The Related Suttas Collection 45.8

1. Ignorance

Analysis

At Sāvatthī.

“Bhikkhus, I will teach and analyze for you the noble eightfold path. Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”

“Yes, sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:

“And what is the noble eightfold path? It is right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right samādhi.

And what is right view? Knowing about suffering, the origin of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering. This is called right view.

And what is right thought? It is the thought of renunciation, good will, and harmlessness. This is called right thought.

And what is right speech? Avoiding speech that’s false, divisive, harsh, or nonsensical. This is called right speech.

And what is right action? Avoiding killing living creatures, stealing, and sexual activity. This is called right action.

And what is right livelihood? It’s when a noble disciple gives up wrong livelihood and earns a living by right livelihood. This is called right livelihood.

And what is right effort? It’s when a bhikkhu generates enthusiasm, tries, makes an effort, exerts the mind, and strives so that bad, unskillful qualities don’t arise. They generate enthusiasm, try, make an effort, exert the mind, and strive so that bad, unskillful qualities that have arisen are given up. They generate enthusiasm, try, make an effort, exert the mind, and strive so that skillful qualities that have not arisen do arise. They generate enthusiasm, try, make an effort, exert the mind, and strive so that skillful qualities that have arisen remain, are not lost, but increase, mature, and are fulfilled by development. This is called right effort.

And what is right mindfulness? It’s when a bhikkhu meditates by watching, again and again, an aspect of the body—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world. They meditate watching, again and again, an aspect of feelings—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world. They meditate watching, again and again, an aspect of the mind—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world. They meditate watching, again and again, an aspect of principles—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world. This is called right mindfulness.

And what is right samādhi? It’s when a bhikkhu, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, enters and remains in the first jhāna, which has the (mental) joy and (bodily) pleasure born of seclusion, while thougths are being born and sustained analysis is going on. As the thougths being born and the sustained analysis going on are stilled, they enter and remain in the second jhāna, which has the (mental) joy and (bodily) pleasure born of samādhi, with internal clarity and mind at one, without thougths being born and without sustained analysis going on. And with the fading away of (mental) joy, they enter and remain in the third jhāna, where they meditate with equanimity, mindful and aware, personally feeling deeply the (bodily) pleasure of which the noble ones declare, ‘Equanimous and mindful, a pleasure is to meditate.’ Giving up pleasure and pain, and ending former happiness and sadness, they enter and remain in the fourth jhāna, without pleasure or pain, with pure equanimity and mindfulness. This is called right samādhi.”