Question for theravada buddhists about 8 fold path

kashi

Should the 8 fold path be followed in the actual sequence/order it was always taught by the Buddha? in other words one must first have right view, before practicing the next?
I have been a buddhist for a number of years now and have heard both ways, "you can start with any"...."you have to do it in order"
All are welcome to answer but I am gearing this more towards theravada buddhists.
Namaste

xabir

Here is what the Buddha himself said in the Pali scriptures - that Right View is the forerunner of the noble eightfold path.

See http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-ditthi/index.html

p.s. with Right View, the rest should follow swiftly and simultaneously because you will act out or practice in accordance with that right view, imo.

Without Right View, one's practice can hardly be called the 'noble eightfold path'.

lobster

I never before considered a sequential or individual focus. I always thought of all being required simultaneously . . . :hair:

BhanteLucky

I've never heard of a sequence being needed. Good meditation generally covers all the 8 at the same time, but in daily life you can focus on one more than another, depending on what needs to be developed.
Sorry I can't offer even a shred of scripture to back that up.

EDIT:
ooh, researching a bit, it seems xabir has a good point. hmmm...

Here's what good old wikipedia says... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path#Practice
The wiki seems to go both ways...

So much for my contribution! Doh.

DairyLama

xabir said:

Here is what the Buddha himself said in the Pali scriptures - that Right View is the forerunner of the noble eightfold path.

Yes, Right View does seem to be the forerunner, particularly here:
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.117.than.html

Jeffrey

You can practice the eightfold path any day. But it isn't the noble eightfold until a weakening of wrong view occurs at some point. But until then it is good behaviour, mental, social therapy. But 'self help' is not the same as right view.

pegembara

Right view is indeed the fore-runner. Without right view at the beginning of the journey, in all likelihood one would end up in a different place altogether.

As they say, the first step is the most important one.

footiam

kashi said:

Should the 8 fold path be followed in the actual sequence/order it was always taught by the Buddha? in other words one must first have right view, before practicing the next?
I have been a buddhist for a number of years now and have heard both ways, "you can start with any"...."you have to do it in order"
All are welcome to answer but I am gearing this more towards theravada buddhists.
Namaste

I don't think the 8 fold path is to be followed like some kind of manual or guidebook. Just live and live right.

DairyLama

kashi said:

Should the 8 fold path be followed in the actual sequence/order it was always taught by the Buddha?

One approach is to regularly assess one's progress in terms of the 8 folds.

kashi

What did Buddha say is the first step to attaining Right View? is it first having an understanding of the 4 Noble Truths?

RebeccaS

I thought that because it's like, portrayed as a wheel, that it doesn't really matter, so it's cool to see the responses.

Interesting question.

Jeffrey

@kashi, I think the four noble truths are included in right view, but you can learn them in 5 minutes so it must be deeper than just on paper those truths.

zenff

Summarizing the 8 fold path; it is about wisdom, moral behavior and meditation.

In my humble opinion the way to go is to practice them simultaneously.
I wouldn’t postpone moral behavior until after I have the wisdom figured out and I wouldn’t postpone meditation until after I got the moral behavior perfectly in control too.

Meditate and keep the basic precepts from day one. Wisdom is the hardest anyways.
I think wisdom must grow.