Post # 16 -  Why     engage in  Dhamma Practice?- The  Direct Path to Enlightenment The Noble Eightfold Path- 

Are you visiting this Blog for the first time? It would be good if you could check out the archives and read the 1^st Post to know about this Blog and reading Post # 14 for an introduction to ‘Why engage in Dhamma Practice’,  before attempting to read this Post.

The Direct Path to Enlightenment

1.0 We saw in the earlier Posts that ethical practices of Buddha Dhamma can be grouped for our purpose, into three parts. They are, engaging in punya kamma (meritorious acts) as the 1^st part, practice of kusala kamma (ethical skills) as the 2^nd part, and following the marga prathi padawa (the direct path to enlightenment) as the 3^rd part.

We will discuss the practice of the marga prathi padawa (the direct path to enlightenment) in this Post.

2.0 It was noted from the previous posts on Punnya Kamma and Kusala Kamma that acquisition of these virtues were seen as necessary for the well being in our present life and future lives. Understanding that escape from Samsara advocated in Buddha Dhamma is the main objective of dhamma practice, one knows that this escape is however difficult to realize in this life, although not impossible . 

Therefore it is essential to have an insurance to ensure ourselves with a birth in a happy realm in the next birth endowed with necessary means (paramithas) to continue the practice for reaching liberation at the earliest. Therefore the acquisition of Punya Kamma and Kusala Kamma will be essential, although these endowments are not the final goal. To reach the final goal, the 3^rd part of the practice, viz path to enlightenment also has to be pursued.

3.0 Upon reaching enlightenment the Buddha discovered the four Noble Truths, consisting of Dhukka or the unsatisfactory nature of existence, the cause, the liberation or Nibbana, and the path of practice to liberation. If one were to single out one truth out of above for the realization of liberation, it is the fourth. Not that it is more important than the others, but because one can engage in a practice to experience the truth when compared to the other three which are more focused on intellectual understanding of the truths. It is a path to spiritual development.   

4.0 When a Buddha arises in this world he discovers this path which has up to then been shrouded in spiritual darkness. He then commits himself to teach this to the people to help them escape from entrapment in the samsara, whose un-satisfactory-ness (suffering) is explained in the first truth, its cause in the second truth, and the state which is liberation, in the third. In his teaching in the Pattica Samupadda (Dependent Origination) he explains the process of re-becoming, pinpointing to the cause, as the clinging rooted in ignorance. By developing right view and other spiritual qualities in the ‘Path’, ignorance (and clinging) is eliminated giving rise to liberating wisdom..

5.0 In some Dhamma Desanas (talks) monks explain a very precise and clear practice that one may engage in to attain Nibbana. The basic steps one has to follow are not too demanding. They seem very encouraging and clear enough to engage in as a practice. This practice is followed in three stages.

6.0 In the first stage, a practitioner by following four virtuous qualities of Kalyana Mitra Sevanaya - associating with noble friends; Saddarma Sravanaya - learning the Dhamma; Yoniso Manasikara - being always mindful and acting wisely with clear comprehension in accordance with Dhamma; and following a Dhamma-nu-Dhamma Prathipadawa - the noble eightfold path, gains entry into the  Path - stream entry path.

7.0 In addition to the four fold virtues described above, the stream enterer has to also develop unwavering trust (Sraddawa) in the Buddha, the Dhamma (the teaching), the Sanga (the noble community) and the Seela (virtuous living).

This part of the practice described in the first stage is not at all demanding and only needs motivation to pursue. Except for the noble eightfold path referred to at para 6 above, all the other factors can be easily included and practiced as part of daily life activities by any righteous person. 

8.0 In the second stage, the practitioner while continuing to develop the virtues described in the first stage, will engage in a special practice targeted more on the Dhamma-nu-Dhamma Prathipadawa, a practice focused on the Noble Eightfold Path. The Noble Eightfold Path - the key to the whole truth, is made up of ‘ right  view’; ‘right intention’; ‘right speech’; ‘right action’; ‘right livelihood’; ‘right effort’; ‘right mindfulness’ and ‘right concentration’. This is also referred to in some Dhamma Desanas (talks) as the ‘Direct Path’ to liberation.

