What Is The Eightfold Path Essay

The Eightfold Path can be considered a guide to end the suffering stated in the Four Noble Truths. Everyone experiences suffering in their life at one point or another, however, it can be very difficult for someone to know how to deal with suffering. I find it fascinating that the Buddha figured out a way to deal with all kinds of suffering based on eight ideas. In fact, I feel like I can relate to the Eightfold Path with my own life experiences. One aspect of the Eightfold Path that I found to be very poignant is the Right Action. The Right Action states “not to kill, not to steal, and not to commit sexual misconduct, Action which preserves life and does not destroy it, action that respects other property and does not misappropriate it,

However, it is widely known that one of the major practices in Buddhism is peace. This shows how astray extremists can go from the ideals that are usually followed as the norm. This is also evident with all of the Islamic terrorists attacks. Similar to the Right Action of Buddhism, Islam also teaches that killing is forbidden, but there are extremists that are using religion as a justification for killing others. This small percentage of extremists are sometimes seen as a representation of Islam, but obviously that is not the case. In both religions, a majority of people practice the idea of peace. After reading the Eightfold Path, I realized that these extremists are going against what their religion teaches. I remember talking to a friend about the events that were occurring in Myanmar and he explained how Buddhism is not a religion, and so all Buddhists will go to hell because of what they are doing to Muslims. I was so confused as to why he assumed Buddhism was to be blamed for the outrageous acts that were being committed. The Eightfold Path reading helped me understand Buddhism better. I explained to my friend that the religion is in fact peaceful and that these acts were caused by a group of people who are completely straying from the ideas of Buddhism. He soon realized what he was saying was wrong and

According to my interpretation of Right Speech, you have to refrain from telling lies and speaking negatively of another behind their back. In Islam, backbiting is a big sin and if one backbites, all of their good rewards are taken away from them. In general, backbiting is not a good habit to have. For example, one time my friend and I were having a huge argument about grades. My friend claimed that because he had better grades he was the smarter person. As a result, I started to talk behind his back about how he was not smart and would lie to others, telling them that he would cheat his way through classes. After reading about the Eightfold Path, I have come to realizing that what I had done was wrong. I felt that I had to apologize to him and avoid backbiting ever again. I learned that right speech is also an important part of being a moral