The Noble Eight fold Path

(The Fourth Noble Truth :  Magga : The Path)

3. Right Livelihood

The third and the last member of the morality group is right livelihood which entails not dealing in arms & lethal weapons, animals for slaughter, human beings, intoxicating drinks, and poison. Though the Buddha mentioned only a few, there are , as we know, many wrong ways of earning a living.

The precept about right livelihood was designed to bring true happiness to the individual and society and to promote unity and proper relations among people. Unjust and wrong ways of living apply to individuals, families and nations.

Words and acts are thoughts manifested. In Buddhism both motive and effect should be taken into consideration. However good the motive may be, if the effect is not going to be healthy, we should refrain from such misguided words and deeds.

4. Right Effort

Effort in Buddhism implies mental energy and not physical strength.  The right effort spoken of by the Buddha is instrumental in eliminating  evil and harmful thoughts, and in promoting and maintaining good and healthy thoughts.

The function of the right effort is fourfold, to prevent , abandon, develop and maintain.

1. What is the effort to prevent?

    It is the putting forth ones will to prevent the arising of evil, of unwholesome thoughts that have arisen.  One has to strive, and develop energy and strengthen his mind

2. What is the effort to abandon?

     It is putting forth ones will to abandon the evil, unwholesome thoughts that have arisen. 

3. What is the effort to develop?

    It is putting forth ones will to produce and develop wholesome thoughts that have arisen.

4. What is the effort to maintain?

    It is to maintain a favourable  object of concentration(meditation).

The unwholesome thoughts referred to here are the three root causes of all evil, namely: thoughts of craivng, hate and delusion. All other passions gather round these root cdauses, while wholesome thoughts are their opposites.

The sole purpose of this fourfold effort is success in meditation. The  four right efforts are the requisites for right concentration.

The Noble Eight fold Path

(The Fourth Noble Truth :  Magga : The Path)

2. Right Action

Right Action is the abstinence from three wrong actions : killing, stealing and sexual misconduct. These are the first three of the five basic training percepts, the other two being abstinence from lying and intoxicants. These basic training percepts, while moulding the character of the individual who observes them, promote harmony and right relations with oneself and others.

1.     The first precept to abstain from killing and to extend compassion to all beings does not entail any restriction.  ‘All beings’ , here, implies all living creatures, all that breathe. It is an admitted fact that all that live, human and animal, love life and loathe death. The happiness of all creatures depends on their being alive. So to deprive them of that which contains all good for them, is cruel and heartless, in the extreme. Killing is Killing, whether done for sport or food or for health. It is useless to try to defend oneself by saying ‘I did it for this good reason or that’.

2.    The second precept under Right Action is to abstain from stealing and to live honestly, taking only what is one’s own by right.  As no one wants to be robbed , it is not difficult to understand , that it is wrong to take away, what in not one’s own. The thought , that urges a person to steal, can never be good or wholesome. Then robbery leads to violence and even to murder.

      

This precept is easily violated by those in trade and commerce, by showing wrong accounting and reporting of the real incomes of their firms or companies.

     Theft may take many forms. For instance, if an employee slacks or works          badly and yet is paid in full, he is really a thief, for he takes money , he has              not earned. And the same applies to the employer, if he fails to pay                               adequate     salaries.

3.  The final training precept of Right Action is to abstain from wrong sexual behavior. Sex is described by the Buddha as the strongest impulse in man. If one becomes a slave to this impulse, even the most powerful man may turn into a weakling. The sexual urge, especially in youth , is a fire that needs careful handling. Buddha did not prohibit sexual relations for the common man, as he had done for monks. But he warned man against wrong ways of gratifying the sexual appetite.

           The following verse of the Dhammapada  makes it plain the evil                              consequences of their violation.

‘ Whoever in this world takes life,

Speaks what is not truth,

Takes what is not given,

Goes to other’s wives,

Indulges in drinking

Intoxicating liquor’s,

He , even in this world

Digs up his own root.’

(root meaning – Of Prosperity and Happiness)

(from ‘The Buddha’s Ancient Path by Thera Piyadasi)