Exploring the Path - Pāli Course

3.2.4.4 The Four Noble Truths, Part Four: Exposition of the Truth of the Path¹

“And what, monks, is the Noble Truth of the Path Leading to the Cessation of Suffering? It is this, the Noble Eightfold Path, namely: right view or right understanding, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right awareness and right concentration.

And what, monks, is right view or right understanding?

It is this, monks: the knowledge of suffering, the knowledge of the arising of suffering, the knowledge of the cessation of suffering, the knowledge of the path leading to the cessation of suffering. This, monks, is called right view or right understanding.

And what, monks, is right thought?

Thoughts of renunciation, thoughts that are free from aversion and thoughts that are free from violence. This, monks, is called right thought.

And what, monks, is right speech?

Abstaining from lying, abstaining from slander and backbiting, abstaining from harsh words and abstaining from frivolous talk. This, monks, is called right speech.

And what, monks, is right action?

Abstaining from killing, abstaining from taking what has not been given and abstaining from sexual misconduct. This, monks, is called right action.

And what, monks, is right livelihood?

Here, monks, a noble disciple having given up wrong ways of livelihood earns his livelihood by right means. This, monks, is called right livelihood.

And what, monks, is right effort?

Here, monks, a monk generates the will to prevent the arising of unarisen evil unwholesome mental states; he makes strong effort, stirs up his energy, applies his mind to it and strives. To eradicate those evil unwholesome mental states that have arisen in him, he generates the will, makes strong effort, stirs up his energy, applies his mind to it and strives. To develop wholesome mental states that have not yet arisen in him, he generates will, makes strong effort, stirs up his energy, applies his mind to it and strives. To maintain wholesome mental states that have arisen in him, not to let them fade away, to multiply them and bring them to full maturity and to full development, he generates will, makes strong effort, stirs up his energy, applies his mind to it and strives. This, monks, is called right effort.

And what, monks, is right awareness?

Here, monks, a monk dwells ardent with awareness and constant thorough understanding of impermanence, observing body in body, having removed craving and aversion towards the world [of mind and matter]; he dwells ardent with awareness and constant thorough understanding of impermanence, observing sensations in sensations, having removed craving and aversion towards the world [of mind and matter]; he dwells ardent with awareness and constant thorough understanding of impermanence, observing mind in mind, having removed craving and aversion towards the world [of mind and matter]; he dwells ardent with awareness and constant thorough understanding of impermanence, observing mental contents in mental contents, having removed craving and aversion towards the world [of mind and matter]. This, monks, is called right awareness.

And what monks is right concentration?

Here monks, a monk, detached from craving, detached from unwholesome mental states, enters into the first absorption, born of detachment, accompanied by initial and sustained application of the mind and filled with rapture and bliss and he dwells therein. With the subsiding of initial and sustained application of the mind and gaining inner tranquility and oneness of mind he enters into the second absorption, born of concentration, free from initial and sustained application of the mind, filled with rapture and bliss and he dwells therein. After the fading away of rapture he dwells in equanimity, aware with constant thorough understanding of impermanence, and he experiences in his body the bliss of which the noble ones say: “That bliss is experienced by one with equanimity and awareness.” Thus he enters the third absorption and dwells therein. After the eradication of pleasure and pain and with joy and grief having previously passed away, he enters into a state beyond pleasure and pain, the fourth absorption, that is totally purified by equanimity and awareness and he dwells therein. This, monks, is called right concentration.

This, monks, is the Noble Truth of the Path leading to the Cessation of Suffering.”