Passages from the Pali Canon
§ 101. Monks, ignorance is the leader in the attainment of unskillful qualities,
followed by lack of conscience & lack of concern. In a unknowledgeable person,
immersed in ignorance, wrong view arises. In one of wrong view, wrong resolve
arises. In one of wrong resolve, wrong speech... In one of wrong speech, wrong
action... In one of wrong action, wrong livelihood... In one of wrong livelihood,
wrong effort... In one of wrong effort, wrong mindfulness... In one of wrong
mindfulness, wrong concentration arises.
Clear knowing is the leader in the attainment of skillful qualities, followed
by conscience & concern. In a knowledgeable person, immersed in clear knowing,
right view arises. In one of right view, right resolve arises. In one of right
resolve, right speech... In one of right speech, right action... In one of right
action, right livelihood... In one of right livelihood, right effort... In one
of right effort, right mindfulness... In one of right mindfulness, right concentration
arises.
-- S.XLV.1
§ 102. Analysis of the Path. Monks, what is the noble eightfold path? Right
view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort,
right mindfulness, right concentration.
And what is right view? Knowledge with regard to stress, knowledge with regard
to the origination of stress, knowledge with regard to the cessation of stress,
knowledge with regard to the way of practice leading to the cessation of stress:
This is called right view. [§§184-240]
And what is right resolve? Being resolved on renunciation, on freedom from ill
will, on harmlessness: This is called right resolve.
And what is right speech? Abstaining from lying, from divisive speech, from
abusive speech, & from idle chatter: This is called right speech.
And what is right action? Abstaining from taking life, from stealing, &
from sexual intercourse: This is called right action.
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.
And what is right effort? There is the case where a monk generates desire, endeavors,
arouses persistence, upholds & exerts his intent for the sake of the non-arising
of evil, unskillful qualities that have not yet arisen... for the sake of the
abandoning of evil, unskillful qualities that have arisen... for the sake of
the arising of skillful qualities that have not yet arisen...(and) for the maintenance,
non-confusion, increase, plenitude, development, & culmination of skillful
qualities that have arisen. This is called right effort. [§49]
And what is right mindfulness? There is the case where a monk remains focused
on the body in & of itself -- ardent, alert, & mindful -- putting aside
greed & distress with reference to the world. He remains focused on feelings
in & of themselves... the mind in & of itself... mental qualities in
& of themselves -- ardent, alert, & mindful -- putting aside greed &
distress with reference to the world. This is called right mindfulness. [§30]
And what is right concentration? There is the case where a monk -- quite withdrawn
from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful [mental] qualities -- enters &
remains in the first jhana: rapture & pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied
by directed thought & evaluation. With the stilling of directed thought
& evaluation, he enters & remains in the second jhana: rapture &
pleasure born of composure, unification of awareness free from directed thought
& evaluation -- internal assurance. With the fading of rapture he remains
in equanimity, mindful & alert, and physically sensitive of pleasure. He
enters & remains in the third jhana, of which the Noble Ones declare, 'Equanimous
& mindful, he has a pleasurable abiding.' With the abandoning of pleasure
& pain -- as with the earlier disappearance of elation & distress --
he enters & remains in the fourth jhana: purity of equanimity & mindfulness,
neither pleasure nor pain. This is called right concentration. [§150]
-- S.XLV.8
§ 103. More on Right Action & Right Speech. Having thus gone forth,
following the training & way of life of the monks, abandoning the taking
of life, he abstains from the taking of life. He dwells with his rod laid down,
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 takes only what is given, accepts only what is
given, lives not by stealth but by means of a self that has become pure. Abandoning
uncelibacy, he lives a celibate life, aloof, refraining from the sexual act
that is the villager's way.
Abandoning false speech, he abstains from false speech. He speaks the truth,
holds to the truth, is firm, reliable, no deceiver of the world. Abandoning
divisive speech he abstains from divisive speech. What he has heard here he
does not tell there to break those people apart from these people here. What
he has heard there he does not tell here to break these people apart from those
people there. 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 abstains from abusive
speech. He speaks words that are soothing to the ear, that are affectionate,
that go to the heart, that are polite, appealing & pleasing to people at
large. Abandoning idle chatter, he abstains from idle chatter. He speaks in
season, speaks what is factual, what is in accordance with the goal, the Dhamma,
& the Vinaya. He speaks words worth treasuring, seasonable, reasonable,
circumscribed, connected with the goal.
