The Noble Eightfold Path

Blog Prompt 11: Focus on a particular component of the eightfold path and apply it to your own life. Do you think that right action would mean less suffering? Refer to both readings in your explanation of the connection between virtue and the cessation of suffering.

Buddha was a well-known philosopher who was a spiritual teacher as well as a religious public figure who had dedicated forty-five years of his life to his teachings. The eightfold path was a guide that was taught by Buddha, it was a path to help the vicious cycle of suffering. The eightfold path consists of the right understanding, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. These eight aspects of life are supposed to be used in everyday life. However, Buddha had stated “It should not be thought that the eight categories or divisions of the path should be followed and practiced one after the other in the numerical order as given in the usual list above. But they are to be developed more or less simultaneously, as far as possible according to the capacity of each individual. They are all linked together and each helps the cultivation of the others.”(p. 3) The eight categories aren’t meant to be in a specific order, they are to be used whenever needed. There are times where we want to fulfill our desires and be happy, however, when we aren’t satisfied we have to recreate ourselves from within, as well as rethink how we live our lives on a daily basis. Everyone has a different life and does what they can to make ends meet. However, that doesn’t mean the way they make ends meet is right. “Right livelihood means that one should abstain from making one’s living through a profession that brings harm to others, such as trading in arms and lethal weapons, intoxicating drinks or poisons, killing animals, cheating, etc…. and should live by a profession, which is honorable, blameless, and innocent of harm to others.” What comes to mind is my parents who came to America with only two hundred dollars. They borrowed money from family members and others around them, and we got denied from receiving governmental support. My parents worked hard to provide the life me and my sister were so blessed to have but everything they did was clean money. My family is Muslim and in our religion, we see owning liquor shops and gambling as dirty money. There were a lot of people who gambled or insisted they open a liquor store because it was easy money but my father decided to take classes on how to do heating and air conditioning. He went out of his way to learn a trade that kept him busy so he didn’t have to find a job that required him to sell intoxicating drinks, cheat, or kill animals. 

Do you think that the right action would mean less suffering?

I believe that the right action would lead to less suffering because the right action is responsible for having to live honestly and morally which is perfect. Living honestly and morally you have to deal with your self-conscious eating you alive after you do something wrong or lead to negative complications that can catch up and put us in harm’s way. 

Refer to both readings in your explanation of the connection between virtue and the cessation of 

Suffering.

In the readings, it talks about the four noble truths which state that first state existence itself is suffering and “innate trait of existence with each rebirth, we will experience suffering”. Suffering isn’t supposed to be seen as something negative or bad but should be seen as something everyone goes through and we should put forth an effort to resolve it. The whole aspect of pleasure isnt thrown out however in the end aging, sickness, and death are certain and unavoidable. 

The second truth is to define suffering and in Buddhuism desiring and ignorance are some of the main causes of suffering. Wanting something and desiring brings suffering because if you can’t have it your emotions and state of mind and can put us in a bad mindset which would make us suffer. For example, kids desire candy or soda pops at times, and when they don’t get it there way they tend to see it as a sign of suffering. So they cry and whine in hopes of getting something they desire and in response to that they are internally suffering for it. Ignorance is also bad because some people don’t notice either their own faults. For example greed, hatred, and envy come from ignorance. The third noble truth is “cessation of suffering”. Cessation of suffering can be obtained by removing whatever can cause suffering. The fourth noble truth is the Noble Eightfold path. Basically removing anything that can cause suffering. These are different steps that should be taking to achieve the end of suffering according to Buddhism.

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