The Noble Eightfold Path is a fundamental teaching in Buddhism that provides guidance on how to live a good and fulfilling life.

Imagine you have a map that shows you the way to be happy and kind to yourself and others. The Noble Eightfold Path is like that map. It has eight important parts that you can follow to live a good and meaningful life.

Pathway 1: Wisdom – knowledge of the way things are

Right Understanding: It means having a clear understanding of what is right and wrong. It's important to learn about the world and understand things as they truly are.
Right Thought: This is about having positive and kind thoughts. It means thinking about things that bring happiness and peace, and avoiding thoughts that are harmful or hurtful to yourself or others.

Pathway 2: Morality – behaving in an acceptable way

Right Speech: It's about using words that are kind and helpful. We should speak truthfully and avoid saying things that are mean or hurtful to others.
Right Action: This is about doing good things and behaving in a way that helps others. It means treating people and all living beings with kindness, respect, and honesty.
Right Livelihood: It means making a living in a way that doesn't harm others. We should choose jobs or activities that are helpful and contribute positively to the world.

Right Effort: It's about putting effort into doing good things and avoiding things that are harmful. We should try our best to be kind, helpful, and honest.

Pathway 3: Mental training – thinking true thoughts

Right Mindfulness: This means being aware and paying attention to what's happening in the present moment. It's about being mindful of our thoughts, feelings, and actions.
Right Concentration: This is about focusing our mind and thoughts in a way that brings peace and happiness. We can practice meditation or other techniques to help us concentrate and be calm.

So, the Noble Eightfold Path is like a guide that helps us make good choices and live a happy and meaningful life. By following these eight parts, we can become better people and create a better world around us.

Y9 Buddhism

Noble Eightfold Path