What the Buddha Taught

Buddha taught that “The Middle Path” was the way to stop Dukkha. It is called the Middle Path because of its moderation. People on the Middle Path do not chase sensory happiness, nor do they pursue the other extreme of asceticism. Instead, they live according to these eight categories: right understanding, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. Each category is equally important, and all are interrelated and do not follow a specific order.

These factors promote the three Buddhist areas of discipline: ethical conduct, mental discipline, and wisdom. The first, ethical conduct, is born from Buddha’s teachings of love and compassion. Rahula feels that this element of Buddhism is sadly understated in modern translations and analyses. Buddha coached followers to develop compassion and wisdom in equal measure to ensure that they did not become a “hard-hearted” intellectual nor a “good-hearted fool” (82).

Three categories constitute ethical conduct, which promotes the moral development of the individual and the society. Right speech means communicating without lies, abuse, or gossip. Right action is moral and honorable behavior, such as refraining from killing, raping, dishonesty, and stealing. Right livelihood requires followers to work jobs that do not harm others.