The Fourth Noble Truth :  Magga : The Path

Here is a brief account of the three groups and how they aim at promoting and perfecting a path that consists of eight factors.

Each of the eight factors of the Path are interdependent and interrelated, and  they function simultaneously; they are not followed and practiced one after the other in numerical order.

In the words of Buddha :

‘O monks, it is through not understanding, not penetrating four things (Dhamma) that we have run so long, wandered on so long in this round of existence , both you and I. And what four? Virtue, Concentration, Wisdom and Deliverance. But when these four things, O monks, are understood and penetrated, rooted out is the craving for existence, destroyed is that which leads to renewed becoming, and there is no more coming to be.”

These sayings of the Buddha explain the function and the purpose of cultivating Virtue, Meditation and Wisdom. Deliverance means , living experience of the cessation of the three root causes of evil, Greed, hatred and Delusion or Ignorance (lobha, dosa & moha) , that assail the human mind. These root causes are eliminated by  training in Virtue , Meditation & Wisdom (sila, Samadhi & panna).

Now this deliverance from mental taints, this freedom from ill, lies absolutely and entirely in a man’s own hands, in those of no one else, human or Divine. Not even a Buddha can redeem a man from the fretters of existence, except by showing him the path.

Sila (Virtue) :   Right speech, Right Action & Right Livelihood.

Right speech is to abstain

a)  from falsehood and always speak the truth;

b) from tale-bearing which brings about discord and disharmony, and

    to speak   words that are conducive to concord and harmony;

c) from harsh and abusive speech, and instead to speak kind and refined words; and

d) from idle chatter, vain talk or gossip and instead to speak words which are meaningful and blameless.

Right Action is abstention from

a    a)    Killing  b) stealing and  c) illicit sexual indulgence and cultivating compassion, taking only things that are given, and living pure and chaste.

Right Livelihood is abandoning wrong ways of living, which bring harm and suffering to  other beings:  Trafficking

a) in arms and lethal weapons b) in animals for slaughter c) in human beings

d) in intoxicating drinks and e) poisons, and

living by a profession which is blameless and free from harm to oneself and others.

From this , it is clear that the code of conduct set forth by the Buddha is no mere negative prohibition but an affirmation of doing good --- paving way for the welfare and happiness of all mankind. 

The sila  or the code of conduct is the first stepping stone of the  ‘Way of Living’. It is the basis for the mental development. One who is intent on meditation or concentration of mind, must develop a love of virtue; for it is the virtue that nourishes mental life and makes it steady and calm.

------to be contd