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| Introduction |
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Index of This Sutra
The
Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta
"The Turning of
the Wheel of Dharma" Sutra
The Buddha's First Sermon
Lesson
5: The Fourth Noble Truth: The Eight-Fold Path to the Cessation of Suffering
Before
you read:
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The
Text |
The
Text
Setting Rolling the Wheel of Truth
translated by
Ñanamoli Thera
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Setting the Wheel of Dhamma in Motion
translated by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu
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Setting in Motion the Wheel of Truth
translated by
Piyadassi Thera
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| "The way leading to cessation of suffering, as a noble truth, is this: It is simply the
noble eightfold path, that is to say, right view, right intention; right speech, right
action, right livelihood; right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration. |
"And this, monks, is the noble truth of the way of practice leading to the cessation of
stress: precisely this Noble Eightfold Path -- right view, right resolve, right speech,
right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration. |
"The Noble Truth of the Path Leading to the Cessation of Suffering is this: It is the
Noble Eightfold Path, and nothing else, namely: right understanding, right thought,
right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness and right
concentration.1
.
1 Ven.
Piyadasi Thera's note on "The Four Noble Truths":
The Perfect One, one attained
For a very comprehensive account of the Four Noble Truths read
The Buddha's Ancient Path, Piyadassi Thera, Buddhist Publication Society. Kandy, Sri Lanka (Ceylon).
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The
Questions |
The
Questions
To
answer the Questions, please use the Comments
page. Please send your comments on this lesson by Wednesday, August 2, 2006. (Comments are welcome any time; this
"deadline" is just for those keeping pace with the
study.)
Question
#1: Examine the importance of each of the eight terms, from
"right understanding" through "right concentration."
(see responses)
Question
#2: The "Eightfold Path" is often broken up into three groups.
What are these groups?
(see responses)
Question
#3: What is the significance of the word "Right" in the
designation of each step?
(see responses)
Question
#4: Are these supposed to be done in order, step by step? If so,
why do "understanding" and "thought" come first, not last?
(see responses)
Application
#1: Look again at Question #3. Which of these eight is most
important? Which is least?
(see responses)
Application
#2: Look again at Question #2. Which of these three is most
important? Which is least? (see responses)
Application
#3: Do you find this a practical way to address "tanha"
(craving, desire, thirst)? (see responses)
Comments and questions regarding other aspects of this passage are also welcome.
Make
your Comments
here!
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The
Comments |
The
Comments |
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Question #1 |
Question
#1: Examine the importance of each of the eight terms, from
"right understanding" through "right concentration."
Response
by James:
These definitions are taken from
Nyanatiloka's Dictionary:
a. Right
understanding (or right view) sammā-ditthi is
the understanding of the 4 Noble Truths about the
universality of suffering unsatisfactoriness, of its origin,
its cessation, and the path leading to that cessation.
b. Right
thought (or right motivation) sammā-sankappa
thoughts free from sense-desire, from ill-will, and cruelty.
c. Right
speech sammā-vācā abstaining from lying,
tale-bearing, harsh language, and foolish babble.
d. Right
[bodily] action sammā-kammanta abstaining from
killing, stealing, and unlawful sexual intercourse.
e. Right
livelihood sammā-ājīva abstaining from a
livelihood that brings harm to other beings, such as trading
in arms, in living beings, intoxicating drinks, poison;
slaughtering, fishing, soldiering, deceit, treachery
soothsaying, trickery, usury, etc.
f. Right
effort sammā-vāyāma the effort of avoiding or
overcoming evil and disadvantageous things, and of
developing and maintaining advantageous things.
g. Right
mindfulness (or right awareness) sammā-sati
awareness or mindfulness and awareness in contemplating
body, feelings, mind, and mental-objects.
h. Right
concentration sammā-samādhi concentration of mind
associated with advantageous kusala ['kammically
advantageous'] consciousness, which eventually may reach the
[highest levels of] absorption.
(Posted
August 4, 2006)
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Question #2 |
Question
#2: The "Eightfold Path" is often broken up into three groups.
What are these groups?
Response
by James:
a.
"Wisdom" is composed of right understanding and right thought.
b.
"Morality" is composed of right speech, right action, and right
livelihood.
c.
"Concentration" is composed of right effort, right mindfulness,
and right concentration.
(Posted
August 4, 2006)
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Question #3 |
Question
#3: What is the significance of the word "Right" in the
designation of each step?
Response
by James:
We
must be very careful about this word. In Pali it's sammā,
in Sanskrit samyañc. There is no direct intention in this
word of "moral correctness." This is not "right" as in "good,
the opposite of evil." Rather, as numerous homepages attest, it
"denotes completion, togetherness, and coherence, and which can
also carry the sense of 'perfect' or 'ideal.'" This means it is
the right, appropriate, expedient, or useful thing to do; not
that it is "evil" to do otherwise. (Buddhism is always
pragmatic.)
(Posted
August 4, 2006)
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Question #4 |
Question
#4: Are these supposed to be done in order, step by step? If so,
why do "understanding" and "thought" come first, not last?
Response
by James:
Not
really. The eight-fold path is better illustrated by a wheel
with eight spokes (the "Wheel of Dharma") than by a set of eight
stairs. They reinforce each other; they don't exactly build on
each other in order.
Nevertheless, there is a sense in which they are linear—but with
a twist.
As
seen in Question #2, we can think of the eight "steps" in three
parts: Wisdom, Morality, and Concentration. Many would say that
Morality comes first: We cannot sit in fruitful meditation if we
are angry with someone, or if we feel guilt. But others point
out that, in fact, there is no impetus to Morality until we gain
a certain amount of Wisdom. This is the entry-level attitude
that makes it possible to pursue the others. This is
bodhicitta, having the "mind of enlightenment" that is
necessary for us to follow the path. Once we have attained to
Concentration, however, we return to Wisdom at a whole new level
of attainment. This constitutes enlightenment.
So
it could be said that mundane Wisdom, plus Morality and
Concentration, are like three "steps," but in fact they all
reinforce each other, like the three legs of a three-legged
stool; when their work is done, however, Perfect Wisdom caps
these three legs like the seat, which would be meaningless
without them.
(Posted
August 4, 2006)
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Application
#1 |
Application
#1: Look again at Question #3. Which of these eight is most
important? Which is least?
Response
by James:
As
mentioned above, one standard image of the Noble Eightfold Path
is the eight-spoked "Wheel of Dharma." One might as well ask,
"Which spoke in a wheel is the most important one?"
(Posted
August 4, 2006)
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Application
#2 |
Application
#2: Look again at Question #2. Which of these three is most
important? Which is least?
Response
by James:
As
with my comment on Application #1, they are all important.
However, I think that in daily life, Sila (Morality) is
paramount. It is foundational: an immoral person may find it
hard to Concentrate the mind, and thus develop Wisdom.
(Posted
August 4, 2006)
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Application
#3 |
Application
#3: Do you find this a practical way to address "tanha"
(craving, desire, thirst)?
Response
by James:
If
we stopped at Morality, much of the struggle with tanha
would be addressed. Ascending up through Concentration to Wisdom
takes this achievement from the mundane to the supermundane. So
yes, I think that even the "baby steps" on the Path will go a
long way toward eradicating craving.
(Posted
August 4, 2006)
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..Contents
other than translations (C) 2006 James Baquet
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