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The Eightfold Path

1. Right Action, which refrains from taking life, from stealing, and from immoral behaviour in general.
2. Right Speech, which is free of lying, slander, harmful and useless speech.
3. Right Thought, which free of desire, ill-will and cruelty.
4. Right Living, which means that we make our living without killing or harming, and by just and honourable means.
5. Right Effort, which commits wholeheartedly to:
  • Avoid generating negative thoughts
  • Put an end to negative thoughts once they have arisen
  • Cultivate meritorious qualities and the conditions for Awakening
  • Maintain these meritorious qualities and the conditions for Awakening.
6. Right Mindfulness, which engages the mind in: 
  • contemplation of the body
  • contemplation of the feelings
  • contemplation of the mind
  • contemplation of the five obstacles:
    • sensual desire
    • ill-will or anger
    • physical or mental torpor and laziness
    • sceptical doubt
    •  fear and worry, or mental excitement
7. Right Concentration, where the mind rests without distraction on a single object for as long as one wishes
8. Right Views, which is the perfect understanding of the Four Noble Truths.

Language

Words of Wisdom

"All things found in the world and beyond are illusions created by one's own thought. Grasping at them but further distorts perception. Give up grasping and see things as they are."
- 7th Dalai Lama

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