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The Eightfold Path The Middle Way leading to Enlightenment On the night of his Enlightenment the Buddha saw that suffering is caused by attachment to desire, to ‘wanting things to be different to how they are.’ We saw how the first three Four Noble Truths outlines 1. how suffering can be recognised, faced and understood rather than avoided. 2. How its origin in attachment to desire needs to be identified. 3. How the freedom and relief that come from letting go and accepting need to be experienced. The Fourth Noble Truth – magga or ‘middle way’ Think back to the story of Siddhartha. How did he experience the extremes of self-indulgence and self-punishment before discovering the Middle Way of his own Enlightenment? The Fourth Noble Truth outlines the way of life which, when followed, leads step by step to greater fulfilment, freedom and contentment. This way of life has eight aspects. They are often represented by a wheel with eight spokes reminding Buddhists that they need to be developed at the same time and that developing one helps to develop others. The Eightfold Path is often known as the ‘Middle Way’ between extremes. The Eightfold Path Right Concentration Right Mindfulness Right Understanding Right Intention Right Speech Right Effort Right Livelihood Right Action Read and complete the worksheet ‘The Eightfold Path’ and answer the following questions 1. A Buddhist might point out that sometimes speech might be true but not appropriate to the needs of the particular situation. Give an example of this. 2. Name three more jobs that would be unsuitable for a Buddhist and three that would be especially unsuitable. 3. Explain what the phrase ‘presence of mind’ means. How might the cultivation of this lead to greater contentment? 4. The foundation of the Eightfold Path is self-restraint. Do you think that it easier to control your body first and then your mind or your mind first and then your body.