Direct Development of The Noble Eight Fold Path

Monks, when one knows and sees the eye as it actually is, when one knows and sees forms as they actually are, when one knows and sees eye-consciousness as it actually is, when one knows and sees eye-contact as it actually is, when one knows and sees as it actually is (the feeling) felt as pleasant or painful or neither painful-nor-pleasant that arises with eye-contact as condition, then one is not inflamed by craving for the eye, for forms, for eye-consciousness, for eye-contact, for (the feeling) felt as pleasant or painful or neither painful-nor-pleasant that arises with eye-contact as condition.

When one resides uninflamed by craving, unfettered, unobsessed, reflecting on danger, then The Five Aggregates affected by clinging are diminished for one in the future; and one’s craving which brings renewal of existence, is accompanied by excitement and desire, and excitement in this or that - are abandoned. One’s bodily and mental troubles are abandoned, one’s bodily and mental torments are abandoned, one’s bodily and mental fevers are abandoned, and one experiences bodily and mental peacefulness.

The view of a person such as this is Right View. His intention is Right Intention, his effort is Right Effort, his mindfulness is Right Mindfulness, his concentration is Right Concentration. But his bodily action, his verbal speech, and his livelihood have already been well purified earlier. Thus this Noble Eight Fold Path comes to fulfillment in him by development.

When he develops this Noble Eight Fold Path, The Four Foundations of Mindfulness also come to fulfillment in him by development (body, feelings, mind, mental objects); the four right kinds of striving also come to fulfillment in him by development (Right Effort); the four bases for spiritual power also come to fulfillment in him by development (also known as ‘mental power’: initiative, energy, mind, investigation); the five sense bases also come to fulfillment in him by development (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body); the five powers also come to fulfillment in him by development (confidence, energy, mindfulness, concentration, wisdom); The Seven Factors of Enlightenment also come to fulfillment in him by development (mindfulness, investigation, energy, joy, tranquility, concentration, equanimity).

These two things serenity and insight - occur in him combined evenly together. He fully understands by direct knowledge (experience) those things that should be fully understood by direct knowledge (experience).

He abandons by direct knowledge (experience) those things that should be abandoned by direct knowledge (experience). He develops by direct knowledge (experience) those things that should be developed by direct knowledge (experience). He realizes by direct knowledge (experience) those things that should be realized by direct knowledge (experience).

(All the below were restated as above.)

When one knows and sees the ear as it actually is…

When one knows and sees the nose as it actually is…

When one knows and sees the tongue as it actually is…

When one knows and sees the body as it actually is…

When one knows and sees the mind as it actually is…

These are the things that should be realized by direct knowledge (experience).

(Reference: MN 149)

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he walks through several of his Teachings that are explained in other parts of this book series connecting them to The Eight Fold Path.