The Noble Eightfold Path (N8P)

General reading:
Bhante Gunaratana, “Eight mindful steps to happiness” (Book)
Bhikkhu Bodhi, “The noble eightfold path” (PDF)
Wikipedia, “Noble eightfold path”
Ajahn Brahm, “What is Buddhism?”
SN 45 (Magga Saṃyutta, “Connected discourses on the Path”)

Day 1, Saturday 20th of February: Introduction and overview

 The meaning of ariya atthaṅgika magga
 Four noble truths and N8P
 The eight factors in brief, the meaning of sammā
 Conditional sequence of N8P
 Root causes of the path: kalyāna-mittas and yoniso manasikāra
 The results of the path: 10-fold “path”
 N8P and dependent origination
 Context
 Comparison with other ways of teaching the path
 Similes for N8P

Recommended reading: MN 117, SN 12.65, SN 22.84, SN 35.245, SN 45.1, SN 45.2, SN 45.4, SN 45.5,
SN 45.6, SN 45.14, SN 45.55, SN 45.91, SN 55.5, SN 56.11, AN 4.34, AN 5.196, AN 10.2, AN 10.61, AN
10.206.

Day 2, Saturday 27th of February: Myths and right view

 Myths and misconceptions
o All paths are different ways up the same mountain
 Bodhisatta path is an alternative to N8P
o The factors can be practised in any sequence
o Not all eight factors are equally important
 Right view is not required
 Morality is less important
 Right mindfulness is sufficient
 Right stillness is not required
o Don’t attach to the path
o When you reach the end of the path, you let it go
 Right view:
o Degrees of right view: ordinary and noble
o Theoretical and practical right view
o Definition: knowing the 4NT, especially suffering, ordinary and noble
 Suffering of not being moral
 Suffering of sensory realm
 Suffering of saṃsāra
Recommended reading: MN 54, MN 117, SN 45.1, SN 45.8, SN 15.

Day 3, Saturday 6th of March: More right view and right intention
 Ordinary right view
o Seeing the external world as problematic
 Non-delight in the entire world
 Similes of birds and borrowed goods
o Understanding people as non-self: love and compassion
 Right intention:
o Definition
o Different approaches: motivation, aim, purpose, goal
o Connection to right view

Recommended reading: MN 41, MN 54, SN 45.1, SN 45.8, AN 5.162.

Day 4, Saturday 13th of March: Fundamentals of morality

 Buddhist morality: a pragmatic and flexible system of ethics
 The basis of Buddhist morality:
o Not hurting oneself or others
o Not acting from defilement
 Morality as shades of grey
 Unwholesome habits and overcoming them
 Results of sīla
 Significance of sīla

Recommended reading: MN 88, SN 47.3, AN 3.23, AN 3.69, AN 3.235, AN 4.233, AN 4.238, AN 5.130,
AN 7.15.

Day 5, Saturday 20th of March: Right speech, action, and livelihood

 Right speech
o Definition, sequence, degrees
o Criticism: is it always wrong?
 Right action
o Definition, sequence, degrees
o Alcohol
o Vegetarianism
o Abortion
o Euthanasia
 Connection to five precepts, including intoxication
 Further aspects of sīla
 Right livelihood
 o Definition, degrees

Recommended reading: DN 31, MN 55, SN 45.8, AN 5.177.

Day 6, Saturday 27th of March: Right effort and summary

 The four right efforts:
o Definition
o Detail
 The power of reflection
o Tricky mind states
o 2 mental factors of dasakusalakammpatha = contentment
o Mindfulness and clear awareness
o Wisdom power, not will power
o Practical application of dealing with unskilful mind states
 In brief: right mindfulness and right stillness
 Overall summary

Recommended reading: MN 19, MN 54, SN 45.1, SN 45.8, SN 47.7, AN 2.12, AN 4.14, AN 5.152.