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The Eight-Fold path

The Eightfold Path describes the way to end suffering as it was laid out by the Buddha.

The path can be loosely organized into three groupings:

Wisdom
Right understanding
Right thought
Morality
Right speech
Right action
Right livelihood
Right effort
Meditation
Right mindfulness
Right concentration

1. Right Understanding: This is the realization of the Four Noble Truths, selflessness and the impermanence of all things, which removes the roots of ignorance and enables us to see things as they truly are.
   
2. Right Thought: This refers to the mental state free from harmful thoughts and filled with wholesome ones.
   
3. Right Speech: This deals with cultivating positive speech in order to create harmonious personal relationships and a peaceful society.
   
4. Right Action: This practice cultivates moral conduct through respect for life, property and personal relationships.
   
5. Right Livelihood: This means earning a living without harming other living beings.
   
6. Right Effort: This means cultivating a positive attitude in everything we do, including our spiritual practice.
   
7. Right Mindfulness: This allows us to touch the present moment which is the only place where life can be found. It heals the wounds in our minds by enabling us to see deeply and clearly into ourselves and the world.
   
8. Right Meditation: The practice of meditation helps to cultivate a calm and concentrated mind, which is required for the realization of Awakening.
   

The Eightfold path seems simple enough, but each element contains much more than it appears. But for example, right speech not only includes lying and swearing, but also frivolous chatter and not using speech in harmful or unproductive ways. It also includes being truthful, not distorting facts or misrepresentation.

Another example, is right action, which is probably best explained in the five precepts:

• Refrain from taking life
• Refrain from taking what is not giving
• Refrain from misuse of the senses
• Refrain from telling lies
• Refrain from self-intoxication with drink, drugs or other means.