We create our life path through our thoughts, actions, and speech. Whatever ideas and beliefs we hold in our mind are expressed through what we say and what we do; hence, our behavior shapes the course of our lives.
Nowadays, many people use artificial intelligence (AI) to help process information and make decisions. However, the quality of its analysis depends on the information we provide to the AI. If the data is inaccurate, incomplete, or biased, the conclusions generated will also be inaccurate or biased.
Our mind works in the same way. The way we think depends on what we put into our mind. Our actions and speech are then guided by our thoughts. Therefore, it is crucial that the "data" we feed our minds is wholesome, true, and beneficial.
The Noble Eightfold Path helps us acquire correct and wholesome âmental dataâ for our mind through Right View, Right Thinking, Right Remembrance, and Right Concentration. With the proper conduct of Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Diligence, and Right Speech, we can be assured that we stay on the right path, being safe and well. Moreover, if weâve also done good deeds and benefited people, weâll also enjoy blessings and live a joyful life.
Right Concentration is the practice of focusing our minds on the truth and on the right path without being distracted by external influences or wandering thoughts. Our thoughts are often scattered â one moment fixed on a task, the next drifting elsewhere. To cultivate concentration is to train ourselves to gather these scattered thoughts and direct them toward a single, wholesome focus.
Dharma Master Cheng Yen gives an analogy to illustrate how we can train our minds. The mind should be like a fishing net. To catch fish, the net is cast into the water, where it opens and spreads out. To retrieve it, the fisherman pulls the hand line, drawing the net close and keeping the fish inside. In the same way, concentration gathers our wandering thoughts, pulling them back into focus.
There are many methods that can help us collect our scattered thoughts and bring them back together. Through practice, we learn to recognize when our minds have wandered off. The moment we become aware of this, we can gently draw our attention back. This is a skill that we must cultivate. As we strengthen our concentration, we are better able to understand the Dharma, overcome distractions, and stay firmly on the right path.
Right Remembrance is about keeping our minds focused on wholesome and virtuous thoughts. Our thoughts are constantly changing from moment to moment. We think about the people we love, the people we dislike, our work, the challenges we face, and the things we plan to do later. Rarely do we keep the Dharma at the forefront of our mind. This is how we can go astrayâby forgetting the teachings we have learned, we are unable to apply them in our thoughts, words, and actions. Therefore, Right Remembrance means striving to keep the Dharma in our hearts and minds at all times so that it can guide us in our daily lives.
However, humans are naturally forgetful. We often forget what we have learned. Our minds are like a leaking bucket. When we listen to the teachings, it is like pouring the water of Dharma into the bucket. But our afflictions create holes that cause the water to leak away. To retain the Dharma, we must use the Dharma itself to eliminate afflictions. The more afflictions we remove, the more Dharma we can retain.
This is why Dharma Master Cheng Yen encourages us to learn the Dharma every day. Even when we are familiar with a teaching, we should continue to review and reflect upon it. Each time we revisit the Dharma, we can gain new insights and deepen our understanding of its meaning.
As the saying goes, âPractice makes perfect.â The best way to remember the Dharma is to practice it. Just like any skill, the more we do it, the better we become. To truly internalize the Dharma and make it our own, we must live it in our daily lives.
Right Diligence is about putting our effort in the right direction. As Dharma Master Cheng Yen often says, âA slight deviation can veer us far off course.â If our initial direction is incorrect, the more effort we exert, the further astray we will go.
We live in a complicated, ever-changing world filled with conflicting views and endless temptations. The human mind is easily influenced by its environment. When we are exposed to negative influences, we may gradually develop incorrect views and misguided ways of thinking.
Our thoughts shape the path we walk and the destination we reach. If our views and thinking are not correct, it is like aiming at the wrong destination. Even a small deviation can eventually lead us far astray. For example, someone might believe they can get rich quickly through gambling. While they might win occasionally, they will inevitably lose more than they gain in the long runâand the consequences become far more damaging if they fall into addiction.
Conversely, having Right View and Right Thinking helps us set the proper direction and walk the right path. Consider a person who aspires to be a doctor. Through diligence, he achieves his goal, and in his career, he saves countless lives. This is effort aligned with wholesome purpose. Right Diligence is about staying focused on the right path, not getting distracted by afflictions or unwholesome influences, and continuing to move forward with determination.
