8 FOLD PATH

If our Main Aim in Life is Self-Realization then the First Concept We Need to Understand in Life is the 8 Fold Path. The 8 Fold Path Explains the Basic Concepts of Buddhism.

Important to Know –

The 8 fold path will guarantee you success & happiness.

The path has to be implemented throughout one’s lifetime, until you experience the Concept of God.

Although it's Not that easy to use...the results of doing so will not only change the way you see things, but also change your lifestyle and give you immense amount of wisdom and positive vibrations.

Along with this comes happiness and prosperity.?Now lets have a look at the 8 principles individually...?

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1) Right Action?

For the right ‘Action’

There are 3 things one must avoid -?

--> Destroying Life

--> Taking something that is not given?

--> Sexual misconduct

e.g. Rape, cheating on your spouse & even sex before marriage?

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2) Right Concentration?

Right Concentration is related to unifying the mind and all its mental factors. To keep either your sight, smell, taste, sound or body concentrating on one thing at every given moment of time.?

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3) Right Effort?

Right effort is a very important aspect of the 8 Fold Path.?

It’s the effort that one has to put in to control his/her mind.?

Four Aspects of Right Effort -->?To prevent unwholesome thoughts that haven’t been arisen as yet.?

e.g To control sensual desires(5 senses), ill will, dullness, drowsiness, restlessness worry & doubt.?

As and when a thought of desire comes up,?one must stop that thought, hence stopping a chain of desireful thoughts.?

--> Abandoning the arisen of unwholesome states?

e.g Sensual lust, evil, ill will & harmfulness?

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--> To arouse unarisen wholesome states - i.e to arouse the 7 Factors to enlightenment -?

Mindfulness

Investigating Phenomena

Energy?

Rapture?

Tranquility?

Concentration?

Equanimity??

--> To maintain arisen wholesome states?

The last of the 4 aspects of right effort is to -"Keep firmly in the mind a favourable object of concentration that has arisen”

-->‘Meditation’?

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4) Right Intention?

Having the right intention, means to have - ‘right thoughts’ There are 3 aspects to right thought.?

First being.. renunciation..Second being.. good will & third being..harmlessness. the opposites of these would be a wrong thought i.e Craving, Ill will & harmfulness.?

Renunciation -?

You have to curb your desires and choose which ones to keep & which ones to avoid?

Good Will -?

You have to think of great things happening to people & not hope for something bad to happen to them?

Harmlessness -?

You must not harm any person or thing for whatever reason (i.e morally, verbally or through your actions)?

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5) Right Livelihood

These are the things one must avoid -?

--> Make a living relevant to killing of animals

--> Dealing in weapons and living beings (like prostitution)

--> Dealing in intoxicants

--> Soothsaying, practices of treachery, deceit & usury

--> Disrespecting employers, employees, colleagues and ????customers e.g. When employers do not give wages on time

--> Misleading Advertising?

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6) Right Mindfulness?

Right mindfulness is to approach things in your life with care. If you are on the 8 Fold Path, you will understand this better.?

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7) Right Speech?

‘Right Speech’ means to ensure whatever you speak.?

to be truthful, to the point or something about your work. Here are the 4 aspects to ‘Improper speech’?

--> False Speech -?

You must always speak the truth. You must not lie?

--> Slanderous Speech -?

You should never say something bad about any person. Speech that would damage a person’s reputation?

--> Harsh Speech -?

You must not speak harshly to anyone?

--> Idle Chatter -?

Avoid speech that is not important. Avoid gossip?

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8) Right View?

To have the right view means to see things as how they actually are. You should not ignore the truth & should rather face the facts.?There are 2 types of views that are a part of this first principle of the path.?

The Mundane Right View & The Superior Right View?

The mundane right view is about seeing the reality of how & why things occur. That means to understand the..law of causation(i.e Kamma).?

There is a stimulus to everything in this world.

Every effect has a cause.

Every moment occurs because of the happening & developments of previous moments. So, if you do good things, every consecutive moment from then on will become better & bring in more happiness.?

The Superior Right View is about seeing the world in a broader sense. That is to see life as it actually is.?