21. The Noble Eightfold Path

from Saccavibhaṅgasuttaṁ, MN 141 This discourse is spoken by Ven Sāriputta.

Katamañ-cāvuso dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā ariyasaccaṁ?
Now what, venerable friends, is the noble truth of the practice leading to the end of suffering?

Ayam-eva ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo, seyyathīdaṁ:
It is this noble path with eight factors, as follows:

1. Sammādiṭṭhi,
1. Right view,

2. sammāsaṅkappo,
2. right thought,

3. sammāvācā,
3. right speech,

4. sammākammanto,
4. right action,

5. sammā-ājīvo,
5. right livelihood,

6. sammāvāyāmo,
6. right endeavour,

7. sammāsati,
7. right mindfulness,

8. sammāsamādhi.
8. right concentration.

1. Katamā cāvuso sammādiṭṭhi?
1. Now what, venerable friends, is right view?

{1} Yaṁ kho āvuso dukkhe ñāṇaṁ,
{1} That, venerable friends, which is knowledge about suffering,

{2} dukkhasamudaye ñāṇaṁ,
{2} knowledge about the arising of suffering,

{3} dukkhanirodhe ñāṇaṁ,
{3} knowledge about the cessation of suffering,

{4} dukkhanirodhagāminiyā paṭipadāya ñāṇaṁ.
{4} knowledge about the practice leading to the cessation of suffering.

Ayaṁ vuccatāvuso sammādiṭṭhi.
This, venerable friends, is called right view.

2. Katamo cāvuso sammāsaṅkappo?
2. Now what, venerable friends, is right thought?

{1} Nekkhammasaṅkappo,
{1} The thought of renunciation,

{2} abyāpādasaṅkappo,
{2} the thought of good-will,

{3} avihiṁsāsaṅkappo.
{3} the thought of non-violence.

Ayaṁ vuccatāvuso sammāsaṅkappo.
This, venerable friends, is called right thought.

3. Katamā cāvuso sammāvācā?
3. Now what, venerable friends, is right speech?

{1} Musāvādā veramaṇī,
{1} Refraining from false speech,

{2} pisuṇāvācā veramaṇī,
{2} refraining from malicious speech,

{3} pharusāvācā veramaṇī,
{3} refraining from rough speech,

{4} samphappalāpā veramaṇī.
{4} refraining from frivolous talk.

Ayaṁ vuccatāvuso sammāvācā.
This, venerable friends, is called right speech.

4. Katamo cāvuso sammākammanto?
4. Now what, venerable friends, is right action?

{1} Pāṇātipātā veramaṇī,
{1} Refraining from killing living creatures,

{2} adinnādānā veramaṇī,
{2} refraining from taking what has not been given,

{3} kāmesu micchācārā veramaṇī.
{3} refraining from sexual misconduct.

Ayaṁ vuccatāvuso sammākammanto.
This, venerable friends, is called right action.

5. Katamo cāvuso sammā-ājīvo?
5. Now what, venerable friends, is right livelihood?

Idhāvuso ariyasāvako micchā-ājīvaṁ pahāya,
Here, venerable friends, a noble disciple, having given up wrong ways of livelihood,

sammā-ājīvena jīvikaṁ kappeti.
earns his living by a right way of livelihood.

Ayaṁ vuccatāvuso sammā-ājīvo.
This, venerable friends, is called right livelihood.

6. Katamo cāvuso sammāvāyāmo?
6. Now what, venerable friends, is right endeavour?

{1} Idhāvuso bhikkhu anuppannānaṁ pāpakānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ
{1} * Here, venerable friends, a monastic regarding bad and unwholesome thoughts that have not yet arisen

anuppādāya chandaṁ janeti,
generates desire for their non-arising,

vāyamati, viriyaṁ ārabhati, cittaṁ paggaṇhāti, padahati,
(in this regard) he endeavours, instigates energy, exerts his mind, and makes an effort,

{2} uppannānaṁ pāpakānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ
{2} regarding bad and unwholesome thoughts that have already arisen

pahānāya chandaṁ janeti,
he generates desire for their abandonment,

vāyamati, viriyaṁ ārabhati, cittaṁ paggaṇhāti, padahati,
(in this regard) he endeavours, instigates energy, exerts his mind, and makes an effort,

