The noble eightfold path to confront suffering according to Buddhism

The noble eightfold path tells us about a revelation enunciated by the Buddha himself after two months meditating in solitude.. In it, it is explained that life goes hand in hand with suffering, however, it always has a cause that can be treated and alleviated in order to transcend and move forward in peace. The way to achieve this requires that we put into practice eight very specific keys.

If there is something that Buddhism and psychology itself have in common, it is their purpose to alleviate suffering. Even more, if we delve into many of their practices, approaches and strategies we will realize how these types of traditions halfway between spirituality, philosophy and religion have served as inspiration for many of the techniques used by modern psychology.

Furthermore, Dr. Alan Wallace, from the University of San Diego, published an interesting study in the journal American Psychological Association where he delved into the great benefits of uniting both disciplines. Thus, By creating bridges between Buddhism and psychology we promote mental balance and more positive emotional health. This is undoubtedly what could be seen in various clinics and in day-to-day psychological practice.

Thus, theories as useful as the noble eightfold path enunciated by Siddharta Gautama make it easier for us, for example, to delve into various aspects related to suffering. It is a principle of personal growth, improvement and enlightenment of one’s own being that can be of great help to us.

The noble eightfold path, what does it consist of?

The noble eightfold path is part of what is known as the four noble truths of suffering. After those two months of complete isolation and meditation, Buddha returned with the certainty that he had found enlightenment. Firstly, to access this knowledge he had had to understand and overcome suffering. That subtle veil, but always present between us, is possibly our eternal source of discomfort and unhappiness.

In this way, Buddha based a good part of the practice of his philosophy on transmitting the 4 truths of suffering to others. According to this line of thought, once we can find the root of these internal torments, we will be in a position to heal. and to achieve enlightenment through the noble eightfold path: eight strategies to understand and practice daily.

Therefore, to start on this path of healing, the first step will be to delve deeper into the four truths of suffering. They are the following.

What do the four truths of suffering tell us?

Let’s go with them:

All existence is suffering. Just as he tells us Benares Sutra (that first recorded speech or teaching of Buddha) birth is suffering, old age is suffering, illness is suffering, death is suffering, living with the undesirable is suffering, separating from the desirable is suffering, not obtaining what is desired It is suffering… Life itself often has this flavor and this eternal sensation. Accepting and understanding it will be the first key in our growth process.The origin of suffering is longing. In our daily lives we live with many “poisons”, harmful dimensions that make the seeds of pain grow. Those poisons that Buddha refers to are attachment, hatred, envy, the feeling of lack, ignorance…Suffering can be extinguished. The third truth tells us that we can all turn off that pain in a very specific way, namely: by treating the cause.To extinguish the cause of suffering, one must practice the noble eightfold path.. We pointed out at the beginning, our discomfort can disappear. Our concerns and unhappiness can disappear as long as we put into practice that principle enunciated by Buddha, which requires applying 8 principles in our daily lives.

The inner journey of the noble eightfold path

The eight parts of the path to liberation are grouped into three very defining pillars of Buddhist practice itself. Likewise, and in some way, it is also quite related to many of those psychological perspectives based on humanism or positive approaches. So, Those three dimensions that structure the noble eightfold path are correct conduct, mental discipline and wisdom.

Buddha spoke about this practice in all his discourses. He considered it essential to his philosophy, a legacy to transmit to his people and to humanity itself. Let us therefore see what that path consists of.

The correct understanding. We must understand that everything in this life is fleeting and perishable. Things come and go, they have their course, their beginning and their end.Right thinking. Thoughts determine the quality of our life. If we strive to always take them along the shore of hope, liberation, balance and the positive, we will be able to discourage suffering.Correct speech, straight word. The noble eightfold path emphasizes the need to make use of the truth, to address others without deception. There is no need to talk for the sake of talking or fall into empty speeches, full of criticism or contempt.Correct action. Let’s act without leaving emotions aside. Kindness brings balance, respect and humility gives us internal peace (less suffering).Correct livelihood. Your profession, your behavior, your largest or smallest actions must always be aimed at doing good.Correct effort. In this world nothing is obtained without effort. Only when we invest all our energy and hopes in something will we feel fulfilled, complete and lucky.The correct attention. We must control our own mind, train it in attention, in that gaze that chooses what to focus on without losing its objective and its humility.Correct concentration. The last step of the noble eightfold path refers, of course, to meditation. A calm mind relieves worries and extinguishes suffering. It is a way to free ourselves and achieve enlightenment.

In conclusion, As we have seen, this theory, lesson or principle of spiritual growth is highly inspiring. Taking it as a reference or as a reflection exercise can be useful to improve our quality of life. It’s worth a try.

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