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Home Teachings The Eightfold Noble's Path The Eightfold Noble's Path - Right Intention

The Eightfold Noble's Path - Right Intention

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The Eightfold Noble Path - RIGHT INTENTION

The Buddha continued in the Maha-cattarisaka Sutta,

"Of those, right view is the forerunner. And how is right view the forerunner? One discerns wrong intention as wrong intention, and right intention as right intention. And what is wrong intention? Being intentioned on sensuality, on ill will, on harmfulness. This is wrong intention."

Again, right view is emphasized here as a factor that must be practiced. Here the Buddha points out the three enlisted wrong intentions that one should abstain from and avoid.

"And what is right intention? Right intention, I tell you, is of two sorts: There is right intention with fermentations, siding with merit, resulting in the acquisitions [of becoming]; and there is noble right intention, without fermentations, transcendent, a factor of the path."

Again, there is the mundane right intention and the supramundane right intention. The mundane right intention is still sided with attachments, and it is the opposite of wrong intention.

"And what is the right intention that has fermentations, sides with merit, & results in acquisitions? Being intentioned on renunciation, on freedom from ill will, on harmlessness. This is the right intention that has fermentations, sides with merit, & results in acquisitions."

Here the Buddha points out the three kinds of intentions that make up the mundane factor of right intention.

"And what is the right intention that is without fermentations, transcendent, a factor of the path? The thinking, directed thinking, intention, mental absorption, mental fixity, focused awareness, & verbal fabrications in one developing the noble path whose mind is noble, whose mind is without fermentations, who is fully possessed of the noble path. This is the right intention that is without fermentations, transcendent, a factor of the path."

The supramundane right intention is when one's mind is free from attachments. This can be reached when the mundane Eightfold Noble Path is practiced to its maturity.

"One tries to abandon wrong intention & to enter into right intention: This is one's right effort. One is mindful to abandon wrong intention & to enter & remain in right intention: This is one's right mindfulness. Thus these three qualities -- right view, right effort, & right mindfulness -- run & circle around right intention."

Here the Buddha explains how the three factors run and circle around right intention on the Path.



 

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The Dhammapada


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