-- A.X.99
§ 104. More on Right Action & Right Speech for Lay People. 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.
Abandoning false speech, he abstains from false speech. When he has been called
to a town meeting, a group meeting, a gathering of his relatives, his guild,
or of the royalty [i.e., a royal court proceeding], if he is asked as a witness,
'Come & tell, good man, what you know': If he doesn't know, he says, 'I
don't know.' If he does know, he says, 'I know.' If he hasn't seen, he says,
'I haven't seen.' If he has seen, he says, 'I have seen.' Thus he doesn't consciously
tell a lie for his own sake, for the sake of another, or for the sake of any
reward. [This paragraph is missing in the PTS translation.]
-- A.X.176
§ 105. Visakha: Is the noble eightfold path compounded or uncompounded?
Sister Dhammadinna: The noble eightfold path is compounded.
Visakha: And are the three aggregates [of virtue, concentration, & discernment]
included under the noble eightfold path, or is the noble eightfold path included
under the three aggregates?
Sister Dhammadinna: The three aggregates are not included under the noble eightfold
path, but the noble eightfold path is included under the three aggregates. Right
speech, right action, & right livelihood come under the aggregate of virtue.
Right effort, right mindfulness, & right concentration come under the aggregate
of concentration. Right view & right resolve come under the aggregate of
discernment.
-- M.44
§ 106. And what, monks, is noble right concentration with its supports
& requisite conditions? Any singleness of mind equipped with these seven
factors -- right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood,
right effort, & right mindfulness -- is called noble right concentration
with its supports & requisite conditions.
[1] Of those, right view is the forerunner. And how is right view the forerunner?
One discerns wrong view as wrong view, and right view as right view. This is
one's right view. And what is wrong view? 'There is nothing given, nothing offered,
nothing sacrificed. There is no fruit or result of good or bad actions. There
is no this world, no next world, no mother, no father, no spontaneously reborn
beings; no priests or contemplatives who, faring rightly & practicing rightly,
proclaim this world & the next after having directly known & realized
it for themselves.' This is wrong view.
And what is right view? Right view, I tell you, is of two sorts: There is right
view with effluents, siding with merit, resulting in acquisitions; and there
is noble right view, without effluents, transcendent, a factor of the path.
And what is the right view that has effluents, sides with merit, & results
in acquisitions? 'There is what is given, what is offered, what is sacrificed.
There are fruits & results of good & bad actions. There is this world
& the next world. There is mother & father. There are spontaneously
reborn beings; there are priests & contemplatives who, faring rightly &
practicing rightly, proclaim this world & the next after having directly
known & realized it for themselves.' This is the right view that has effluents,
sides with merit, & results in acquisitions.
And what is the right view that is without effluents, transcendent, a factor
of the path? The discernment, the faculty of discernment, the strength of discernment,
analysis of qualities as a factor for Awakening, the path factor of right view
in one developing the noble path whose mind is noble, whose mind is free from
effluents, who is fully possessed of the noble path. This is the right view
that is without effluents, transcendent, a factor of the path.
One tries to abandon wrong view & to enter into right view: This is one's
right effort. One is mindful to abandon wrong view & to enter & remain
in right view: This is one's right mindfulness. Thus these three qualities --
right view, right effort, & right mindfulness -- run & circle around
right view.
[2] Of those, right view is the forerunner. And how is right view the forerunner?
One discerns wrong resolve as wrong resolve, and right resolve as right resolve.
And what is wrong resolve? Being resolved on sensuality, on ill will, on harmfulness.
This is wrong resolve.
And what is right resolve? Right resolve, I tell you, is of two sorts: There
is right resolve with effluents, siding with merit, resulting in the acquisitions;
and there is noble right resolve, without effluents, transcendent, a factor
of the path.
And what is the right resolve that has effluents, sides with merit, & results
in acquisitions? Being resolved on renunciation, on freedom from ill will, on
harmlessness. This is the right resolve that has effluents, sides with merit,
& results in acquisitions.
And what is the right resolve that is without effluents, transcendent, a factor
of the path? The thinking, directed thinking, resolve, mental absorption, mental
fixity, focused awareness, & verbal fabrications in one developing the noble
path whose mind is noble, whose mind is without effluents, who is fully possessed
of the noble path. This is the right resolve that is without effluents, transcendent,
a factor of the path.
