EIGHTFOLD PATH OF LORD BUDDHA
Siddhartha Gautama, popularly Known as Lord Buddha (563-483
B.C.) is remembered for his three philosophies, namely, the Philosophy of Four
Noble Truths, the Philosophy of Middle Path and the Philosophy of Eightfold
Path. He discovered these philosophies through his extensive wanderings after
abdicating the princely life.
By the Four Noble
Truths, he means (1) the truth of suffering, (2) the truth of the cause of
suffering, (3) the Truth of the end of suffering and the truth of the path that
leads to the termination of suffering.
The philosophy of The Middle Path deals with the extremism of
self- denial and self - indulgence. According to the Lord , both extremes are
faulty. The correct approach is the adoption of The Middle Path.
For freedom from endless suffering and its re-emergence, he
recommends The Eightfold Path. According to him the eight spokes of
the wheel of Dharma are the rules of pure conduct which lead to the stoppage of
suffering and sorrow. They are : Right views; right aspirations; right speech;
right behavior; right livelihood; right effort; right thoughts; right
contemplation.
Combined together these rules signify that noble truth which
is related to the destruction of suffering and sorrow
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G.R.Kanwal
8th August 2023
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