There are many ways to practice Right Diligence. For example, learning and sharing the Dharma to cultivate wisdom, performing good deeds by helping those in need, protecting the environment, and adopting and promoting a vegetarian lifestyle. All these actions benefit society. In our life, we should direct our efforts toward wholesome deeds and persevere in doing good for the benefit of all.
Right Livelihood means choosing an occupation that is righteous, ethical, and beneficial to society. We all need to make a living, but the career or profession we pursue must be morally upright, as a slight deviation can, over time, cause us to accumulate great negative karma through our work.
Since we spend a significant portion of our lives working, our occupation has a profound impact on both ourselves and others. If we choose a profession that benefits people, then much of our life is spent creating good karma and contributing positively to society. However, if we choose a livelihood that harms others for the sake of profit, then we are continually generating negative karma. This is why choosing a proper, ethical profession is so important.
The Bodhisattva precepts point out some harmful livelihoods that people should avoid. These include occupations that involve killing, stealing or deception (such as scams and blackmail), gambling, prostitution and the sex industry, human trafficking, and the trade of weapons, drugs, or intoxicants. Such livelihoods cause suffering to others and create unwholesome karma.
Right Livelihood is about aligning our work with the Dharma. Countless occupations actively benefit society, such as teaching, healthcare, banking, and craftsmanship. In our occupation, we should strive to act with integrity, avoid causing harm whenever possible, and earn our living through honest and ethical means.
In Buddhism, actions are known as karma. Every action, no matter how small, has consequences. There are three types of actions: body, speech, and mind. In this article, we focus on the action of the body. There are countless actions we can perform in our daily lives. Some actions bring benefit and happiness, while others cause harm and suffering. Because our actions have consequences, it is important to be mindful of how we conduct ourselves.
To prevent harm to ourselves and others, the Buddha teaches us to avoid the unwholesome behaviors of killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct, as these create suffering and problems in the world. Instead, we are encouraged to practice Right Actionâengaging in deeds that are wholesome, compassionate, and beneficial. Our actions should contribute positively to the well-being of others, society, and the world.
To cultivate Right Action, the Buddha taught us to nurture compassion. Compassion is to relieve the suffering of living beings. It involves not only helping others when they are already suffering, but also preventing suffering before it arises.
For example, instead of taking life, we protect and cherish life. This includes respecting the lives of animals as well as humans. Adopting a vegetarian diet is one of the ways to protect life and reduce harm to living beings.
As bodhisattvas, we aspire to help people live happy and fulfilling lives. Stealing from others, depriving them of their possessions, and worsening their hardships contradicts compassion. Therefore, instead of taking from others, we nurture a spirit of generosity and practice the joy of giving.
To protect ourselves and others from the harmful consequences of sexual misconduct, we learn self-discipline and proper conduct. By treating others with respect, responsibility, and integrity, we help create healthy relationships built on trust and mutual care.
As our compassion grows, refraining from unwholesome actions becomes more natural. Rather than avoiding harmful conduct merely because it is prohibited, we refrain from it because we genuinely care about the well-being of others. In this way, compassion becomes the foundation of Right Action and guides us toward a life that benefits both ourselves and the world around us.
Speech carries great power. Words can harm or heal. When spoken carelessly, they can damage relationships, create anxiety, and sow chaos in society. Right Speech means speaking truthfully and honestly, communicating in ways that foster harmony, using loving and compassionate language, and speaking words that are beneficial to others.
We must be mindful of our words, for they carry consequences. We see this often in the news: when a public figure makes an inappropriate comment, it sparks widespread negative public reactions, sometimes even costing them their career.
There are four types of unwholesome speech that cause harm. These forms of speech sow discord among individuals and within society.
Harsh speech â words that wound and demean.
False speech â lies that mislead.
Flattering or flowery speech â insincere words that deceive, even if they sound pleasant.
Divisive speech â gossip, tale-bearing, or stirring conflict.
However, words can also foster peace, harmony, and unity. To do this, we transform unwholesome speech into wholesome speech. By consciously turning harsh speech into gentle words, and falsehoods into honesty, we build trust. When we replace empty flattery with genuine sincerity, and divisive gossip with words of reconciliation, we foster unity.