One tries to abandon wrong resolve & to enter into right resolve: This is
one's right effort. One is mindful to abandon wrong resolve & to enter &
remain in right resolve: This is one's right mindfulness. Thus these three qualities
-- right view, right effort, & right mindfulness -- run & circle around
right resolve.
[3] Of those, right view is the forerunner. And how is right view the forerunner?
One discerns wrong speech as wrong speech, and right speech as right speech.
And what is wrong speech? Lying, divisive tale-bearing, abusive speech, &
idle chatter. This is wrong speech.
And what is right speech? Right speech, I tell you, is of two sorts: There is
right speech with effluents, siding with merit, resulting in the acquisitions;
and there is noble right speech, without effluents, transcendent, a factor of
the path.
And what is the right speech that has effluents, sides with merit, & results
in acquisitions? Abstaining from lying, from divisive tale-bearing, from abusive
speech, & from idle chatter. This is the right speech that has effluents,
sides with merit, & results in acquisitions.
And what is the right speech that is without effluents, transcendent, a factor
of the path? The abstaining, desisting, abstinence, avoidance of the four forms
of verbal misconduct in one developing the noble path whose mind is noble, whose
mind is without effluents, who is fully possessed of the noble path. This is
the right speech that is without effluents, transcendent, a factor of the path.
One tries to abandon wrong speech & to enter into right speech: This is
one's right effort. One is mindful to abandon wrong speech & to enter &
remain in right speech: This is one's right mindfulness. Thus these three qualities
-- right view, right effort, & right mindfulness -- run & circle around
right speech.
[4] Of those, right view is the forerunner. And how is right view the forerunner?
One discerns wrong action as wrong action, and right action as right action.
And what is wrong action? Killing, taking what is not given, illicit sex. This
is wrong action.
And what is right action? Right action, I tell you, is of two sorts: There is
right action with effluents, siding with merit, resulting in the acquisitions;
and there is noble right action, without effluents, transcendent, a factor of
the path.
And what is the right action that has effluents, sides with merit, & results
in acquisitions? Abstaining from killing, from taking what is not given, &
from illicit sex. This is the right action that has effluents, sides with merit,
& results in acquisitions.
And what is the right action that is without effluents, transcendent, a factor
of the path? The abstaining, desisting, abstinence, avoidance of the three forms
of bodily misconduct in one developing the noble path whose mind is noble, whose
mind is without effluents, who is fully possessed of the noble path. This is
the right action that is without effluents, transcendent, a factor of the path.
One tries to abandon wrong action & to enter into right action: This is
one's right effort. One is mindful to abandon wrong action & to enter &
remain in right action: This is one's right mindfulness. Thus these three qualities
-- right view, right effort, & right mindfulness -- run & circle around
right action.
[5] Of those, right view is the forerunner. And how is right view the forerunner?
One discerns wrong livelihood as wrong livelihood, and right livelihood as right
livelihood. And what is wrong livelihood? Scheming, persuading, hinting, belittling,
& pursuing gain with gain. This is wrong livelihood.
And what is right livelihood? Right livelihood, I tell you, is of two sorts:
There is right livelihood with effluents, siding with merit, resulting in the
acquisitions; and there is noble right livelihood, without effluents, transcendent,
a factor of the path.
And what is the right livelihood that has effluents, sides with merit, &
results in acquisitions? There is the case where a disciple of the noble ones
abandons wrong livelihood and maintains his life with right livelihood. This
is the right livelihood that has effluents, sides with merit, & results
in acquisitions.
And what is the right livelihood that is without effluents, transcendent, a
factor of the path? The abstaining, desisting, abstinence, avoidance of wrong
livelihood in one developing the noble path whose mind is noble, whose mind
is without effluents, who is fully possessed of the noble path. This is the
right livelihood that is without effluents, transcendent, a factor of the path.
One tries to abandon wrong livelihood & to enter into right livelihood:
This is one's right effort. One is mindful to abandon wrong livelihood &
to enter & remain in right livelihood: This is one's right mindfulness.
Thus these three qualities -- right view, right effort, & right mindfulness
-- run & circle around right livelihood.
Of those, right view is the forerunner. And how is right view the forerunner?
In one of right view, right resolve comes into being. In one of right resolve,
right speech comes into being. In one of right speech, right action... In one
of right action, right livelihood... In one of right livelihood, right effort...
