The Eightfold Path

Guiding principles for Ministers of the Foundation of the Sacred Stream

Right View
Right view is the cognitive aspect of wisdom. It means to see things through, to grasp the impermanent and imperfect nature of worldly objects and ideas, and to understand the law of karma and karmic conditioning.

Right Intention
While right view refers to the cognitive aspect of wisdom, right intention refers to the volitional aspect, i.e. the kind of mental energy that controls our actions. Right intention can be described best as commitment to ethical and mental self-improvement.

Right Speech
Right speech means to tell the truth, to speak friendly, warm, and gently and to talk only when necessary.

Right Action
Right action means to act kindly and compassionately, to be honest, to respect the belongings of others, and to keep sexual relationships harmless to others.

Right Livelihood
Right livelihood means that one should earn one’s living in a righteous way and that wealth should be gained legally and peacefully.

Right Effort
Right effort is detailed in four types of endeavors: 1. to prevent the arising of unarisen unwholesome states, 2. to abandon unwholesome states that have already arisen, 3. to arouse wholesome states that have not yet arisen, and 4. to maintain and perfect wholesome states already arisen.

Right Mindfulness
Right mindfulness is the mental ability to see things as they are, with clear consciousness.

Right Concentration
Right Concentration in this context is described as one-pointedness of mind, where all mental faculties are unified and directed onto one particular object. Right concentration for the purpose of the eightfold path means wholesome concentration, i.e. concentration on wholesome thoughts and actions.