Before we come to some level of Right Understanding, the first of the eight steps, it is essential to weaken three of the so-called 'fetters' that hamper us. These are:

    1. The habitual thought that this body is mine.

    2. Doubt and wavering concerning the teaching.

    3. An incorrect understanding of moral discipline and the need for it.

When the power of these three fetters has been sufficiently reduced, we shall have the clarity of understanding required to set out on the Path.

As a result of Anapanasati (meditation), we slowly come to see that this body is not 'my own'. It is clearly an object in nature needing no help from me and, in fact, I upset its natural functioning when 'I' interfere. If it were 'mine' it would do and be precisely what 'I' wanted it to do and be, but it merely keeps being what it is in fact, nature functioning. How then, can it be said to be 'mine' ?

With regard to doubt and wavering, before one can start to follow the Buddhist Path seriously, there must have arisen a certain level of confidence, however faltering, that there is a Path to be followed and a goal reached. This initial confidence will be strengthened gradually as experience demonstrates that it was well founded, and throughout the long journey, a response of the heart, a growth of confidence will precede each step, enabling one to move forward into the dark.

The question of moral discipline is much more important than it may seem at first glance. Moral discipline is obviously essential if people are going to be able to live together successfully, but this is only the social aspect of it. It is also to be seen as essential to the safe and fruitful following of any religious path. Moral discipline in the Buddha's Teaching is more than rules, ritual, a moral code; it is the foundation upon which the whole of Buddhist practice rests. It is as important as the air wee breathe.

The Path

It is important not to regard the Noble Eightfold Path as a code of law or morality laid down as a requirement. Rather it reflects the natural behaviour of a person who has overcome his or her egotism and who is no longer trying to place himself or herself in a position of privilege. It provides a yardstick against which you can measure your practice.

If the Noble Eightfold Path is regarded as a requirement demanded by a higher authority, there is a real danger that its practice will become simply a form of subtle self-deception. Outwardly a person conforms, but inwardly the old impulses remain and are simply suppressed, causing feelings of guilt, anger and remorse. In this situation one remains a two-level personality, an outer shell masking a quite different personality underneath. The object of Buddhist training is to produce a single-level personality whose attitude and behaviour is not only in harmony with the reality of the universe but is at the same time a faithful reflection of the inner man or woman.

1. Right Understanding / Seeing

Right Understanding implies a right view or reasonable grasp of the Three Signs of Being, the Four Noble Truths, and of Karma (Kamma) and Rebirth. A person who possesses Right Understanding knows how to proceed on the Path according to :
  a) Dhamma-nature - the way things are, as opposed to the
      way we think they are; and :
  b) Dhamma - the Teaching.
Having this understanding is a great advance, but it is not enough just to have it; it must be applied at every other stage on the Path. Understanding not applied is just so much information and it leads to intellectual head-games and ego-exercises.

2. Right Thought / Motives

Right Thought means that, having some measure of Right Seeing, the person is prepared to apply it. Samma Sankappa involves a quality of consciousness wherein there is no obstruction to the thought process; it denotes a state that is limpid, cool, free from self-interest, without tension or veiled uneasiness.

Right Thought may be regarded as the clearing of the mental sights. With Right Thought the mind becomes relatively free of the Three Fires of Greed/Desire, Hate/Anger/Aversion, and Delusion/Ignorance from which all unskillful action springs. Delusion is overcome gradually by Right Seeing and as the Three Fires die down in us their place is taken by compassion and wisdom. As when a stone is removed from a pool the water flows in to take its place, so these truly human qualities flow into the heart when the ego-based obstacles of greed, hate and delusion are removed.

3. Right Speech

Right Speech has a place in Buddhist discipline. Of course, it involves truthfulness, not always easy in the daily round, and it also includes refraining from harmful speech, such as gossip  or slander, and keeping idle chatter to a minimum. The opportunities for wrong speech are greater than for most other forms of unskillful activity, and we should therefore pay constant attention to it. As an aspect of training, Right Speech can be taken to mean complete honesty with oneself; never lie to yourself. Speech need not emit as sound. spiteful thoughts can be as harmful as the spoken word, and we must learn to refrain from 'mental chattering'. The ideal, however hard to attain, is to say nothing that is not true, helpful and necessary.

4. Right Action

Right Action involves refraining from :
        a) taking life
        b) stealing or cheating
        c) over-indulgence in sensuality
These are not only harmful to other beings but also to oneself. If they are not avoided, they will inevitably have their consequences and the price will have to be paid. Though the principles are clear enough, it cannot be denied that problems arise in practice. Our own attitude is important, and we must pay attention to what we are doing rather than allowing ourselves to be carried away by the Three Fires.

The question often arises whether a Buddhist should necessarily be a vegetarian, a conscientious objector, etc. The general answer is that it is incumbent upon each individual to decide for himself or herself, as honestly as possible, how to act in a given situation.

Regarding sensuality, this does not refer to sex alone, but to all immoderate seeking for satisfaction in outer objects, for it blinds us and leads to suffering and frustration since genuine fulfillment is not to be found in 'my' wants and desires. The Buddhist practice helps us to transform the precious energy that is expended on 'my' wants and dislikes into the 'Buddha-Nature'. This is done by containing the Fires within and using them to burn away the ego rather than discharging them on outer objects.

In matters of sex the Buddhist attitude is eminently reasonable - firm but not excessively prudish. Prudery itself implies an unhealthy attitude of repression. The main point is to exercise restraint, to behave decently according to ones lights, and to realise that sensuality is a fetter. For those with strongly sensual inclinations, mindfulness and concentration are a great help.