9.0 This is the subject of the discussion in this post. The practice followed in Stages 1 and 2 above are referred to as the laukika, (mundane) or worldly Noble Eightfold Path. These factors in the eightfold path are not some things to be developed one by one but rather simultaneously so that each will refine and support the other till they become a ‘unified whole’ as an achievement.

The teachers of Dhamma, explain that the eight factors can be grouped into three parts, identifying them respectively as the Seela (Moral Restraint) Part, Samadhi (Concentrated Mind) Part, and the Panna (Wisdom) Part. Correspondingly the right speech, right action and right livelihood are included in the Seela Part; right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration in the Samadhi Part; and right view and right intention in the Panna Part. Let us discuss the practice on the basis of the same grouping.

There is also a teaching to group these into two parts with Right View, being a vision as one part and all the others falling into a practice as the other part. This way the teachers try to highlight the importance of right view as fundamental to reaching liberation.

From the many ways explained, as to how a devotee may follow the Path, the one that has appealed to me most, as practicable for a lay follower, is the one that associates the practice with the observance of the pancha seela (the vows we take for moral restraint). Most of us have occasion to observe pancha seela regularly, sometimes even daily. This practice often is associated with observing the varithra (restraint) aspects of the precept, whereas there is also the possibility to observe the corresponding charithra  (righteous action) aspects of the precept. It is by observing the latter aspects that we are able to develop the factors of the Path during the observance of pancha seela.

Given the importance of this activity, we may have to find some way to dedicate a convenient time of the day for the observance. Then by associating each precept with the relevant factor in the eightfold path you will engage in a practice that progressively develops the required spiritual qualities. 

Observance of pancha seela is also followed under eight virtues, instead of the five. Here the fourth virtue of refraining from false speech is expanded to include three other sub specifics of malicious speech, harsh speech and idle speech or gossip. The last virtue of refraining from consuming intoxicants is substituted by refraining from unethical livelihood patterns which also includes refraining from taking intoxicants. This way it becomes convenient to relate the factors of the Path to the corresponding vows in the expanded pancha seela (the vows we take for moral restraint) by observing them under eight precepts.

When one engages in a simple process on the above lines you will find that the Seela  (Moral Restraint)  Part ie. Right Livelihood, Right Action and Right Speech, gradually matures. Along with this the development of the factor ‘right effort’ of the Samadhi (Concentrated Mind) Part also happens. In addition the factor ‘right intention’ of the Panna (Wisdom) Part and  that part of 'right view' also starts to develop.

To complete the development of the Samadhi (Concentrated Mind) Part, the devotee has to supplement this process by some specific bhawana (meditation) practices. This way the other factors of ‘right mindfulness’ and ‘right concentration ‘of this Part can be developed.

Finally the Panna (Wisdom) Part is completed by engaging in a contemplative analysis  of how the noble ones see the phenomena of the world we live in. By learning and practicing to  emulate them, the factor ‘right view’ of this Part is developed.

I will attempt in the next Post to discuss how one would develop the Seela  (Moral Restraint)  Part by using the expanded pancha seela (the vows we take for moral restraint), observed as eight precepts instead of five, as stated above.

In the Post that will follow the next, I will discuss the specific bhawana (meditation) practices for developing ‘right mindfulness’ and ‘right concentration’ of the Samadhi (Concentrated Mind) Part.

In a third Post to follow I will attempt to discuss the balance of the Panna (Wisdom) Part, where the follower is encouraged to  contemplate on how the noble ones see the phenomena of the world we live in, and learning to emulate them, by developing right view under six aspects focused on Nibbana.   

Thus the total development of the Path is achieved. This however gives the follower an intellectual understanding of the path, and is therefore treated as the second stage of the development or achieving the Laukika (mundane) Noble Eightfold Path. In a Post to follow I will attempt to discuss the third stage, Lokothara (world transcending) part of the Noble Eightfold Path.

If one were to engage in a regular practice to develop the Stage 1 and 2 of this Path as above, and the other virtues of punnya kamma and kusala kamma as discussed earlier, he/she could have the confidence that he/she is spending quality time in a steady dhamma practice. 

Therefore one could spend his/her days in the comfort zone that, in terms of the popular teaching-  dhammo have' rakkathi dhamma chari - the one who is in the right dhamma practice gets protection from the dhamma. This is particularly so with regard to protection one gets from  being born in an unhappy realm at the next birth.