Buddha says:[23] “The world has mounted on the passions and is suspended therefrom—that is, the thoughts of men are hanging down from the lusts and other evils. The whole world is encompassed by decay; and Death overwhelms us all, (consumption and decay ever slowly but steadily creep in and eat into each and everything in existence, and it is here likened to something like land encircled by sea). Nature has subjected us to birth, decay and death, and the deeds of our past lives are covered by the terrors of death from our view, although the time of their action is not very far removed from our present state of existence. Hence it is that we do not view the scenes of our past births. Human life before it arrives at its final destiny, is ever inseparable from Jâti, Jarâ, Marana, etc., (birth, infirmities, death, etc.). As we are at present we are in sorrow and pain, and we have not yet obtained the highest object of our being. It behooves us, therefore, to exert ourselves everytime and by all means to attain to our summum ultimum, and we have to use and practice ‘the ways and means’ shown in religion in earnestness and integrity.”
Now what are they as set forth in Buddhism? “The man who is ever fully in the observance of the precepts of morality; who sees and understands things well and truly; who has perfect and serene command over his thoughts; and who has his mind fixed well in proper contemplation. I say, that such a man alone will safely pass over the dreadful torrent of metempsychosis, which is indeed hard to be gone over safely and without meeting with great obstacles and difficulties.”
The way to holiness of being, to destruction of sorrows, pain and sufferings, and to the path to Nirvana and to its attainment, is, the starting of memory, on the body, on sensation, on mind and on the true doctrines, largely discoursed on by the Lord Gautama Buddha. “Men are sanctified by their deeds, their learning, their religious behavior, their morals, and by leading a holy life; they do not become holy by race or wealth.”[24]
Buddha has opened up to us a supreme path for sanctification; described in detail in many verses of His Dharmá.[25] He says: “Oh Bhikkus! what is the holy path which ought to be walked over to destroy pain and sorrows? It is the ariya path, consisting of eight members or component parts, which are: Right Seeing or correct belief; right Thinking; right Words; right Actions; right Living; right Exertions; right Recollecting; and right Composing of Mind—the practice of Yoga.”
Of all the paths this, the eight membered one, is the Supremest; of the Truths, the fourfold one is the highest; of all classes of knowledge, that of Nirvana is the most excellent, and of all bipeds Buddha is the highest and most supremely exalted and enlightened.
I. Right seeing is the correct and full comprehension of the four facts or divisions, which are: Sorrows, the origin of sorrows, the destruction of sorrows, and the ways and means to be used for that destruction. Now this Right seeing may be viewed in two ways, (1) worldly, (2) over-worldly, or above the worldly way. The first is understanding, while still we have not overcome our lusts, passions and desires, the effects of good and bad actions, and that such acts alone brought about the effects; the second is brought about by destroying lust, anger, &c., and rightly comprehending what are known as the “four supreme verities.”
II. Right Thinking includes, pondering on the abandoning of all merely worldly happiness, bad desires, anger, &c., and the cherishing of thoughts to live separated from them all; loathing to take life, and the continued mental exercise of the determination not to hurt a sentient being.
III. Right Speech avoids lying, slandering, uttering rough or vulgar words, and vain babbling or empty talk.
IV. Right Actions is, sanctifying the body by refraining from killing, stealing, enjoying unlawful sexual intercourse, &c.
V. Right Living is, obtaining a livelihood by being worthily employed, supporting one’s self.