The Fourth Truth
Monks, what is the Noble Eightfold Path? Right view, right resolve, right speech, Right Action, Right livelihood, Right effort, right Mindfulness, Right concentration.
And what is right view? Knowledge with regard to stress, Knowledge with regard to the origination of stress, Knowledge with regard to the cessation of stress, Knowledge with regard to the way of practice leading to the cessation of stress: This is called right view.
And what is right resolve? Being resolved on Renunciation, on freedom from ill will, on harmlessness: This is called right resolve.
And what is right speech? Abstaining from lying, from divisive speech, from abusive speech, and from idle chatter: This is called right speech.
And what is Right Action? Abstaining from taking Life, from stealing, and from unchastity. This is called Right Action.
And what is Right livelihood? There is the case where a Noble disciple, having abandoned dishonest Livelihood, keeps his Life going with Right livelihood: This is called Right livelihood.
And what is Right effort? There is the case where a Monk generates desire, endeavors, arouses persistence, upholds and exerts his intent for the sake of the non-arising of Evil, unskillful qualities that have not yet arisen... for the sake of the abandoning of Evil, unskillful qualities that have arisen... for the sake of the arising of skillful qualities that have not yet arisen...(and) for the maintenance, non-confusion, increase, plenitude, development, and culmination of skillful qualities that have arisen: This is called Right effort.
And what is right Mindfulness? There is the case where a Monk remains focused on the Body in and of itself — ardent, alert, and mindful — putting aside Greed and distress with reference to the World. He remains focused on feelings in and of themselves... the mind in and of itself... mental qualities in and of themselves — ardent, alert, and mindful — putting aside Greed and distress with reference to the World. This is called right Mindfulness.
And what is Right concentration? There is the case where a Monk... enters and remains in the first Jhana... the second Jhana... the third Jhana... the fourth Jhana: purity of Equanimity and Mindfulness, neither pleasure nor pain. This is called Right concentration.
