I would like to thank my original teacher and teacher of my heart Jana Draka, her teacher ZenKei Blanche Hartman, my current teacher Doug Jacobson, my teacher friend Joe Hall, and all the ancestors in my lineage.


It should be noted up front that, “right,” is just one translation of a pali word describing an idea: I prefer the term, “beneficial,” and have also heard correct, true, and proper, but will stick with, “right,” for this discussion so as not to insert further confusion.


Here is the eightfold path as i understand it and find with an internet search:


Right understanding
Right thought
Right speech
Right action
Right livelihood
Right effort
Right mindfulness
Right concentration


Because there are so many folds and translations of ideas I am just going to look at one: Right thought. Right thought encourages the practitioner to avoid harmful thoughts, which I feel is near impossible, but as with all things in Buddhism there is a path to success. I don't actually believe in the complete avoidance of negative thoughts but I just practice reframing unproductive thoughts.


For example, instead of thinking, “I am not going to be able to remember eight new ways of living.” I reframe into, “What if I look at one fold and really understand it, then apply it to the other folds?” After reframing thoughts a few times in different contexts it becomes my first thought and I achieve what I understand as, “Right thought.”


It helps me to remember the folds with an extra categorization of the eight folds into three areas of focus: wisdom, activities, and intent. The category of wisdom to expand understanding and thought; the category of activities to remember speech, action, livelihood, and effort; and the category of intent to remember mindfulness and concentration 


The Eightfold Path is incredibly complex and so is not easily summarized. I encourage you to read further, find different translations, and piece together your own understanding of what the eightfold path means to you. 


This talk is the original written words and the generated A.I. voice of one that has been called a Bodhisattva and has taken the Bodhisattva vows. I hope that I have seen you as a being. I hope that I have helped dissolve delusion with these deluded words. I hope that I have opened new learning gates for you. To me, the Buddha's way is unsurpassable, I hope you become what you find unsurpassable.
Pand