Buddha on the Path Leading to the Ending of Suffering

"And what, monks, is the Noble Truth of the path leading to the ending of suffering (dukkha)? It is the Noble Eightfold Path, namely, Right View, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration. And what, monks, is Right View? The understanding of suffering; the understanding of the cause of suffering; the understanding of the cessation of suffering; the understanding of the path leading to the cessation of suffering. This, monks, is called Right View. And what, monks, is Right Thought? Thoughts directed to liberation from sensuality; thoughts free from ill-will; and thoughts free from cruelty. This, monks, is called Right Thought. And what,monks, is Right Speech? Abstaining from lying, from tale-bearing, from abusive speech, and from vain and not beneficial talk. This, monks, is called Right Speech. And what, monks, is Right Action? Abstaining from killing living beings,from stealing and from wrongful indulgence in sense pleasures. This, monks, is called Right Action. And what, monks, is Right Livelihood? Here (in this teaching), monks, the noble disciple completely abstains from a wrong way of livelihood and makes his living by a right means of livelihood. This, monks, is called Right Livelihood. And what, monks, is Right Effort? Here (in this teaching), monks, a disciple generates an intention, makes effort, rouses energy, applies his mind, and strives ardently to prevent the arising of evil, unwholesome states of mind that have not yet arisen. He generates an intention, makes effort, rouses energy, applies his mind, and strives ardently to abandon evil, unwholesome states of mind that have arisen. He generates an intention, makes effort, rouses energy, applies his mind, and strives ardently to attain wholesome states of mind that have not yet arisen. He generates an intention, makes effort, rouses energy, applies his mind, and strives ardently to maintain the wholesome states of mind that have arisen, to prevent their lapsing, to increase them, to cause them to grow, and to completely develop them. This, monks, is called Right Effort. And what, monks, is Right Mindfulness? Here (in this teaching), monks, a disciple dwells perceiving again and again the body as just the body with diligence, clear understanding, and mindfulness, thus keeping away covetousness and mental pain in the world; he dwells perceiving again and again feelings as just feelings with diligence, clear understanding and mindfulness, thus keeping away covetousness and mental pain in the world, he dwells perceiving again and again the mind as just the mind with diligence, clear understanding, and mindfulness, thus keeping away covetousness and mental pain in the world; he dwells perceiving again and again mind-objects as just mind-objects with diligence, clear understanding and mindfulness, thus keeping away covetousness and mental pain in the world. This, monks, is called Right Mindfulness. And what, monks, is Right Concentration? Here (in this teaching), monks, a disciple being detached from sensual desire and unwholesome states attains and dwells in the first absorption (jhana) which has applied and sustained thought; and rapture and happiness born of detachment (from the hindrances). With the subsiding of applied and sustained thought, a disciple attains and dwells in the second absorption, with internal tranquility and one-pointedness of mind, without applied and sustained thought, but with rapture and happiness born of concentration. Being without rapture, a disciple dwells in equanimity with mindfulness and clear understanding, and experiences happiness in mind and body. He attains and dwells in the third absorption; that which causes a person who attains it to be praised by the Noble Ones as one who has equanimity and mindfulness, one who abides in happiness. By becoming detached from both happiness and suffering and by the previous cessation of gladness and mental pain, a disciple attains and dwells in the fourth absorption, a state of pure mindfulness born of equanimity. This, monks, is called Right Concentration. This, monks, is called the Noble Truth of the path leading to the ending of suffering."

(Digha Nikaya 22, Tipitaka)