{3} anuppannānaṁ kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ uppādāya chandaṁ janeti,
{3} he generates desire for the arising of wholesome thoughts that have not yet arisen,

vāyamati, viriyaṁ ārabhati, cittaṁ paggaṇhāti, padahati,
(in this regard) he endeavours, instigates energy, exerts his mind, and makes an effort,

{4} uppannānaṁ kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ ṭhitiyā, asammosāya,
{4} * regarding wholesome thoughts that have arisen he generates desire for their endurance, persistence,

bhiyyobhāvāya, vepullāya, bhāvanāya, pāripūriyā chandaṁ janeti,
multiplication, extension, cultivation, and fulfilment,

vāyamati, viriyaṁ ārabhati, cittaṁ paggaṇhāti, padahati.
(in this regard) he endeavours, instigates energy, exerts his mind, and makes an effort.

Ayaṁ vuccatāvuso sammāvāyāmo.
This, venerable friends, is called right endeavour.

7. Katamā cāvuso sammāsati?
7. Now what, venerable friends, is right mindfulness?

{1} Idhāvuso bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati,
{1} Here, venerable friends, a monastic dwells contemplating (the nature of) the body in the body,

ātāpī, sampajāno, satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ,
ardent, fully aware and mindful, after removing avarice and sorrow regarding the world,

{2} vedanāsu vedanānupassī viharati,
{2} he dwells contemplating (the nature of) feelings in feelings,

ātāpī, sampajāno, satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ,
ardent, fully aware and mindful, after removing avarice and sorrow regarding the world,

{3} citte cittānupassī viharati,
{3} he dwells contemplating (the nature of) the mind in the mind,

ātāpī, sampajāno, satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ,
ardent, fully aware and mindful, after removing avarice and sorrow regarding the world,

{4} dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati,
{4} he dwells contemplating (the nature of) things in (various) things,

ātāpī, sampajāno, satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.
ardent, fully aware and mindful, after removing avarice and sorrow regarding the world.

Ayaṁ vuccatāvuso sammāsati.
This, venerable friends, is called right mindfulness.

8. Katamo cāvuso sammāsamādhi?
8. Now what, venerable friends, is right concentration?

{1} Idhāvuso bhikkhu vivicceva kāmehi,
{1} Here, venerable friends, a monastic, quite secluded from sense desires,

vivicca akusalehi dhammehi,
secluded from unwholesome thoughts,

savitakkaṁ, savicāraṁ, vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ,
having thinking, reflection, and the joy and happiness born of seclusion,

paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati,
dwells having attained the first absorption,

{2} vitakkavicārānaṁ vūpasamā,
{2} with the calming down of thinking and reflection,

ajjhattaṁ sampasādanaṁ, cetaso ekodibhāvaṁ,
with internal clarity, and one-pointedness of mind,

avitakkaṁ, avicāraṁ, samādhijaṁ pītisukhaṁ,
being without thinking, without reflection, having the happiness and joy born of concentration,

dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati,
he dwells having attained the second absorption,

{3} pītiyā ca virāgā upekkhako ca viharati,
{3} with the fading away of joy he dwells equanimous,

sato ca sampajāno, sukhañ-ca kāyena paṭisaṁvedeti,
mindful, fully aware, experiencing happiness through the body,

yan-taṁ Ariyā ācikkhanti: Upekkhako satimā sukhavihārī ti,
about which the Noble Ones declare: He dwells pleasantly, mindful, and equanimous,

tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati,
he dwells having attained the third absorption,

{4} sukhassa ca pahānā, dukkhassa ca pahānā,
{4} having abandoned pleasure, abandoned pain,

pubbeva somanassadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamā,
and with the previous passing away of mental happiness and sorrow,

adukkhamasukhaṁ, upekkhāsatipārisuddhiṁ,
without pain, without pleasure, and with complete purity of mindfulness owing to equanimity,

catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.
he dwells having attained the fourth absorption.

Ayaṁ vuccatāvuso sammāsamādhi.
This, venerable friends, is called right concentration.

Idaṁ vuccatāvuso dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā ariyasaccaṁ.
This, venerable friends, is called the noble truth of the practice leading to the cessation of suffering.