To a Buddhist, marriage is a civil matter, not a religious rite, although some Buddhists arrange to have their marriage blessed by a bikkhu. There is no Buddhist objection to marriage with someone of another faith. Questions of contraception, divorce and abortion are matters to be decided by the individuals themselves, but they should be guided by the Five Precepts.

The laymans code of ethics is summed up in the Five Precepts which are undertakings to oneself to refrain from:

1. Harming Living things

2. Taking that which is not freely given

3. Excessive sense-pleasures, including sex

4. Unskillful speech of all kinds

5. Mind-clouding drink and drugs

The fifth item does not necessarily mean that the lay Buddhist should be at all times a total abstainer, but it certainly implies avoiding drunkenness or excessive drinking. The reason is that alcohol and similar substances cloud the mind. Drink reduces mindfulness and makes meditation impossible. those who feel strongly drawn to drinking alcohol should try to find out why they need it.

As for 'soft' psychedelic and similar drugs, although some will stimulate the psychic centres to produce a crop of visions and euphoria, no experience of value is attained through them. The whole mental mechanism is fouled by them.

5. Right Livelihood

As the student of Buddhism learns to apply its principles to day-to-day living, he will understand what occupations and ways of life are compatible with those principles.  He can then examine coolly the choices and decisions open to him in the light of his clear understanding and make his individual decisions accordingly.

6. Right Effort

Right Effort involves the constant endeavour to overcome unhelpful ways of thought and action and to stimulate helpful ways; it is closely associated both with Right Thought and Right Mindfulness. Wholesome states of mind can be encouraged and developed and will tend to arise spontaneously when unwholesome thoughts are cleared away. Right Effort involves the energy to continue giving oneself wholeheartedly over to the practice, remembering that it is not 'I' who practice.

7. Right Mindfulness/Awareness

Mindfulness has become the established translation of sati, but it is important not to regard it as 'I', my mind, mechanically observing myself (recording, categorising and judging). It is rather a process of intelligent alertness, an alive response to what happens, similar to a pinch on our arm; at the pinch, awareness arises of itself, and needs no observing.

This step is sometimes translated as Right Recollection or Right Awareness; it is the key to so much of Buddhist practice. The precise nature of mindfulness can only be understood from experience. It leads to awareness in the sense that our acts, words and thoughts become increasingly conscious, and thus less and less unwitting. It involves becoming completely honest with oneself. We become more and more conscious of the body, the feelings, the thoughts and images that arise, and all that is around us. It is essential to learn to be aware of all these things without interfering, to be aware of and get to know their nature and how they arise, and also how they pass away.

We must also guard against self-reproach. We all have a variety of unwholesome impulses which we would rather not know about. We have to learn to acknowledge their presence. If we acknowledge them, and work with them, we are less liable to be overwhelmed by them.

Mindfulness, by increasing self-knowledge, gives an increased understanding of the problems of others and often enables us to help them more effectively than if we were blinded by emotion. Among other things, mindfulness helps us to distinguish between true and false compassion and helps us to participate fully and genuinely in life.

8. Right Concentration/Meditation

Again there is no English equivalent for the name of this last step on the Path. Samadhi is deeper than meditation but still far short of Nirvana. It has the same root as Samatha and is therefore associated with peace and calm. It has been called Contemplation of Reality, where the dualism created by thought has ceased to operate and the heart and mind are calm as an unruffled sea. 
In the Sutra of Wei Lang (Hui-Neng) under DHYANA (Sanskrit for meditation and the root word for Zen) we read;
'... it means to attain inner peace... He who is able to keep his mind unperturbed irrespective of internal and external circumstances has attained SAMADHI'.

In the Heart Sutra, a Mahayana Discourse, this balance is described;
'... he has overcome what can upset, he dwells withought thought coverings and he attains Nirvana'.

The Buddha, in the last years of his life, having experienced acute pain, says to the monk, Ananda;
'...It is only from the cessation of feelings, when the Tathagata does not direct his attention to conditioned things and remains in that samadhi of mind where there is no conditioned thing that his body is at ease...'

Conclusion

These then are the eight steps of the Noble Eightfold Path, the Way that leads to the extinction of Dukkha.
They are not sequential steps but rather are intended to be taken together, each step influencing the others.

Try This!

Try the following exercise next time you are engaged in conversation.

Let us first examine what is happening during a conversation. First, we often come to it with a prior attitude towards the other person - like, dislike, love, hate, distrust, jealousy, respect, fear, etc. Much more difficult to see is the double attitude of love/hate, respect/jealousy, etc. However we think of the other person, it will affect the way we listen - which we are not in fact doing. In our silence we are preparing our next speech, finding flaws in the other persons argument, formulating opinions concerning him and his ideas. What we are not doing is listening. The situation is worsened when several people are present, for then the situation is compounded.

In this exercise try to ATTEND COMPLETELY to the other person; to attend completely means to listen fully to the person and do nothing else, especially not listen to 'my' own thoughts. Then, before you speak, pause and consider whether there is any need for you to say anything at all - beyond being polite. Ask yourself, 'Do I really disagree with that person?'; 'Am I really contributing anything or am I speaking for the sake of speaking?'; 'Do I feel as strongly about the subject as I thought I did?'; 'Does it really concern me?'.

This exercise is designed to help you avoid interfering and becoming entangled. This is a move towards more skilful thoughts and actions, towards doing less harm and making fewer problems for yourself and others.

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