Exploring the Path - Pāli Course

The Buddha proclaims that the fourth Noble Truth has to be understood properly as it really is: ayaṃ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṃ pajānāti.

In a more literal translation of ‘dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’, dukkhanirodhagāminī qualifies, determines or describes the ‘way, path, practice’ (paṭipadā) of the ‘manner of going to, leading to, walking towards’ (gāminī) the ‘eradication, cessation’ of dukkha. One can thus translate the complex compound as ‘the path leading to the cessation of suffering’. When the Buddha uses the formula ‘has to be understood properly as it really is’ (yathābhūtaṃ pajānāti), he actually points to the ‘manner of walking towards’ and to the implemented practice. He declares at the same time that what is being taught needs to be fully applied.

It has already been mentioned that theoretical understanding can only pave the way for the actual application of what has been understood and comprehended. Otherwise, all efforts in pariyatti will not provide the beneficial results, as they should, when not appreciated as inspiration to practice. The Dhamma gets really honoured only if applied in day-to-day life through paṭipatti: dhammānudhammappaṭipanno.²

This course, Exploring the Sacred, Ancient Path in the Original Words of the Buddha, originated from the notion to provide suttas that would explain the Noble Eightfold Path in more detail. Thus eight core chapters are prepared with respective texts providing words of the Buddha that describe each constituent of the ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo.

The thorough explanation of each constituent, as given by the Buddha in the Vibhaṅgasuttai,³ was split into the respective eight chapters describing each of the components. But in order to present all of the Four Noble Truths as highlighted in the Saccapabbaṃpabbaṃ, the ‘Exposition of the Truth of the Path’ (maggasaccaniddeso) is quoted here in full detail along with the vocabulary. This will then become an opportunity in the following seven chapters to be a repetitive learning tool.

The fourth Noble Truth, the ‘knowledge of the path leading to the eradication of suffering’ (dukkhanirodhagāminiyā paṭipadāya ñāṇaṃ) with its eight constituents, commences with sammādiṭṭhi. Like a deep ocean, the Buddha’s expositions when understood more deeply reveal subtler and more encompassing meanings. Each component of the Path then can be further analysed in different particulars revealing even more. Thus sammādiṭṭhi, which is usually translated as ‘right view’ that turns into ‘right understanding’ as the first component of the ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo, again emphasises the need for comprehending each of the four Noble Truths properly and in the same way embraces the entire Noble Eightfold Path thus closing a circle of understanding:

On various occasions the Buddha highlighted that sammādiṭṭhi precedes all other factors and provides the proper base. With sammādiṭṭhi in view, the perspective is not only to train oneself in moral conduct and to maintain ethical standards of sīla but to envision these as a necessary base for the realization of nibbāna:

With sammādiṭṭhi as the precursor and proper base, with the appropriate perspective towards that aim, a meditator achieves benefits on the mundane (lokiya) level while walking the path as described by the Buddha. But the final objective should always be the focus on supramundane (lokuttara) achievements by realizing nibbāna:

That is why the Buddha pointed out to his first five disciples that only after these four Noble Truths have been fully realized by him, as they really are in their three successions making them twelvefold, did he declare himself an unsurpassed fully Enlightened One.¹²