By learning to communicate with love and compassion, and by speaking words that genuinely benefit others, our speech can bring comfort to people's hearts and positively influence their lives. Most importantly, we should speak with kindness and gentleness, encouraging others toward goodness and guiding them in the right direction.
Right Thinking means thinking correctly, cultivating thoughts that are wholesome, free of harmful intentions, and guided by a pure heart. This is not easy because our minds are often clouded by the three spiritual poisonsâgreed, anger, and ignorance. These mental afflictions distort our clarity, prevent us from discerning right from wrong, and lead us into poor decisions with painful consequences. It takes self-reflection and awareness to recognize these spiritual poisons within us. Once we notice them, we can begin to transform them with spiritual remedies.
Take greed, for example. People often confuse it with stinginess. Greed is wanting more than we truly need, while stinginess is refusing to share what we already have. The remedy for greed is contentment; the remedy for stinginess is generosity. When greed or desire goes unsatisfied, it often manifests as afflictions such as insecurity, frustration, sadness, or anger. Through spiritual cultivation, we can transform the afflictions caused by greed into contentment, gratitude, and generosity.
Anger, too, can cause us to speak harshly or act harmfully. Its remedy is forbearanceâthe ability to endure difficulties with patience rather than letting anger erupt. Anger can arise from many causes, including misunderstandings, unrealistic expectations, injustice, hurt, resentment, or hatred. By understanding the causes of our anger, we can transform it into more wholesome qualities such as understanding, acceptance, gentleness, kindness, and compassion.
Ignorance is a lack of knowledge or awareness. When we act in ignorance, we may bring harm upon ourselves without realizing it. For instance, taking out a large loan without understanding its high interest could lead to crippling debt. The remedy for ignorance is learningâseeking knowledge, understanding principles, and cultivating wisdom.
The ability to think correctly and wholesomely is essential because our thoughts guide our speech, our actions, and the way we interact with others and navigate the world. When we fill our hearts and minds with knowledge, wisdom, contentment, generosity, patience, kindness, love, gratitude, and other wholesome qualities, they will protect us, help us walk safely, and lead us toward a joyful life.
The Noble Eightfold Path begins with the mind. Before we speak, act, or live rightly, we must first learn to see and think rightly. Therefore, the first step is Right View.
We are currently living in what Buddhism calls the âFive Degenerate Ages.â One of these is the âDegeneration of Views,â a time in which people often hold mistaken beliefs and distorted perspectives that lead them away from the right path.
Right View is the ability to see truth and principles clearly, free from false beliefs or biases. Incorrect views or a lack of understanding often lead to problems. Take fast fashion as an example. As industries and consumers chase trends, they place immense strain on the earthâconsuming vast resources and polluting ecosystems.
This is why cultivating Right Viewâdeveloping correct knowledge and understanding of the worldâis so essential. When we recognize that our actions carry consequences, we become more mindful of our behavior and take responsibility for it. With awareness, we can choose paths that lead to wholesome outcomes while avoiding those that cause harm.
To gain Right View, we must learn principles that guide us toward truth. These can be found in the Buddhaâs teachings, the teachings of correct faith, and in the words of ancient wisdom. By studying and applying these teachings, we can develop the wisdom needed to navigate life and stay on the right path.
Life is a journey shaped by a continuous series of choices. Along the way, we inevitably come to forks in the road where we must decide which direction to take. Each choice leads us down a particular path, and different choices create different directions. When we encounter the next fork in the road, we make another decision, which in turn determines the next stage of our journey. Throughout our lives, we face countless moments that require us to choose. In this way, life is a continuous process of making choices.
Many of us worry about which path to take. We want to be certain that our decisions will lead to good outcomes rather than suffering or misfortune. Our lives are built through our actionsâwhat we do, what we say, and what we think. By being mindful of our conduct, speech, and thoughts, we can avoid straying onto harmful paths.
The Buddha offered a teaching to guide these choices, keeping us safe from danger and minimizing suffering. This teaching is known as the Noble Eightfold Path, which consists of Right View, Right Thinking, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Diligence, Right Remembrance, and Right Concentration. Each of these eight practices begins with the word âright.â In Chinese, the character for ârightâ (æŁ) carries the meanings of being âin accordance with principlesâ, ânot going astrayâ, and being âpureâ. By cultivating these eight aspects of the path, we can remain on the right course and move steadily toward a life of blessing, joy, and well-being.
