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Noble Eightfold Path: Difference between revisions
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It means the renunciation of the worldly things and an accordant greater commitment to the spiritual path; good will; and a commitment to non-violence, or harmlessness, towards other living beings. | It means the renunciation of the worldly things and an accordant greater commitment to the spiritual path; good will; and a commitment to non-violence, or harmlessness, towards other living beings. | ||
==Ethical conduct== | |||
{{Main|Buddhist ethics}} | |||
For the mind to be unified in concentration, it is necessary to refrain from unwholesome deeds of body and speech to prevent the faculties of bodily action and speech from becoming tools of the defilements. Ethical conduct (''Śīla'' / ''Sīla'') is used primarily to facilitate mental purification.<ref name="accesstoinsight.org"/> | |||
===Right speech=== | |||
Right speech (''samyag-vāc'' / ''sammā-vācā''), deals with the way in which a Buddhist practitioner would best make use of their words. In the Pali Canon, it is explained thus:<ref name=BMaha/><ref name=BSac/><ref name="cbeta.org"/><ref name="Taisho Tripitaka Vol Page 814"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn45/sn45.008.than.html|title=Magga-vibhanga Sutta |accessdate=6 May 2008|publisher=Access to Insight |last=Thanissaro Bhikkhu}}</ref> | |||
{{quote|And what is right speech? Abstaining from lying, from divisive speech, from abusive speech, and from idle chatter: This is called right speech.}} | |||
The ''[[Samaññaphala Sutta]]'', ''[[Kevatta Sutta]]'' and ''Cunda Kammaraputta Sutta'' elaborate:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.02.0.than.html|title=Samaññaphala Sutta - The Fruits of the Contemplative Life |accessdate=6 May 2008|publisher=Access to Insight|last=Thanissaro Bhikkhu}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.11.0.than.html|title=Kevatta (Kevaddha)Sutta - To Kevatta |accessdate=6 May 2008|publisher=Access to Insight |last=Thanissaro Bhikkhu}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.176.than.html|title=Cunda Kammaraputta Sutta - To Cunda the Silversmith |accessdate=6 May 2008|publisher=Access to Insight |last=Thanissaro Bhikkhu}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbeta.org/result/normal/T01/0001_016.htm |title=Taisho Tripitaka Vol. 1, No. 1, Page 101, Sutra 24 – the Kevaddha Sutra (第三分堅固經第五)|accessdate=28 October 2008|publisher=Cbeta}}</ref> | |||
{{quote|Abandoning false speech... He speaks the truth, holds to the truth, is firm, reliable, no deceiver of the world... | |||
Abandoning divisive speech... What he has heard here he does not tell there to break those people apart from these people here...Thus reconciling those who have broken apart or cementing those who are united, he loves concord, delights in concord, enjoys concord, speaks things that create concord... | |||
Abandoning abusive speech... He speaks words that are soothing to the ear, that are affectionate, that go to the heart, that are polite, appealing and pleasing to people at large... | |||
Abandoning idle chatter... He speaks in season, speaks what is factual, what is in accordance with the goal, the Dhamma, and the Vinaya. He speaks words worth treasuring, seasonable, reasonable, circumscribed, connected with the goal...}} | |||
The ''Abhaya Sutta'' elaborates:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.058.than.html |title=Abhaya Sutta|accessdate=6 May 2008|publisher=Access to Insight |last=Thanissaro Bhikkhu}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbeta.org/result/normal/T02/0099_026.htm |title=Taisho Tripitaka Vol. 2, No. 99, Sutra 711|accessdate=28 October 2008|publisher=Cbeta}}</ref> | |||
{{quote|In the case of words that the [[Tathāgata|Tathagata]] knows to be unfactual, untrue, unbeneficial, unendearing and disagreeable to others, he does '''not''' say them. | |||
In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true, yet unbeneficial, unendearing and disagreeable to others, he does '''not''' say them. | |||
In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true, beneficial, yet unendearing and disagreeable to others, he has a sense of the proper time for saying them. | |||
In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be unfactual, untrue, unbeneficial, yet endearing and agreeable to others, he does '''not''' say them. | |||
In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true, but unbeneficial, yet endearing and agreeable to others, he does '''not''' say them. | |||
In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true, beneficial, and endearing and agreeable to others, he has a sense of the proper time for saying them. Why is that? Because the Tathagata has sympathy for living beings.}} | |||
