Life should be lived for the path:
I have heard that at one time the Blessed One was staying in
Savatthi at
Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's monastery.
There he addressed the monks, saying, "Monks."
"Yes, lord," the monks responded to him.
The Blessed One said, "I will teach & analyze for you the
Noble Eightfold Path. Listen & pay close attention. I will
speak."
"As you say, lord," the monks responded to him.
The Blessed One said, "Now what, monks, is the Noble Eightfold
Path? Right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right
livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right
concentration.
"And what, monks, is right view? Knowledge with regard to
stress, knowledge with regard to the origination of stress,
knowledge with regard to the stopping of stress, knowledge with
regard to the way of practice leading to the stopping of stress:
This, monks, is called right view.
"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, abstaining
from divisive speech, abstaining from abusive speech, abstaining
from idle chatter: This, monks, is called right speech.
"And what, monks, is right action? Abstaining from taking life,
abstaining from stealing, abstaining from unchastity: This, monks,
is called right action.
"And what, monks, 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, monks, is called
right livelihood.
"And what, monks, is right effort? (i) There is
the case where a monk generates desire, endeavors, activates
persistence, upholds & exerts his intent for the sake of the
non-arising of evil, unskillful qualities that have not yet arisen.
(ii) He generates desire, endeavors, activates
persistence, upholds & exerts his intent for the sake of the
abandonment of evil, unskillful qualities that have arisen.
(iii) He generates desire, endeavors, activates
persistence, upholds & exerts his intent for the sake of the
arising of skillful qualities that have not yet arisen.
(iv) He generates desire, endeavors, activates
persistence, upholds & exerts his intent for the maintenance,
non-confusion, increase, plenitude, development, & culmination
of skillful qualities that have arisen: This, monks, is called
right effort.
"And what, monks, is right mindfulness? (i)
There is the case where a monk remains focused on the body in &
of itself — ardent, aware, & mindful — putting away greed &
distress with reference to the world. (ii) He
remains focused on feelings in & of themselves — ardent, aware,
& mindful — putting away greed & distress with reference to
the world. (iii) He remains focused on the mind in
& of itself — ardent, aware, & mindful — putting away greed
& distress with reference to the world. (iv)
He remains focused on mental qualities in & of themselves —
ardent, aware, & mindful — putting away greed & distress
with reference to the world. This, monks, is called right
mindfulness.
"And what, monks, is right concentration? (i)
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.
(ii) With the stilling of directed thoughts &
evaluations, he enters & remains in the second jhana: rapture
& pleasure born of concentration, unification of awareness free
from directed thought & evaluation — internal assurance.
(iii) With the fading of rapture, he remains
equanimous, mindful, & alert, and senses pleasure with the
body. He enters & remains in the third jhana, of which the
Noble Ones declare, 'Equanimous & mindful, he has a pleasant
abiding.' (iv) 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,
monks, is called right concentration."
That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, the monks
delighted at his words.