The Noble Eightfold Path Of Buddhism

When I made the video on the Four Noble Truths, the fourth truth was Magga which was the way to get to Nirodha, the end of suffering. Then I mentioned, the way to end suffering is to follow the Eightfold Path. The Eightfold Path is a guideline or a roadmap to Nirodha. 

In Buddhism, there is a lot of observation, philosophy, and contemplation. As the Buddha studied life and society he realized many people were suffering and their life was opposed to the eightfold path.  Instead of patience and appreciation; vices and desires were the peoples motivation and relief.

 So here comes the Eightfold Path.

#1. Samma Ditthi, right view or understanding. Looking at life through the eyes of the Buddha. The Buddhist scripture can be interpreted many ways depending on the culture of the subject. The right view or understanding is important because it is telling you to comprehend the ins and outs of the lifestyle you are living. 

For example, if you are working at a factory on the assembly line, and your job does not require any specialized skills. On top of that you agreed to the payment you will receive for your labor. You need to understand that you are expendable, and you are at the bottom of the totem pole. In this situation, you have to be humble and respect your position. Maybe you can learn more about the company and rise up in the ranks. You can also educate yourself and find more lucrative employment. Another option is to manage and save your money, invest it, or start a small business. This is the right view and understanding.   

The wrong understanding would be to be upset that you are not getting paid enough. You choose to be a disgruntled employee. You spend your money on vices, pleasure, and partying. You are not putting knowledge and management of life as priorities. You commiserate with friends and family about how life is unfair, and you are not getting respected at work. Your view is breeding frustration, depression, anger, and resentment. Thus the suffering continues.

#2. Samma Sankappa, right thought. This is about your mental universe. The thoughts in your mind are like the stars in the sky. They shine bright and are too numerous to count. Your thoughts are the movies in your mind. You have to make sure those movies are beneficial towards who you are and want to be. Thoughts are the unseen seeds that are the root of all things in existence. A thought can shake a cell like an earthquake. I can’t talk about what are the right thoughts you should be thinking because each individual is different. Your thoughts should be aligned with your path in life and the way that the universe and the ancestors paved for you. 

#3 Samma Vaca, right speech. This here is very important. The words that come out your mouth make and break relationships, friendships, and all types of encounters. It is always beneficial to speak gracefully and with respect. Letting anger, fear, frustration, and other negative emotions reflect in your speech will cause a chain reaction of bad circumstances. 

Here is an example. You go into a store and ask how much is this dress right here? The store owner says, “That dress is $100.”  You get frustrated by the high price and say, “get the hell out of here. What is your problem? You greedy SOB.” The store owner gets upset and says “Get the hell out of my store, and don’t come back.” 

Now if you lived by the Eightfold Path and thought about number three, Samma Vaca, right speech; you would have thought before speaking. Even though you don’t agree with the price of the dress, you could have talked to the owner with respect and maybe you could have gotten the item for a discount.

Right speech can get you far in life. Even when you talk to yourself with understanding and diplomacy you can grasp issues better.

#4 Samma Kammanta, right action. You have to make the right move in life. When you play chess you have to make the right moves to win. The wrong moves can mean your demise. 

You also have to make the right moves at the right time. In other words you have to prioritize. A human is a very intelligent being with many interests. In life you have to tackle issues in order. I know you want to be a great chef, a playboy, a moviestar, a biologist, and a singer. You are working on all these things and you are not seeing growth in your life. You have to do the right actions at the right time. Make the right moves at work or make the right moves getting your business to prosper. Once you have dominated those things then you can move on the next endeavor. 

Also making the right moves means thinking before taking action. You don’t want to do something you’ll regret. You don’t want your actions to put yourself and others in danger. One silly move to patch up your ego or prove your manhood could land you in prison for a long time. Remember pride is the first deadly sin.

#5 Samma Ajiva, right livelihood. This refers to your culture, your way of life. You have to live by a code, have standards and guidelines. Study Buddhism, Islam, Christianity or any spiritual discipline to show you the path. Look into your heart, travel through the mind to seek the way. When you live by your culture you can’t be swayed or tricked into self destruction. 

The right livelihood also refers to how you earn a living. You want to do something that you are proud of. Something that you family won’t be ashamed of. Something that can be done for a lifetime and passed down to your children. I know in the modern day world there are so many ways to make money fast. Selling drugs, scamming, robbing, pimping, and prostitution to name a few. But stay steadfast, be patient and let the right thing enter your life so you can grow with a strong foundation.

#6 Samma Vayama, right effort. This is about your will, your motivation, the force within. They say when you start your journey, the first step is the hardest one. You have to rise above fear and doubt. You have to have the right effort. Courage, understanding, and faith breeds the right effort. When you put your energy out there, the powers of the universe will meet you halfway. This is why you have to meditate so you can see your strengths and lean on them, see your weaknesses and work on them. When the time comes you will be ready and confident to put your best foot forward. 

#7 Samma Sati, right mindfulness. This is about being aware of the present moment. Analyzing the current functions of your body, and paying attention to the thoughts in your mind. The right mindfulness is about not worrying or fantasizing about the future or regretting or reminiscing about the past. It’s about living for the now. What is going on this particular minute? If you are washing the dishes, study how the water is relaxing and massaging your hands. The stance you have to take so your back is aligned. How is the scent of the dish soap stimulating your brain. Right mindfulness may seem like you are moving slow but in all reality you are handling your tasks with attention to detail so everything is done correctly the first time. There is a whole ancient text about mindfulness called the Sati Patthana Suta: The establishing of mindfulness discourse, that I will be building on in future videos.

#8 Samma Samadhi, right concentration. This is all about being grounded. You have to be in tune with reality. That is how you rise from the bottom to the top. This is the specialty for Earth signs from the zodiac. The Capricorn, the Taurus, and the Virgo have serious concentration. This is all about enjoying and appreciating life on an earthly plane. A lot of people compare concentration with strenuous activity but right concentration is not arduous at all. This is all about knowing what needs to be done and having a vision in your mind of your goal. Also understanding the work and patience it takes to get there. Right concentration is about focus, sacrifice, understanding, and humbleness.

In conclusion the Noble Eightfold Path is the way to Nirodha, the end of suffering. Right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. Study this ancient Buddhist scripture. It can’t steer you wrong.

Thanks for checking out the video. Don’t forget to like and subscribe to my channel. Supreme MoonBeam peace.