Right Understanding
Right Thinking
Right Speech
Right Action
Right Livelihood
Right Effort
Right Mindfulness
Right Concentration
1. Right View
See things as they truly are without delusions or distortions
for all things change. Develop wisdom by knowing how things
work, knowing oneself and others.
2. Right Intention
Wholehearted resolution and dedication to overcoming the
dislocation of self-centered craving through the development
of loving kindness, empathy and compassion.
3. Right Speech
Abstinence from lies and deceptions, backbiting, idle
babble and abusive speech. Cultivate honesty and
truthfulness; practice speech that is kind and benevolent.
Let your words reflect your desire to help, not harm others.
4. Right Action
Practice self-less conduct that reflects the highest
statement of the life you want to live. Express conduct
that is peaceful, honest and pure showing compassion
for all beings.
5. Right Livelihood
Avoidance of work that causes suffering to others or that
makes a decent, virtuous life impossible. Do not engage
in any occupation that opposes or distracts one from the
path. Love and serve our world through your work.
6. Right Effort
Seek to make the balance between the exertion of following
the spiritual path and a moderate life that is not over-zealous.
Work to develop more wholesome mind states, while gently
striving to go deeper and live more fully.
7. Right Mindfulness
Through constant vigilance in thought, speech and action
seek to rid the mind of self-centered thoughts that separate
and replace them with those that bind all beings together.
Be aware of your thoughts, emotions, body and world as they
exist in the present moment. Your thoughts create your reality.
8. Right Concentration
Through the application of meditation and mental discipline seek
to extinguish the last flame of grasping consciousness and develop
an emptiness that has room to embrace and love all things.
More Buddhist writings on Allspirit