International Buddhist Studies College (IBSC),

Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University

The Noble Eightfold Path: The Buddhist

Middle Way for Mankind

January 6, 2015
By

Sanu Mahatthanadull, Ph.D.

The Noble Eightfold Path &

The Four Noble Truths

Noble = Ariya
Supramundane
mundane

The Noble Eightfold Path

At t h
agika-magga
Constituents of the Path

The Noble Eightfold Path

The Dghanikya: The Mah Satipatthnasutta
The Majjhima Nikya: The Saccavibhagasutta

I. Right View
(Sammdit t hi)
1) Knowledge about Ill (dukkha),
2) the cause of Ill (dukkha-samudaya),
3) the cessation of Ill (dukkha-nirodha),
4) the Way that leads to the cessation of Ill
(dukkha-nirodha-gmin pat ipad)

II. Right Aspiration

(Sammsakappa)
1) The aspiration towards renunciation
(nekkhamma-sakappa),
2) the aspiration towards benevolence
(abypda-sakappa),
3) the aspiration towards kindness
(avihis-sakappa)

III. Right Speech

(Sammvc)
1) Abstaining from lying (musvda),
2) slander (pisun vc),
3) abuse (pharusavc)
4) idle talk (samphappalpa).

IV. Right Doing

(Sammkammanta)
1) Abstaining from taking life (pn tipta),
2) taking what is not given (adinndna),
3) carnal indulgence (kmesumicchcra).

V. Right Livelihood
(Samm-jva)
Having put away wrong

livelihood
Supports himself by right livelihood.

VI. Right Effort

(Sammvyma)
1) Prevent the evil that have not arisen
2) Abandon the evil that have arisen
3) Develop the good states which have not arisen
4) Maintain the good states which have arisen may
persist

VII. Right Mindfulness

(Sammsati)
the Four Foundations of Mindfulness
Body
Feeling
Mind
Mental Object

VIII. Right Rapture

(Sammsamdhi)

The Four States of Jhna Attained by Meditation

1.Thinking

5.Onepointedness
of calm

3.Rapture

First Jhna:
2.Investigation

4.Happiness
Rapture

Onepointedness of
calm

Second Jhna:
Happiness
Happiness

Third Jhna:

Fourth Jhna:

(Equanimity)

Onepointedness of
calm

Onepointedness of
calm

The Middle Way

The Sayuttanikya:

Dhammacakkappavattanasutta
The Two Extremes;
1) The pursuit of sensual happiness sensual pleasures,
which is low, vulgar, the way of worldings, ignoble,
unbeneficial
2) and the pursuit of self-mortification, which is painful,
ignoble, unbeneficial

The Middle Way

The Two Extremes

Ascetici
sm

Hedonis
m

B
o
d
y

M
i
n
d

The Noble Eightfold Path &

The Threefold Training
1. Right View
2. Right thought

Wisdom

3. Right Speech
4. Right Action

Ethical Conduct

5. Right Livelihood
6. Right Effort
7. Right Mindfulness
8. Right Concentration

Mental Development

False doctrine
Pseudo-Dhamma
(Saddhammapat irpaka)