In every case, if it is not true, beneficial nor timely, one is '''not''' to say it. The Buddha followed this, for example, when asked questions of a purely ''meta''physical nature, unrelated to the goal, path or discipline that he taught. When asked a question such as "Is the universe eternal?", the Buddha dismissed the topic with the response: "It does not further." (or: "The personal possibilities (goals) assigned you are not furthered by an answer to an ultimate question about the universe's fate.") | |||
===Right action=== | |||
Right action (''samyak-karmānta'' / ''sammā-kammanta'') can also be translated as "right conduct". As such, the practitioner should train oneself to be morally upright in one's activities, not acting in ways that would be corrupt or bring harm to oneself or to others. In the Chinese and Pali Canon, it is explained as:<ref name=BMaha/><ref name=BSac/><ref name="Thanissaro Bhikkhu"/><ref name="cbeta.org"/><ref name="Taisho Tripitaka Vol Page 814"/> | |||
{{quote|And what is right action? Abstaining from [[murder|taking life]], from [[stealing]], and from illicit [[Buddhism and sexuality|sex]] [or sexual misconduct]. This is called right action.|Saccavibhanga Sutta}} | |||
{{quote|And what, monks, is right action? Abstaining from taking life, abstaining from stealing, abstaining from unchastity: This, monks, is called right action.|Magga-vibhanga Sutta}} | |||
For the lay follower, the ''Cunda Kammaraputta Sutta'' elaborates:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.176.than.html |title=Cunda Kammaraputta Sutta |accessdate=6 May 2008|publisher=Access to Insight |last=Thanissaro Bhikkhu }}</ref> | |||
{{quote|And how is one made pure in three ways by bodily action? There is the case where a certain person, abandoning the taking of life, abstains from the taking of life. He dwells with his... knife laid down, scrupulous, merciful, compassionate for the welfare of all living beings. Abandoning the taking of what is not given, he abstains from taking what is not given. He does not take, in the manner of a thief, things in a village or a wilderness that belong to others and have not been given by them. Abandoning sensual misconduct, he abstains from sensual misconduct. He does not get sexually involved with those who are protected by their mothers, their fathers, their brothers, their sisters, their relatives, or their Dhamma; those with husbands, those who entail punishments, or even those crowned with flowers by another man. This is how one is made pure in three ways by bodily action.}} | |||
For the monastic, the ''Samaññaphala Sutta'' adds:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.02.0.than.html |title=Samaññaphala Sutta |accessdate=6 May 2008|publisher=Access to Insight |last=Thanissaro Bhikkhu}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.11.0.than.html |title=Kevatta (Kevaddha) Sutta |accessdate=6 May 2008|publisher=Access to Insight |last=Thanissaro Bhikkhu}}</ref> | |||
{{quote|Abandoning uncelibacy, he lives a celibate life, aloof, refraining from the sexual act that is the villager's way.}} | |||
===Right livelihood=== | |||
Right livelihood This means that practitioners ought not to engage in trades or occupations which, either directly or indirectly, result in harm for other living beings. In the Chinese and Pali Canon, it is explained thus: | |||
And what is right livelihood? There is the case where a disciple of the noble ones, having abandoned dishonest livelihood, keeps his life going with right livelihood: This is called right livelihood. | |||
More concretely today interpretations include "work and career need to be integrated into life as a Buddhist,"it is also an ethical livelihood, "wealth obtained through rightful means" (Bhikku Basnagoda Rahula) - that means being honest and ethical in business dealings, not to cheat, lie or steal. As people are spending most of their time at work, it’s important to assess how our work affects our mind and heart. So important questions include "How can work become meaningful? How can it be a support, not a hindrance, to spiritual practice — a place to deepen our awareness and kindness?" | |||
The five types of businesses that should not be undertaken: | |||
# Business in weapons: weapons trade, trading in all kinds of weapons and instruments for killing. | |||
# Business in human beings: slave trading, prostitution, or the buying and selling of children or adults. | |||
# Business in meat: "meat" refers to the bodies of beings after they are killed. This includes breeding animals for slaughter. | |||
# Business in intoxicants: manufacturing or selling intoxicating drinks or addictive drugs. | |||
# Business in poison: producing or trading in any kind of poison or a toxic product designed to kill. | |||