The Noble
Eightfold Path

by Bhikkhu Bodhi

Notes

1. Ignorance is actually identical in nature with the unwholesome root "delusion" (moha). When the Buddha speaks in a psychological context about mental factors, he generally uses the word "delusion"; when he speaks about the causal basis of samsara, he uses the word "ignorance" (avijja). [return]

2. SN 56:11; Word of the Buddha, p. 26 [return]

3. Ibid. [return]

4. Adhisilasikkha, adhicittasikkha, adhipaññasikkha. [return]

5. AN 3:33; Word of the Buddha, p. 19. [return]

6. MN 117; Word of the Buddha, p. 36. [return]

7. AN 6:63; Word of the Buddha, p. 19. [return]

8. MN 9; Word of the Buddha, p. 29. [return]

9. See DN 2, MN 27, etc. For details, see Vism. XIII, 72-101. [return]

10. DN 22; Word of the Buddha, p. 29. [return]

11. DN 22, SN 56:11; Word of the Buddha, p. 3 [return]

12. Ibid. Word of the Buddha, p. 16. [return]

13. Ibid. Word of the Buddha, p. 22. [return]

14. Nekkhammasankappa, abyapada sankappa, avihimsasankappa. [return]

15. Kamasankappa, byapadasankappa, avihimsasankappa. Though kama usually means sensual desire, the context seems to allow a wider interpretation, as self-seeking desire in all its forms. [return]

16. AN 1:16.2. [return]

17. Strictly speaking, greed or desire (raga) becomes immoral only when it impels actions violating the basic principles of ethics, such as killing, stealing, adultery, etc. When it remains merely as a mental factor or issues in actions not inherently immoral -- e.g., the enjoyment of good food, the desire for recognition, sexual relations that do not hurt others -- it is not immoral but is still a form of craving causing bondage to suffering. [return]

18. For a full account of the dukkha tied up with sensual desire, see MN 13. [return]

19. This might appear to contradict what we said earlier, that metta is free from self-reference. The contradiction is only apparent, however, for in developing metta towards oneself one regards oneself objectively, as a third person. Further, the kind of love developed is not self-cherishing but a detached altruistic wish for one's own well-being. [return]

20. Any other formula found to be effective may be used in place of the formula given here. For a full treatment, see Ñanamoli Thera, The Practice of Lovingkindness, Wheel No. 7. [return]

21. AN 10:176; Word of the Buddha, p. 50. [return]

22. MN 61. [return]

23. AN 10:176; Word of the Buddha, p. 50. [return]

24. Subcommentary to Digha Nikaya. [return]

25. AN 10:176; Word of the Buddha, pp. 50-51. [return]

26. MN 21; Word of the Buddha, p. 51. [return]

27. AN 10:176; Word of the Buddha, p. 51 [return]

28. AN 10:176; Word of the Buddha, p. 53. [return]

29. HRH Prince Vajirañanavarorasa, The Five Precepts and the Five Ennoblers (Bangkok, 1975), pp. 1-9. [return]

30. AN 10:176; Word of the Buddha, p. 53. [return]

31. The Five Precepts and the Five Ennoblers gives a fuller list, pp. 10-13. [return]

32. AN 10:176; Word of the Buddha, p. 53. [return]

33. The following is summarized from The Five Precepts and the Five Ennoblers, pp. 16-18. [return]

34. See AN 4:62; AN 5:41; AN 8:54. [return]

35. The Five Precepts and the Five Ennoblers, pp. 45-47. [return]

36. Papañcasudani (Commentary to Majjhima Nikaya). [return]

37. MN 70; Word of the Buddha, pp. 59-60. [return]

38. AN 4:13; Word of the Buddha, p. 57. [return]

39. Kamacchanda, byapada, thina-middha, uddhacca-kukkucca, vicikiccha. [return]

40. AN 4:14; Word of the Buddha, p. 57. [return]

41. AN 4:13; Word of the Buddha, p. 58. [return]

42. AN 4:14; Word of the Buddha, p. 58. [return]

43. MN 20; Word of the Buddha, p. 58. [return]

44. For a full treatment of the methods for dealing with the hindrances individually, consult the commentary to the Satipatthana Sutta (DN 22, MN 10). A translation of the relevant passages, with further extracts from the subcommentary, can be found in Soma Thera, The Way of Mindfulness, pp. 116-26. [return]

45. AN 4:13; Word of the Buddha, pp. 58-59. [return]

46. AN 4:14; Word of the Buddha, p.59. The Pali names for the seven are: satisambojjhanga, dhammavicayasambojjhanga, viriyasambojjhanga, pitisambojjhanga, passaddhisambojjhanga, samadhisambojjhanga, upekkhasambojjhanga. [return]

47. AN 4:13; Word of the Buddha, p. 59. [return]

48. AN 4:14; Word of the Buddha, p. 59. [return]

49. Dhammo sanditthiko akaliko ehipassiko opanayiko paccattam veditabbo viññuhi. (M. 7, etc.) [return]

50. Commentary to Vism. See Vism. XIV, n. 64. [return]

51. Sometimes the word satipatthana is translated "foundation of mindfulness," with emphasis on the objective side, sometimes "application of mindfulness," with emphasis on the subjective side. Both explanations are allowed by the texts and commentaries. [return]

52. DN 22; Word of the Buddha, p. 61. [return]

53. Ibid. Word of the Buddha, p. 61. [return]

54. For details, see Vism. VIII, 145-244. [return]

55. See Soma Thera, The Way of Mindfulness, pp. 58-97. [return]

56. Asubha-bhavana. The same subject is also called the perception of repulsiveness (patikkulasañña) and mindfulness concerning the body (kayagata sati). [return]

57. For details, see Vism. VIII, 42-144. [return]

58. For details, see Vism. XI, 27-117. [return]

59. For a full account, see Soma Thera, The Way of Mindfulness, pp. 116-127. [return]

60. Ibid., pp. 131-146. [return]

61. In what follows I have to restrict myself to a brief overview. For a full exposition, see Vism., Chapters III-XI. [return]

62. See Vism. IV, 88-109. [return]

63. Some common renderings such as "trance," "musing," etc., are altogether misleading and should be discarded. [return]

64. DN 22; Word of the Buddha, pp. 80-81. [return]

65. In Pali: akasanañcayatana, viññanañcayatana, akiñcaññayatana, n'eva-sañña-nasaññayatana. [return]

66. Anicce niccavipallasa, dukkhe sukhavipallasa, anattani atta-vipallasa. AN 4:49. [return]

67. In Pali: rupakkhandha, vedanakkhandha, saññakkhandha, sankharakkhandha, viññanakkhandha. [return]

68. DN 22; Word of the Buddha, pp. 71-72. [return]

69. DN 22; Word of the Buddha, p. 73. [return]

70. In the first edition of this book I stated here that the four paths have to be passed through sequentially, such that there is no attainment of a higher path without first having reached the paths below it. This certainly seems to be the position of the Commentaries. However, the Suttas sometimes show individuals proceeding directly from the stage of worldling to the third or even the fourth path and fruit. Though the commentator explains that they passed through each preceding path and fruit in rapid succession, the canonical texts themselves give no indication that this has transpired but suggest an immediate realization of the higher stages without the intermediate attainment of the lower stages. [return]

71. See Vism. XXII, 92-103. [return]

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