The Noble Eightfold Path? The Middle Way

八圣道-中道

This is the Path for leading a religious life without going to extremes.

八圣道是不走极端的中道，是领导神圣的宗教生活的正道。

An outstanding aspect of the Buddha's Teaching is the adoption of the Eightfold Path is the Middle Path. The Buddha advised His followers to follow this Path so as to avoid the extremes of sensual pleasures and self-mortification. The Middle Path is a righteous way of life which does not advocate the acceptance of decrees given by someone outside oneself. A person practises the Middle Path, the guide for moral conduct, not out of fear of nay supernatural agency, but out of the intrinsic value in following such an action. He chooses this self-imposed discipline for a definite end in view: self-purification.

八圣道是佛陀教义中最杰出的真理，是指引生活的正道。八圣道也称为中道。佛陀教诲弟子们，正确的修行方法是避免两个极端──纵欲和自我苦行。中道是正确的生活方式，不存在外在的影响，是一种以自我道德行为作为引导的一种修行方式。实践于正道，不畏惧任何外在的力量或神、魔。根据八圣道修行是一种正确的修行方式，正当的行为，是一种自我的要求，目的就在于净化自己。

The Middle Path is a planned course of inward culture and progress. A person can make real progress in righteousness and insight by following this Path, and not by engaging in external worship and prayers. According to the Buddha, anyone who lives in accordance with the Dhamma will be guided and protected by that very Law. When a person lives according to Dhamma, he will also be living in harmony with the universal law. Every Buddhist is encouraged to mould his life according to the Noble Eightfold Path as taught by the Buddha. He who adjusts his life according to this noble way of living will be free from, miseries and calamities both in this life-time and hereafter. He will also be able to develop his mind by restraining from evil and observing morality. The Eightfold Path can be compared to a road map. Just as a traveler will need a map to lead him to his destination, we all need the Eightfold Path which shows us how to attain Nibbana, the final goal of human life. To attain the final goal, there are three aspects of the Eightfold path to be developed by the devotee. He has to develop Sila(Morality), Samadhi(Mental Culture) and Panna (Wisdom). While the three must be developed simultaneously, the intensity with which any one area is to be practised varies according to a person's own spiritual development.

A devotee must first develop his morality, that is, his actions should bring good to other living beings. He does this by faithfully adhering to the precepts of abstaining from killing, slandering, stealing, becoming intoxicated or being lustful. As he develops his morality, his mind will become more easily controlled, enabling him to develop his powers of concentration. Finally, with the development of concentration, wisdom will arise. Gradual Development With His infinite wisdom, the Buddha knew that not all humans have the same ability to reach spiritual maturity at once. So He expounded the Noble Eightfold Path for the gradual development of the spiritual way of life in a practical way. He knew that not all people can become perfect in one lifetime. He said that Sila, Samadhi, and Panna, must and can be developed over many lifetimes with diligent effort. This path finally leads to the attainment of ultimate peace where there is no more unsatisfactoriness.

中道是一种有计划的内心训练和发展的过程，一个人可以透过对中道的实践来训练和发展自己的心灵，而不是通过膜拜或祈祷。佛陀说过，任何人只要根据佛法而生活，将获得佛法的护持和指引。当一个人根据佛法生活，他也同样的生活在和谐的世间法里。

每一个佛教徒都被鼓励以佛陀所宣教的八圣道过生活。依八圣道的生活方式，可以脱离今生或来世的忧苦和灾难。他的心识也将获得发展，因此而远离邪恶，获得道德修养方面的增长。

八圣道就好像一张地图，指引游人到正确的目的地。我们需要八圣道来指引我们迈向涅槃──人生的终极目标。要达到涅槃境界，就要修证八圣道。信徒们需要发展八圣道的三种特性──戒(Sila)、定(Samàdhi)、慧(Pa¤¤a)。透过戒、定、慧三学的发展，才能获得心灵的全面发展。首先，必须持戒，使自己的行为利益众生，持守五戒：不杀生、不偷盗、不邪淫、不妄语、不饮用酒等麻醉品。当戒学获得发展后，他已完全能控制自己的心识，这时，他开始发展定学，通过定学的发展，智慧自然生起。

逐步进展：透过那无尽的智慧，佛陀知道不是所有的众生都有相同的根基来获得心灵的发展。因此，他宣说了八圣道，指示了心灵修行的实际道路。他知道不是每一个人都能在这一生获得圆满的心灵发展，因此，他宣说了戒、定、慧三学，让众生能在多世的生命中获得精进。八圣道引导修行者进入绝对究竟和无苦的境界。