The Fourth Noble Truth :  Magga : The Path

Panna : Wisdom  :- With the mastering of the mind, and not allowing the mind to master him, the yogi cultivates true Wisdom (panna) which consists of the two factors and the final stage of the Path, namely , Right Understanding and Right Thought.

Right Thought includes thoughts of renunciation, goodwill and of compassion or no-harm. These thoughts are to be cultivated and extended towards all living beings irrespective of race, caste, clan, or creed. If we view things with dispassionate discernment , we will understand that selfish desire, hatred and violence cannot go together with true Wisdom.  Right Understanding or true wisdom is always permeated with right thoughts and never bereft of them.

Right Understanding , in the ultimate sense, is to understand Life as it really is.  For this , one needs a clear comprehension of the four Noble Truths, namely: the Truth of a) Dukkha  , Suffering or Unsatisfactoriness, b) the Arising of Dukkha , c) the Cessation of Dukkha  and d) the path leading to the cessation of Dukkha.

Right Understanding or penetrative Wisdom is the result of continued and steady practice of meditation or careful cultivation of the mind.

This is how the three groups – sila , Samadhi and panna (virtue, concentration and wisdom) function together for one common end : Deliverance of the Mind and how through genuine cultivation of man’s mind, and through control of actions, both physical and verbal, purity  is attained. It is through self-exertion and self-development, that the aspirant secures freedom, and not through praying to and petitioning an external agency or God.

It is a gradual process, a gradual training. Mental purity is gained after thorough training in virtuous behavior. Mental purity and attainments are not possible without moral purity. The Buddha said that , It is important to establish oneself in virtue or moral habits , before entering on the path of meditation and wisdom. If the practitioner of the Path is earnest and mindful  , he will advance without faltering and start the more difficult task of meditation, gaining concentrative calm . Thus he who strives heedfully , gains control over the mind. Thus training himself in Virtue and concentration (sila and Samadhi) , he now tries to gain true Wisdom or Insight by seeing all things as they really are. Viewing the things as they are implies, seeing the transient, unsatisfactory and no-self-nature of all conditioned and component things. Thus comprehending things as they really are, thus realizing the true nature of the five aggregates of clinging, the ‘Aryan or Noble’ one  lives independent , clinging to nothing in the world—the world of aggregates and of senses – and lives experiencing the bliss of Nirvana, the Supreme Happiness.

Inspite of the scientific knowledge that is steadily growing , the people of the world are restless and racked with the fear and discontent. They are intoxicated with the desire to gain fame, wealth, power and to gratify the never ending desires of the senses. To this troubled world, still seething with hate, distrust, selfish desire and violence, most timely  is the  Buddha’s message of Love and compassion and the Understanding the Eightfold Path.