In one of right effort, right mindfulness... In one of right mindfulness, right
concentration... In one of right concentration, right knowledge... In one of
right knowledge, right release comes into being. Thus the learner is endowed
with eight factors, and the Arahant with ten.
Of those, right view is the forerunner. And how is right view the forerunner?
In one of right view, wrong view is abolished. The many evil, unskillful qualities
that come into play with wrong view as their condition are also abolished, while
the many skillful qualities that have right view as their condition go to the
culmination of their development. (Similarly with the remaining factors up through:)
In one of right release, wrong release is abolished. The many evil, unskillful
qualities that come into play with wrong release as their condition are also
abolished, while the many skillful qualities that have right release as their
condition go to the culmination of their development.
-- M.117
§ 107. The Buddha: 'The stream, the stream,' it is said. Now what is the
stream?
Sariputta: Just this noble eightfold path is the stream: right view, right resolve,
right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness,
right concentration.
The Buddha: Well said, Sariputta, well said. Just this noble eightfold path
is the stream...'Streamwinner, streamwinner,' it is said. Now what is a streamwinner?
Sariputta: Whoever is endowed with this noble eightfold path is called a 'streamwinner.'
The Buddha: Well said, Sariputta, well said. Whoever is endowed with this noble
eightfold path is called a 'streamwinner.'
-- S.LV.5
§ 108. Monks, just as a pot without a stand is easy to tip over, and a
pot with a stand is hard to tip over, so too the mind without a stand is easy
to tip over, and a mind with a stand is hard to tip over. And what is the mind's
stand? Just this noble eightfold path.
-- S.XLV.27
§ 109. It is possible that a well aimed spike of bearded wheat or bearded
barley, if pressed by a hand or foot, will cut into the hand or foot and draw
blood. Why is that? Because the spike is well aimed. In the same way, it is
possible that if one's views are well aimed, one's development of the path is
well aimed, they will cut into ignorance, give rise to clear knowing, and lead
to the realization of Unbinding. Why is that? Because one's views are well aimed.
And how do well aimed views and a well aimed development of the path cut into
ignorance, give rise to clear knowing, and lead to the realization of Unbinding?
There is the case where a monk develops right view dependent on seclusion, dependent
on dispassion, dependent on cessation, resulting in letting go. He develops
right resolve... right speech... right action... right livelihood... right effort...
right mindfulness... right concentration dependent on seclusion... dispassion...
cessation, resulting in letting go. This is how well aimed views and a well
aimed development of the path cut into ignorance, give rise to clear knowing,
and lead to the realization of Unbinding.
-- S.XLV.154
§ 110. Just as many kinds of wind blow in the air -- east winds, west winds,
north winds, south winds, dusty winds, dustless winds, cold winds, warm winds,
gentle winds, & strong winds -- in the same way, when a monk develops the
noble eightfold path, pursues the noble eightfold path, the four frames of reference
go to the culmination of their development, the four right exertions... the
four bases of power... the five faculties... the five strengths... the seven
factors for Awakening go to the culmination of their development.
-- S.XLV.155
§ 111. Knowing & seeing the eye as it actually is present, knowing
& seeing forms... eye-consciousness... eye-contact as they actually are
present, knowing & seeing whatever arises conditioned through eye-contact
-- experienced as pleasure, pain, or neither-pleasure-nor-pain -- as it actually
is present, one is not infatuated with the eye... forms... eye-consciousness...
eye-contact... whatever arises conditioned by eye-contact and is experienced
as pleasure, pain, or neither-pleasure-nor-pain...
Knowing & seeing the ear... Knowing & seeing the nose... Knowing &
seeing the tongue... Knowing & seeing the body...
Knowing & seeing the intellect as it actually is present, knowing &
seeing ideas... intellect-consciousness... intellect-contact as they actually
are present, knowing & seeing whatever arises conditioned through intellect-contact
-- experienced as pleasure, pain, or neither-pleasure-nor-pain -- as it actually
is present, one is not infatuated with the intellect... ideas... intellect-consciousness...
intellect-contact... whatever arises conditioned by intellect-contact and is
experienced as pleasure, pain, or neither-pleasure-nor-pain.
For him -- uninfatuated, unattached, unconfused, remaining focused on their
drawbacks -- the five clinging-aggregates head toward future diminution. The
craving that makes for further becoming -- accompanied by passion & delight,
relishing now this & now that -- is abandoned by him. His bodily disturbances
& mental disturbances are abandoned. His bodily torments & mental torments
are abandoned. His bodily distresses & mental distresses are abandoned.
