Stop Suffering: Noble Eightfold Path
Buddhism has a very particular form of dealing with pain. This philosophy promotes the idea that it is possible to stop suffering, despite being an unavoidable part of life. Because although life brings pain with it, we are not condemned to suffer it passively.
According to Buddhists, to stop suffering, one must first accept the existence of suffering. The life of every human being, sooner or later, is touched by pain. Resisting it only increases it.
That said, accepting pain does not mean resigning yourself to experiencing it. Buddhism holds that it arises from desire and that, for this reason, learning to give up desire is the direct way to stop suffering. At the same time, this philosophy indicates the existence of the noble eightfold path to be practiced freely for peace and harmony to prevail in our lives. We present it below.
Stop suffering thanks to the noble eightfold path
1. Right view
The best way to be fair is not to judge. Before deciding whether something is good or bad, we should try to understand its nature thoroughly. Many people act wrongly. However, who are we to judge them?
To stop suffering, it is necessary to cultivate understanding instead of judging. We do not have to measure, approve or condemn the behavior of others. Not even they have the power to do it with our actions.
2. Right intention
There is a big difference between setting successful goals and setting noble goals. The former are inspired by a desire for individual exaltation which, many times, ends up leaving us a void. Personal triumph allows you to applaud yourself, but does it have any particular importance for the universe?
On the contrary, Buddhists invite us to forge noble purposes. Walking with them frees us from suffering as they always lead to profound satisfactions, shared by others. Feeling useful and transcendental makes our efforts more meaningful.
3. Right to speak
The word gives life as it takes it away. It builds and destroys. When the word is born from a clear soul, it is a balm for the world. It conveys understanding, affection and brotherhood. Consoles, motivates and exalts the greatest values in life.
However, it happens to employ the word to lie, hurt or denigrate. No one can be happy if he harms others through the word. Sooner or later the action will come back like a boomerang and end up hurting those who use their tongue in that way.
4. Right Action
There is a principle that is present in practically all ethical codes of different cultures. It is the principle of not killing or attacking the life of others. This not only applies to the physical world, but also extends to the spiritual one.
To stop suffering, it is important not to cause suffering to others, as that would be a great contradiction. Furthermore, any form of excess threatens our well-being and, therefore, must be avoided. To achieve harmony, the ideal is to maintain balance in our modus vivendi.
5. Right subsistence
To stop suffering, it is not appropriate to build lifestyles in which the sustenance does not derive from our work. When this happens, the feeling of personal pride is altered and diminished.
Work transforms the human being and makes him better. It is a means by which to consolidate dignity, grow and be at the service of others. Idleness, sooner or later, will lead to dissatisfaction and anguish. It leads to stalemate and leads us to sacrifice our best virtues and abilities.
6. Right effort
It is not possible to stop suffering if we do not embark on a path of continuous evolution. Virtue, in a broad sense, is not something that falls from heaven but the fruit of constant sowing. It arises as a result of effort.
Cultivating virtue also gives us a feeling of greater self-love. It allows us to see ourselves as people in the process of learning and growth. It makes us open to criticism and errors, to seize opportunities for our personal evolution.
7. Right Mindfulness
It is good to become attentive and naive observers in the face of our way of acting. We must not observe ourselves to judge ourselves or even to approve or sanction ourselves. Rather, it is important to look at oneself with the innocent eyes of those who aim to get to know each other more and more deeply. If we want to stop suffering, it is necessary to remain receptive to the messages our body sends us. It warns us about the imbalances that can arise in our daily routine. It alerts us to lifestyles that can be harmful.
8. Right concentration
When the mind gets carried away by emotions, it loses its power. And if everything remains in the hands of uncontrolled feelings or passions, it is easy to end up falling into situations that only cause us further suffering.
Each person must find the mechanism that helps him to clear his mind in moments of confusion, fear or anguish. When you act under their influence, more mistakes are made. This is why it is important to learn to contain them.
The noble eightfold path to stop suffering is the result of millennial wisdom. It is also a timely guide to face the world and life. If practiced with perseverance, it leads to inner balance, harmony and peace in the heart.