The greatest way to repay the kindness of our parents, all living beings, Mother Nature, and the Three Jewels is to walk the Bodhisattva Pathâdedicating ourselves to benefiting others and alleviating suffering.
Gratitude is not limited to the month of May. The three-in-one celebration serves as a reminder to carry gratitude into every day of our lives. Whether at work, at home, or in our interactions with others, we should act with a heart of appreciation and repay the kindness of all who sustain and guide us.
Lastly, we must also be grateful to all living beings. To survive in this world, we rely on countless forms of supportâfrom food and clothing to shelter and medical care. Behind each of these necessities are people from all professions whose efforts make our survival possible. Without their contributions, we would not be able to live as we do. For this, we are deeply grateful.
Having received so much from others, we naturally seek to repay their kindness. We can do this by dedicating ourselves to helping those in need, such as offering material support, financial assistance, education, and medical care, where it is needed. Beyond meeting physical needs, we can also support emotional and spiritual well-being. When people are troubled, we can share the Dharma with them to help ease their afflictions and guide them toward inner peace and spiritual growth.
Third, we are grateful to Mother Nature for providing us with a beautiful environment and the resources we need to live. Sunlight, water, soil, and air sustain usâgiving us food to eat, fresh air to breathe, and land to live on. As a living planet, nature nurtures life through the four elements: water, earth, fire, and air.
Take water, for example. Despite its limited supply, it is continuously renewed through the natural water cycle. In winter, water becomes ice and is stored high in the mountains. In summer, it melts into rivers, providing fresh water throughout the year. When these four elements remain in balance, Mother Nature blesses us with favorable weather and abundant resources. For this, we are deeply grateful.
To repay her kindness, we must care for and protect the Earth. We can do this by making eco-friendly choices in daily life, such as cherishing resources instead of wasting them, conserving energy, recycling materials, and adopting a vegetarian diet to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Second, we are grateful for the Three Jewels: the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha.
Without the Buddha, who embarked on the spiritual path, attained enlightenment, and taught living beings the purpose of life and the ways to awakening, we would remain caught in the endless cycle of birth and death, unable to find a way out. Out of compassion, the Buddha returns to the world again and again, patiently guiding living beings toward awakening, even when they resist or reject the Dharma. We are grateful to the Buddha for never giving up on us.
We are also grateful for the Dharma, the Buddhaâs teachings. After the Buddhaâs passing, it is the Dharma that continues to guide our spiritual practice. Without it, we would not understand the truth of life or know how to live meaningfully.
We are equally grateful to the Sangha, the monastic community. Through their dedicated study, practice, and transmission of the Dharma, they preserve the Buddhaâs teachings and share it with the world. Because of their efforts, we are able to encounter and learn the teachings today.
Together, the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha guide us along the right path and nurture our wisdom-life. To repay their kindness, we must put the teachings into practice, care for our hearts and minds, and cultivate wisdom.
A motherâs love is truly extraordinary. In China, there is a remarkable woman who was born without arms or legs, yet managed to raise three children on her own. Because her husband often worked far from home, she shouldered the full responsibility of nurturing the familyâfeeding her children, making clothes, and managing daily life despite immense challenges.
Today, her children are grown and have families of their own. Deeply moved by his motherâs devotion, her youngest son chose to remain by her side, caring for her in her later years. This story illustrates how gratitude can be transformed into action, reminding us of the importance of honoring and caring for our parents.
First, we are grateful to our parents. Our mother carried us through months of pregnancy and brought us into the world. After our birth, our parents raised us with careâproviding food, education, guidance, and comfort in times of illness or difficulty. Whatever success we enjoy today is built upon their sacrifices and love.
To repay their kindness, we must cherish them, fulfill our responsibilities, and take good care of ourselves so they need not worry. As they grow older, it is our duty to spend time with them, care for them, and ensure they feel loved and supported.
May is a month of gratitude. For Tzu Chi volunteers, it is a time to celebrate Buddha Day, Motherâs Day, and Global Tzu Chi Day. This three-in-one occasion reminds us to be grateful to our parents, all living beings, Mother Nature, and the Three Jewelsâthe Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. They give us life, sustain it, and nurture our wisdom. In gratitude, we aspire not only to remember their kindness but also to repay it.
