The Eightfold Path

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A set of guidelines for achieving spiritual awakening in Buddhism, including right understanding, intention, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, and concentration.

Buddhism: Buddhism is a religion founded by Buddha, which teaches the practice of the Eightfold Path as a means of achieving enlightenment.
Four Noble Truths: The Four Noble Truths are the foundation of Buddhist philosophy, which state that there is suffering in the world, that suffering is caused by desire, that the cessation of desire leads to the end of suffering, and that the Eightfold Path is the means to that end.
Right Understanding: Right understanding refers to having a correct understanding of the nature of reality and the true causes of suffering.
Right Intention: Right intention refers to the desire to follow the Eightfold Path and live a life that is in accordance with the principles of Buddhism.
Right Speech: Right speech refers to using words that are truthful, kind, and beneficial.
Right Action: Right action refers to behaving in ways that are ethical and non-harmful to oneself and others.
Right Livelihood: Right livelihood refers to earning a living in a way that is ethical and doesn't harm others.
Right Effort: Right effort refers to making a sustained effort to practice the Eightfold Path and develop mindfulness and concentration.
Right Mindfulness: Right mindfulness refers to being aware of one's thoughts, feelings, and surrounding environment in a non-judgmental way.
Right Concentration: Right concentration refers to developing the ability to focus one's mind on a single object or idea in order to achieve greater clarity and insight.
Eightfold Path as a whole: The Eightfold Path is the core teaching of Buddhism and the means of achieving liberation from suffering and the attainment of enlightenment. Each of the eight steps is seen as interdependent and necessary for spiritual progress.
Buddhist Eightfold Path: This is the original and most well-known version of the Eightfold Path. It consists of Right View, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration. It aims to help individuals escape suffering by following a path of ethical conduct, mental disciplin, and wisdom.
Jain Eightfold Path: This version of the Eightfold Path consists of Right Perception, Right Knowledge, Right Conduct, Right Respiration, Right Speech, Right Means of Livelihood, Right Effort, and Right Concentration. It is followed by the Jain community and aims for self-purification and spiritual liberation.
Yogic Eightfold Path: This version of the Eightfold Path is followed in the context of Hinduism and consists of Yama (restraints), Niyama (observances), Asana (postures), Pranayama (breathing), Pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses), Dharana (concentration), Dhyana (meditation), and Samadhi (oneness with the divine). It is designed to help individuals achieve a state of union with the divine through physical, mental, and spiritual practice.
Taoist Eightfold Path: This version of the Eightfold Path consists of Right View, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration. It is followed by Taoists and aims to lead individuals to a state of balance, harmony, and alignment with the natural world.
Sikh Eightfold Path: The Sikh Eightfold Path consists of Sat (truth), Santokh (contentment), Daya (compassion), Nimrata (humility), Pyare (love), Seva (service), Simran (meditation), and Dharma (righteousness). It is followed by Sikhs and aims to help individuals achieve spiritual enlightenment by leading a virtuous life and serving others.
"leading to liberation from samsara, the painful cycle of rebirth, in the form of nirvana."
"The Eightfold Path consists of eight practices"
"right view, right resolve, right speech, right conduct, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right samadhi"
"these practices started with understanding that the body-mind works in a corrupted way (right view)"
"self-observance, self-restraint, and cultivating kindness and compassion"
"ending ignorance and rebirth"
"right samadhi ('meditative absorption or union'; alternatively, equanimous meditative awareness)"
"summarized as sila (morality), samadhi (meditation) and prajna (insight)"
"contrast with the Bodhisattva path"
"often represented by means of the dharma wheel (dharmachakra), in which its eight spokes represent the eight elements of the path."
"आर्याष्टाङ्गमार्ग"
"reinforces these practices for the development of the body-mind"
"right mindfulness"
"central soteriological instrument, leading to a different concept and structure of the path"
"liberation from samsara, the painful cycle of rebirth"
"ending ignorance and rebirth"
"go beyond Arhatship to full Buddhahood"
"silā (morality), samādhi (meditation), and paññā (wisdom)"
"These practices started with understanding that the body-mind works in a corrupted way"
"one of the principal summaries of the Buddhist teachings, taught to lead to Arhatship"