The Holy Eightfold Path will lead one to practise and achieve the "Highest Standard of Perfection". Everyone is looking for eternal bliss which all mankind should not miss and should seek now. Just look at our world, how despairing it is! We must first have the Right Understanding to begin with and then what follows will be right.

1]Right Understanding - This can be defined as the "Right Understanding" of the nature of the Universe as well as the law governing it. It can also be defined as "The Four Holy Truths" which in short are as follows:

a)One must understand that life is full of conflicts, sufferings and unnecessary troubles which are termed as "Sorrowful Sea".

b)One must also understand that the origin of these conflicts, sufferings and unnecessary troubles is due to modernization and advancement of this present "Scientific Age". In other words, in this present stage, man craves for his benefits, advancement and thus go against his conscience causing sufferings to others.

c)The cessation of all these unnecessary sufferings comes about through detachment from cravings.

d)In order to stop all these unnecessary sufferings, conflicts and so on, man must follow the right path and that is "The Holy Eightfold Path". One must use one's wisdom to further understand this "Right Understanding". One must also realize and understand "Cause and Effect" and also one should not judge a book by its cover thus having wrong views arising from one's discrimination. Right Understanding will lead one to eternity and know "What is Right?" and "What is Wrong?"

2]Right Aspiration - This means one's mind should be free from evil, enmity and the desire to harm others.

3]Right Speech - This means one's speech should be free from falsehood, harshness, rudeness and foolishness so as to avoid unnecessary sufferings for others.

4]Right Action - This means one's working environment must be right and also one should abstain from killing, stealing and adultery.

5]Right Mindfulness - There are four types of Mindfulness.

A)Mindfulness of the Body - This is the awareness of one's body with all the different functions like the postures, movements, breathing, the parts of the anatomy, composition of the body and so on.

B)Mindfulness of the Feeling - This is the awareness of one's feelings and one's nature.

C)Mindfulness of the Mind - This is the awareness of one's mental states and one's understanding of the state of consciousness.

D)Mindfulness of the Mental Contents - This is the awareness of one's nature of mind, its working and its objects.

These are "Four Contemplations" or "Four Thinkings" and are classified as follows:

a)To contemplate on the body as impure. b)To contemplate on the feelings as suffering (when one is in conflict) c)To contemplate on the mind as impermanent (in a state of flux) d)To contemplate on the mental contents as no-self (substanceless)

6]Right Livelihood - This can be defined as living in a harmless way.

7]Right Effort - This can be defined as "The Four Efforts" which are as follows:

a)One should destroy unwholesome things that have already arisen with a "Wholehearted Effort".
b)One should prevent unwholesome things that have not yet arisen with a "Wholehearted Effort".
c)One should develop wholesome things that have not yet arisen with a "Wholehearted Effort".
d)One should increase and develop wholesome things that have already arisen with a 'wholehearted Effort".

One should follow "The Four Efforts" thus resulting in the Right Effort.

8]Right Concentration - This can be defined as concentration on wholesome objects. One's mind should be firm and steady in one's decision and should stand and endure all kinds of happening whether pleasant or unpleasant.

The root and source of suffering is the reluctance to part with the material desires and bodily pleasures of the world. The more the desire, the more the vexation and craving. When craving is unfulfilled, resentment is produced. When resentment is produced, suffering and anxiety follow. Contentment gives constant joy. Take the pursuit of wisdom as your main business, you can perfect yourself and will naturally gain peace and balance in life.

Author: T.A Chew

T.A Chew, was involved in Buddhism from 1993 till 1995 and see similarity in the pursuit of perfection of oneself between Buddhism and Tao of Heaven. It is the Universal Truth that as humans we have to grap this chance to perfect ourselves so as to earn eternity of the soul. Website: http://www.white-sun.com