The Noble Eightfold Path of Buddhism

The main goal of Buddhism is known as nirvana. Nirvana is the freedom from the cycle of birth and death, also known as the freedom of reincarnation. The way to achieve nirvana is by something known as the Noble Eightfold Path. The Eightfold Path is the pathway between materialism and asceticism. In Buddhism, the Noble Eightfold Path is central because it is the way to achieve nirvana. The Buddha spreads his many beliefs and achievements throughout his life, discovers the meaning of The Eightfold Path, and explains how The Eightfold Path connects to the Nirvana.

Beginning in 566 B.C.E, the Buddha, known as Siddhartha Gautama was born not knowing that he would achieve such a multitude of greatness in his eighty years of life. The Buddha was born at Lumbini, which is known today as south Nepal. Gautama left his family and his rich and luxurious life to seek the cause of human misery. His journey lasted a extensive six years. As the Buddha continued on his journey, he came upon a Bodhi Tree, or another words “Tree of Awakening.” Coogan states that, “He seated himself beneath the tree for a final, determine effort to win freedom from death and rebirth.”1 This moment and time he experienced something known as enlightenment or “awakening.” He then discovered something known as the Four Noble Truths. The Four Noble Truths are teachings from the Buddha that explain the truth about suffering, the truth of the cause of suffering, the truth of the end of suffering, and the truth of the path that leads to the end of suffering. The Four Noble Truths include: suffering is universal, suffering is caused by desire, in order to end suffering you must crush desire, and the only way to end desire is to follow The Noble Eightfold Path. According to C...

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... of what you do in life now will later on effect your fate of you future life.

The Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama achieved enlightenment and discovered the Four Noble Truths that then led him to the Noble Eightfold Path. The Buddha spreads his many beliefs and achievements throughout his life, discovers the meaning of The Eightfold Path, and explains how The Eightfold Path connects to the nirvana. In order to achieve enlightenment, you must start with the first step of following The Eightfold Path and will lead you onto nirvana.

Works Cited

Notes

1. Michael D. Coogan, ed., The Illustrated Guide to World Religions. (New York:

Oxford University Press, 2003), 170.

2. Coogan, 185.

3. Coogan, 185.

4. Coogan, 184.

5. Coogan, 185.

Bibliography

Coogan, Michael D., ed. The Illustrated Guide to World Religions. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003.