พุทธศาสนา/ธรรThe Eightfold Path
Wise Understanding: At the beginning, includes what we need to know in order to begin to engage
with the practices: Learn about
• the four noble truths
• which actions are skilful and which are unskillful
• karma
• the three characteristics (impermanence, suffering, not-self)
Wise intention: the intentions that lead away from suffering in self and other. The intentions towards
• Renunciation (letting go of things that cause suffering)
• Non ill will (metta – kindness)
• Non cruelty (karuna – compassion)
Wise Speech: Cultivation of skillful speech by avoiding four kinds of speech:
• False speech
• Harsh speech
• Divisive speech
• Idle speech
Wise action: Cultivation of skilful action by avoiding
• Taking life
• Taking what is not given
• Sexual misconduct
Wise livelihood: avoiding occupations that require one to engage in:
• Unwise speech and unwise action
• Additional occupations to avoid: trade in poison, weapons, living beings, meat, intoxicants
Wise effort: Engaging in the cultivation of wholesome states and the avoiding of unwholesome.
• Avoiding unwholesome states that have not arisen
• Abandoning unwholesome states that have arisen
• Cultivating wholesome states that have not arisen
• Maintaining wholesome state that have arisen
Wise mindfulness: Mindfulness supported by wise understanding and wise intention
• Classical definition: mindfulness cultivated by the four foundations of mindfulness.
Wise concentration: Concentration cultivated through the practices of the eightfold path.
• Two classical definitions:
• “unification of mind equipped with the factors of wise understanding, wise intention, wise
speech, wise action, wise livlihood, wise effort and wise mindfulness.” Majjhima Nikaya
117
• The four jhanasมะ