The Fourth Noble Truth – magga
The Fourth Noble Truth offers a path through which Buddhists can overcome their craving. It is called the Eightfold Path, or In Buddhism this refers to the fourth of the Four Noble Truths – the pathway to ending suffering. It is also known as the Noble Eightfold Path. The word magga means ‘path’., meaning ‘path’.
Once a person has decided to pursue Buddhist principles in order to decrease their suffering, find inner calm, or even attain The realisation of the truth about life. In Buddhism it releases a person from the cycle of rebirth. and An indescribable state, held by Buddhists to be the ultimate goal of religious practice, involving breaking free from the cycle of samsara., they can follow the magga.
Udana 8.1, 8.3
This teaching book, which is part of one of the nikayas uses the phrase ‘unbinding’ to suggest to Buddhists how to free themselves from craving. They should ‘unbind’ or untie themselves from craving and desire, and so become free.
Magga-Vibhanga Sutta
This teaching book (‘sutta’), which is part of the Samyutta Nikaya, contains an analysis of the magga, or Eightfold Path.
The Buddha explains each element of the path and offers explanations and advice.
The Threefold Way
The The founder of Buddhism, Siddhartha Gautama, after his enlightenment. It is a title which means the enlightened or awakened one. taught that the path to nirvana requires three main approaches. Together, they are called the In Buddhism, the path to enlightenment has three approaches: ethics, meditation and wisdom. Together they are called the Threefold Way.. They can be summarised into three categories:
- Ethics – people who follow the Buddhist Dhamma is Buddhist doctrine about the nature of existence and includes the teachings of the Buddha. must live in a way that minimises harm and develops love, kindness and courage.
- Thinking quietly as a spiritual or religious exercise. Connection of the mind and soul with the Divine using breathing and other techniques. In Buddhism, using one of a set of techniques or exercises for calming the mind, developing positive emotions and understanding the way things are. – this compassionate way of living helps people to have a clear conscience and a calm mind, allowing effective meditation practice.
- Wisdom – meditation is the basis of achieving understanding, or wisdom. It also helps people to learn and practice, which are necessary to become ‘one who is awake’ to the nature of reality.
Dhammapada 111
In this passage, 500 thieves accept the Buddha’s teaching and are welcomed into the The Buddhist community of people who practice the faith, usually used to mean the community of monks and nuns. . The Buddha explains that gaining insight, however badly one behaves prior to this, is to be welcomed, as it is the essential first step to enlightenment.
Eightfold Path
The Eightfold Path, or magga, is a more detailed development of the Threefold Way. Individuals take steps in their own ‘way’, and they will find some of these steps harder than others. Below are the eight steps of the Eightfold Path, shown in relation to the Threefold Way:
| ETHICS | MEDITATION | WISDOM |
| Right Speech – Avoiding lies, gossip and negative speech; speaking truthfully and kindly | Right Effort – Working to develop a positive state of mind, free from craving and hatred | Right Understanding – Learning and coming to understand the Buddha’s teachings (Dhamma) |
| Right Action – Acting in a loving and peaceful way; avoiding conflict and harm; restraint in seeking pleasures | Right Mindfulness – Developing mindful awareness of the body, the mind and the nature of reality | Right Intention – Being committed to developing the attitudes needed to learn from the Dhamma |
| Right Livelihood – Making a living in a way that does not cause harm to living creatures, exploit others or sell harmful items | Right Concentration – Working towards a state of mental focus necessary for effective meditation |
| ETHICS | Right Speech – Avoiding lies, gossip and negative speech; speaking truthfully and kindly |
|---|---|
| MEDITATION | Right Effort – Working to develop a positive state of mind, free from craving and hatred |
| WISDOM | Right Understanding – Learning and coming to understand the Buddha’s teachings (Dhamma) |
| ETHICS | Right Action – Acting in a loving and peaceful way; avoiding conflict and harm; restraint in seeking pleasures |
|---|---|
| MEDITATION | Right Mindfulness – Developing mindful awareness of the body, the mind and the nature of reality |
| WISDOM | Right Intention – Being committed to developing the attitudes needed to learn from the Dhamma |
| ETHICS | Right Livelihood – Making a living in a way that does not cause harm to living creatures, exploit others or sell harmful items |
|---|---|
| MEDITATION | Right Concentration – Working towards a state of mental focus necessary for effective meditation |
| WISDOM |
Question
What is the magga?
The ‘path’ to nirvana, or the Eightfold Path.
