Vibhaṅgasutta—Bhikkhu Sujato

The Buddha presents the eightfold path together with a detailed analysis of each factor. It should be assumed that these explanations apply wherever the eightfold path is taught.

At Sāvatthī.

“Mendicants, I will teach and analyze for you the noble eightfold path.

Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”

“Yes, sir,” they replied.

The Buddha said this:

“And what is the noble eightfold path?

It is right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion.

And what is right view?

Knowing about suffering, the origin of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering.

💡 The original Pali word is dukkha. This should be seen as both gross suffering as well as discontentment, a sense of dissatisfaction.!<

This is called right view.

And what is right thought?

It is the thought of renunciation, good will, and harmlessness.

This is called right thought.

And what is right speech?

Avoiding speech that’s false, divisive, harsh, or nonsensical.

This is called right speech.

And what is right action?

Avoiding killing living creatures, stealing, and sexual activity.

This is called right action.

And what is right livelihood?

It’s when a noble disciple gives up wrong livelihood and earns a living by right livelihood.

This is called right livelihood.

And what is right effort?

It’s when a mendicant generates enthusiasm, tries, makes an effort, exerts the mind, and strives so that bad, unskillful qualities don’t arise.

They generate enthusiasm, try, make an effort, exert the mind, and strive so that bad, unskillful qualities that have arisen are given up.

They generate enthusiasm, try, make an effort, exert the mind, and strive so that skillful qualities that have not arisen do arise.

They generate enthusiasm, try, make an effort, exert the mind, and strive so that skillful qualities that have arisen remain, are not lost, but increase, mature, and are fulfilled by development.

This is called right effort.

And what is right mindfulness?

It’s when a mendicant meditates by observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.

They meditate observing an aspect of feelings—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.

They meditate observing an aspect of the mind—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.

They meditate observing an aspect of principles—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.

This is called right mindfulness.

And what is right immersion?

It’s when a mendicant, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, enters and remains in the first absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of seclusion, while placing the mind and keeping it connected.

As the placing of the mind and keeping it connected are stilled, they enter and remain in the second absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of immersion, with internal clarity and mind at one, without placing the mind and keeping it connected.

And with the fading away of rapture, they enter and remain in the third absorption, where they meditate with equanimity, mindful and aware, personally experiencing the bliss of which the noble ones declare, ‘Equanimous and mindful, one meditates in bliss.’

Giving up pleasure and pain, and ending former happiness and sadness, they enter and remain in the fourth absorption, without pleasure or pain, with pure equanimity and mindfulness.

This is called right immersion.”

The Buddha is sharing the noble eightfold path, the practice of the middle way that leads to cessation of suffering, of discontentedness.

The eight components of the path are also sometimes referred by three aggregates to develop or the threefold training in morality, mind, and wisdom.

Training Aggregate Noble Eightfold Path
Wisdom (Paññā) Right View
Right Thought (Intention)
Right Speech
Morality (Sīla) Right Action
Right Livelihood
Right Effort
Mind (Samādhi) Right Mindfulness
Right Immersion (Concentration)

There is a lot of interconnectedness between the eight parts, some notable examples are:

  • Right view (understanding of the four noble truths) underpins all the eight parts, for this is how one develops diligence and energy and rational application of mind to practice the noble eightfold path. Right view gradually comes to be as one is learning the teachings of the Buddha and reflecting/applying to independently verify [You’re doing this already 🙌]
  • Right thought or intention when developed by learning the teachings of the Buddha, by reflecting on the five aggregates, both leads to further cultivation of right view as well as supports right speech, right action and right livelihood.
  • Right speech, right action and right livelihood when developed support the development of mind (samādhi) by limiting the harm one produces in their interactions.
  • Right effort is supported by all the preceding components.
  • Right mindfulness gradually comes to being as one is practicing the eightfold path.
  • Right immersion as the cultivation of jhānas gradually comes to be as one is practicing morality, development of mind and cultivation of right view.

Related Teachings:

  • Gradual training, gradual practice and gradual progress (MN 107) - The gradual training guideline covers the training in morality and development of mind. The individual steps based on the training area they cover are:

    • Purification of mind by ethical conduct (morality: right speech, right action)
    • Applying sense restraint (morality: right action, right speech)
    • Moderation in eating (morality, right action)
    • Dedicating to wakefulness (mind, right effort)
    • Practicing situational awareness (mind, right mindfulness)

    The noble eightfold has an additional component of right livelihood that is not covered in the gradual training guideline.

  • Avoiding Wrong Livelihood (AN 5.177) | The Wrong Way (AN 10.103) - When one is practicing right livelihood, it helps with the training of the mind. See the factors of right livelihood and how to independently verify it.

  • Teachings on Living Beings and the Five Aggregates - Understanding the five aggregates and what makes a living being so is helpful to develop a reflective understanding of the four noble truths in each moment.