speech
- Right Action
- Right Livelihood
- Right Effort
- Right Mindfulness
- Right Concentration
- Samma Ditthi
- Samma Samkappa
- Samma Vaca
- Samma Kammanta
- Samma Ajiva
- Samma Vayama
- Samma Sati
- Samma Samadhi
The Path is a means and never an endand may
be regarded from two points of view. Firstly, it
brings about dispassion and detachment by the
gradual elimination of the desire for sensual
pleasure, and secondly, it leads to the
development of compassion and the cultivation
of a selfless love for all that lives. The Path leads
from selfishness to altruism. from the unreal to
the Real.For a better understanding of the eight divisions
of the Path, we will group them under three
headings - Sila, Samadhi, Panna - the three
essentials of Buddhist training.