The Noble Eightfold Path of Buddhism – How Does It

Enlighten Us?

How does the understanding and practice of Buddhism

enlighten us?

In one way it works on our intellect, in that we gain

knowledge about a set of teachings.

This knowledge gives us a reference point to reflect

on which changes how we perceive ourselves, others,

and the life experience.

Most of us live each day of our lives with little or

no reflection on any set of teachings or spiritual

disciplines.

What we do and feel each day is based on our need for

survival, working and earning a living and then our

individual needs, desires, experiences in the present

and our memories and the thoughts and feelings

generated by them.

We may be selfish and not even know it, or have

tendencies to ill – will, anger, attachment and

obsessive thinking and acting and also not be aware of

it.

A second way in which these teachings enlighten us is

that they start to give us specific guidelines about

how to think, speak and act.

As we apply these things, we cultivate mindfulness and

other changes in our consciousness.

These changes may at times be noticeable, and other

times less noticeable.

Certainly, many of us will be practicing the Buddhist

teachings of right action and right livelihood to a

certain extent already, though the teachings of right

intention and right speech may require more effort and accountability on our part, and a change in how we are as people.

Since communication with others is such a major part

of our life and we can be very unmindful about what we

say, practicing right speech is certainly something

that will bring about changes in how we think and

speak and how we interact on a verbal level with

others.

The focus of our mental, verbal and physical and

behavioral energy will change when we start to apply

right effort and right mindfulness, once again opening

another avenue through which change takes place.

The third way in which Buddhism enlightens us is

through the practice of meditation.

Meditation allows us to become more mindful about what

we think and feel and make an effort to cultivate

concentration and wholesome states of being while at

the same time see and experience those states of

consciousness that are less wholesome and damaging and dangerous to ourselves and others.

The Noble Eightfold Path of Buddhism gives us a path

of life and living, which through its understanding

and practice brings about enlightenment in all things.

©2004 John C. Kimbrough

(John lives and teaches in Bangkok, Thailand. He can

be reached at johnckimbrough@yahoo.com)