The Eightfold Path 4: Right Action

Right Action is the second Ethical Conduct practice on the Eightfold Path and is about acting appropriately in every situation. It builds on all the other practices and can only work if you’re mindful of your true intentions. If you watch your thoughts and develop the right understanding of yourself and reality, your actions shouldn’t cause unnecessary suffering. 

The Eightfold Path 3: Right Speech

Right Speech is the first practice in Ethical Conduct on the Eightfold Path and is about communicating with compassion and in a straightforward way. It follows from Right Thinking and Right Understanding, so you see reality as it is and then express that truth directly. It includes communication through speech and all forms of writing: letters and emails, books and articles, blog posts, tweets, texts, and status updates. 

The Eightfold Path 2: Right Thought

Right Thought is the second Wisdom practice of the Eightfold Path, and is also known as Right Intention. It follows directly from Right Understanding because your thoughts and intentions arise from your perception of reality. If you see reality as it is, you’ll have no problems. But if you see reality through a haze of assumptions and unconscious judgements and concepts, it will lead to some pretty twisted thinking. So Right Thought is about looking into your thoughts and intentions to see if they align with reality – or not. 

The Eightfold Path 1: Right Understanding

Right Understanding is the first practice of the Eightfold Path, and is also known as Right View. It provides context and perspective for the whole path, and is the foundation for all the other practices because it’s about perception. Right Understanding is about seeing yourself and the world as they really are. Sounds simple, right? 

Most of us like to think we have a pretty good grip on reality. When you take it at face value, reality appears to be mostly solid and relatively unchanging with lots of annoying obstacles for you to bump into. You also tend to assume you’re separate from the world because that’s how it appears. But the way you see the world is based on a misperception and your brain is fooling you. 

Ox-herding Pictures 10: Entering the Marketplace

Bare-chested, barefooted, he comes into the marketplace. 

Muddied and dust-covered, how broadly he grins! 

Without recourse to mystic powers, 

withered trees he swiftly brings to bloom. 

The full title of this picture is sometimes Entering the Marketplace with Helping Hands and it represents the stage of the path where you’re ready to share your wisdom and serve others. This is enlightenment proper, when you return to the world and bring the gifts of awakening with you. 

Ox-herding Pictures 9: Returning to the Source

He has returned to the Origin, come back to the Source, 

but his steps have been taken in vain. 

It is as though he were now blind and deaf. 

Seated in his hut, he hankers not for things outside. 

Streams meander on of themselves, 

red flowers naturally bloom red. 

After dissolving into Oneness, the world returns. This stage is where you understand the world as it is in its true nature, or suchness. In other words, you can see things as they are without conceptualising them. All constructs of self and other are dropped, and things are seen to arise spontaneously and naturally. Ordinary day to day life is experienced as profound. Everything is a manifestation of Buddha Nature, or the Source. 

Ox-herding Pictures 8: Both Ox & Self Forgotten

Whip, rope, Ox and man alike belong to Emptiness. 

So vast and infinite the azure sky 

that no concept of any sort can reach it, 

over a blazing fire a snowflake cannot survive. 

When this state of mind is realised 

comes at last comprehension 

of the spirit of the ancient Patriarchs. 

In earlier Ox Herding Pictures this was the last in the series: the empty circle depicting the True Self or Oneness. It’s impossible to describe this stage. This is the moment when the veil finally drops and the truth is revealed, the truth you’ve been carrying inside you all along. 

Ox-herding Pictures 7: Ox Forgotten, Self Alone

Only on the Ox was he able to come Home, 

But lo, the Ox is now vanished, and alone and serene 

sits the man. 

The red sun rides high in the sky 

as he dreams on placidly. 

Yonder beneath the thatched roof 

his idle whip and idle rope are lying. 

Now the ox vanishes. This picture is sometimes called Ox Transcended because you realise the truth that you and the ox were never really separate. You know the ox is your own Buddha nature and you’ve had it all along. There’s no need to go running around searching for it because you have it right here. The path up to this point was just a means to an end: a way to wake up to this truth. 

Ox-herding Pictures 6: Riding the Ox Home

Riding free as air he buoyantly comes home 

through evening mists in wide straw-hat and cape. 

Wherever he may go he creates a fresh breeze, 

while in his heart profound tranquillity prevails. 

This Ox requires not a blade of grass. 

Now you’re starting to get the hang of this awakening business – but don’t get cocky! The path may have become easier but you’re not enlightened yet. Your discipline has paid off and you’re happy riding the ox, playing a joyful tune on your flute. Old anxieties and fears no longer trouble you. You’ve overcome your conditioning and are able to freely express yourself. 

Ox Herding Pictures 5: Taming the Ox

He must hold the nose-rope tight 

and not allow the Ox to roam, 

lest off to muddy haunts it should stray. 

Properly tended, it becomes clean and gentle. 

Untethered, it willingly follows its master. 

You have successfully caught the ox of your Buddha nature, but there’s still work to be done. Discipline is still needed: you must keep hold of the ox and put the dharma into practise so you can tame your mind. When you practice you feel more free and compassionate, but it only takes one tiny thing to go wrong, one bad day, and your old conditioning will kick back in. You may start to experience spontaneous joy and a sense of peace, but difficult emotions can still catch you by surprise and throw you off track.