大象传媒

The Buddha and his teachings in BuddhismThe Noble Eightfold Path

Siddhartha Gautama was an Indian prince who left behind a life of luxury to become a wandering holy man and finally an enlightened being. The Buddha鈥檚 teachings show people the nature of reality and the path to enlightenment.

Part of Religious StudiesBuddhism

The Noble Eightfold Path

The first step for a Buddhist is to decide to pursue the Buddhist principles of reducing , finding inner calm, and attaining and . Once a Buddhist has decided to follow these principles, they can step onto the , also called the , which means 鈥榩ath鈥.

The Threefold Way

The is a shortened version of the Noble Eightfold Path. The taught that the path to nirvana requires three main approaches, which together are known as the Threefold Way. These can be summarised as ethics, meditation, and wisdom. People who follow the Buddhist (also called Dharma) need to live in a way that minimises harm and develops love, kindness and courage (ethics).

The Noble Eightfold Path

An infographic depicting the Buddhism Eightfold Path.

The Noble Eightfold Path, or magga, is a more detailed development of the Threefold Way (ethics, meditation and wisdom). Below are the eight steps of the Noble Eightfold Path, shown in relation to the Threefold Way:

ETHICSMEDITATIONWISDOM
Right speech 鈥 Avoiding lies, gossip and negative speech. Speaking truthfully and kindly.Right effort 鈥 Working to develop a positive state of mind, free from craving and hatred.Right view 鈥 Learning and coming to understand the Buddha鈥檚 teachings (Dhamma).
Right action 鈥 Acting in a loving and peaceful way, avoiding conflict and harm, and showing restraint in seeking pleasures.Right mindfulness 鈥 Develop mindful awareness of the body, the mind and the nature of reality.Right intention 鈥 Being committed to develop the attitudes needed to learn from the Dhamma.
Right livelihood 鈥 Making a living in a way that does not cause harm to living creatures or exploit others, and also not selling harmful items.Right concentration 鈥 Working towards a state of mental focus necessary for effective meditation.
ETHICSRight speech 鈥 Avoiding lies, gossip and negative speech. Speaking truthfully and kindly.
MEDITATIONRight effort 鈥 Working to develop a positive state of mind, free from craving and hatred.
WISDOMRight view 鈥 Learning and coming to understand the Buddha鈥檚 teachings (Dhamma).
ETHICSRight action 鈥 Acting in a loving and peaceful way, avoiding conflict and harm, and showing restraint in seeking pleasures.
MEDITATIONRight mindfulness 鈥 Develop mindful awareness of the body, the mind and the nature of reality.
WISDOMRight intention 鈥 Being committed to develop the attitudes needed to learn from the Dhamma.
ETHICSRight livelihood 鈥 Making a living in a way that does not cause harm to living creatures or exploit others, and also not selling harmful items.
MEDITATIONRight concentration 鈥 Working towards a state of mental focus necessary for effective meditation.
WISDOM

Question

What is the magga?