He is sensitive both to ease of body & ease of awareness.
Any view belonging to one who has come to be like this, is his right view. Any
resolve, his right resolve. Any effort, his right effort. Any mindfulness, his
right mindfulness. Any concentration, his right concentration: just as earlier
his actions, speech, & livelihood were already well-purified. Thus for him,
having thus developed the noble eightfold path, the four frames of reference
go to the culmination of their development... the four right exertions... the
four bases of power... the five faculties... the five strengths... the seven
factors for Awakening go to the culmination of their development. [And] for
him these two qualities occur in tandem: tranquillity & insight.
He comprehends through direct knowledge whatever qualities are to be comprehended
through direct knowledge, abandons through direct knowledge whatever qualities
are to be abandoned through direct knowledge, realizes through direct knowledge
whatever qualities are to be realized through direct knowledge, and develops
through direct knowledge whatever qualities are to be developed through direct
knowledge.
And what qualities are to be comprehended through direct knowledge? 'The five
clinging-aggregates,' should be the reply. Which five? Form as a clinging-aggregate...
feeling... perception... fabrications... consciousness as a clinging-aggregate...
And what qualities are to be abandoned through direct knowledge? Ignorance &
craving for becoming...
And what qualities are to be realized through direct knowledge? Clear knowing
& release...
And what qualities are to be developed through direct knowledge? Tranquillity
& insight...
-- M.149
§ 112. Just as when there is a guest house where people come from the east
to take up residence, from the west... the north... the south to take up residence:
Noble warriors come there to take up residence, brahmans... commoners... vassals
come there to take up residence. In the same way, when a monk develops the noble
eightfold path, pursues the noble eightfold path, he comprehends through direct
knowledge whatever qualities are to be comprehended through direct knowledge,
abandons through direct knowledge whatever qualities are to be abandoned through
direct knowledge, realizes through direct knowledge whatever qualities are to
be realized through direct knowledge, and develops through direct knowledge
whatever qualities are to be developed through direct knowledge.
-- S.XLV.159
§ 113. 'Suppose that a man, in the course of traveling along a path, were
to come to a great expanse of water, with the near shore dubious & risky,
the further shore secure & free from risk, but with neither a ferryboat
nor a bridge going from this shore to the other. The thought would occur to
him, "Here is this great expanse of water, with the near shore dubious
& risky, the further shore secure & free from risk, but with neither
a ferryboat nor a bridge going from this shore to the other. What if I were
to gather grass, twigs, branches, & leaves and, having bound them together
to make a raft, were to cross over to safety on the other shore in dependence
on the raft, making an effort with my hands & feet?" Then the man,
having gathered grass, twigs, branches, & leaves, having bound them together
to make a raft, would cross over to safety on the other shore in dependence
on the raft, making an effort with his hands & feet. Having crossed over
to the further shore, he might think, "How useful this raft has been to
me! For it was in dependence on this raft that, making an effort with my hands
& feet, I have crossed over to safety on the further shore. Why don't I,
having hoisted it on my head or carrying on my back, go wherever I like?"
What do you think, monks: would the man, in doing that, be doing what should
be done with the raft?'
'No, lord.'
'And what should the man do in order to be doing what should be done with the
raft? There is the case where the man, having crossed over, would think, "How
useful this raft has been to me! For it was in dependence on this raft that,
making an effort with my hands & feet, I have crossed over to safety on
the further shore. Why don't I, having dragged it on dry land or sinking it
in the water, go wherever I like?" In doing this, he would be doing what
should be done with the raft. Even so monks, I have taught you the Dhamma like
a raft, for the purpose of crossing over, not for the purpose of holding onto.
Knowing the Dhamma to be like a raft, you should let go even of [skillful] qualities,
to say nothing of those that are not.'
-- M.22
§ 114. The great expanse of water stands for the fourfold flood: the flood
of sensuality, the flood of becoming, the flood of views, & the flood of
ignorance. The near shore, dubious & risky, stands for self-identity. The
further shore, secure and free from risk, stands for Unbinding. The raft stands
for just this noble eightfold path: right view... right concentration. Making
an effort with hands & feet stands for the arousing of persistence.
-- S.XXXV.197