Eightfold Path

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According to the last of the four noble truths of Buddhism, the eightfold path is the key to release from suffering. Its elements are (i) the right or perfect view of the four noble truths, and of the nature of the self (atman); (ii) perfect resolution in favour of renunciation and ahimsa; (iii) perfect speech, i.e. avoidance of lying and slander; (iv) perfect conduct; (v) perfect livelihood, i.e. avoidance of harmful professions; (vi) perfect effort; (vii) perfect mindfulness or control of thought; and (viii) perfect concentration, or attainment of the contemplative ideal. The eightfold path is not a linear progression, but a separation of the different elements needed to live a life released from suffering.

The Noble Eightfold Path (ārya-aṣṭaṇga-mārga; Pāli, ariya-aṭṭhangika-magga) is the last of the Four Noble Truths and is the path that leads from saṃsāra to nirvāṇa. The Fourth Noble Truth is as follows: ‘This, O Monks, is the Truth of the Path that leads to the cessation of suffering. It is this Noble Eightfold Path, which consists of (i) Right View (samyag-dṛṣṭi), (ii) Right Resolve (samyak-samkalpa), (iii) Right Speech (samyag-vāc), (iv) Right Action (samyak-karmānta), (v) Right Livelihood (samyag-ājīva), (vi) Right Effort (samyak-vyāyāma), (vii) Right Mindfulness (samyak-smṛti), (viii) Right Meditation (samyak-samādhi).’ Right View means the acceptance of basic Buddhist teachings such as the Four Noble Truths; Right Resolve means having a positive outlook and a mind free from lust, ill-will, and cruelty; Right Speech means using speech in positive and productive ways instead of negative ones such as lying or speaking harshly; Right Action means keeping the precepts, such as the Five Precepts (pañca-śīla); Right Livelihood means avoiding professions which cause harm to others such as slavery or armsmongering; Right Effort means directing the mind towards religious goals and the production and fostering of wholesome states of mind; Right Mindfulness means being at all times mindful and aware of what one is doing, thinking, and feeling; Right Meditation means training the mind to achieve the state of focused attention necessary to enter the meditational trances (dhyāna). The eight factors of the path are often placed in three groups (skandhas), thus 3-5 relate to morality (śīla), 6-8 to meditation (samādhi), and 1-2 to insight (prajñā). It is important to note that the Eightfold Path is not a linear one in the sense that one passes from one step to the next, but a cumulative programme wherein all the eight factors are practised simultaneously.

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The Eightfold Path is a method of policy analysis adapted by Eugene Bardach, a professor at the Goldman School of Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley, from standard policy analysis texts. It is outlined in his book A Practical Guide for Policy Analysis: The Eightfold Path to More Effective Problem Solving, which is now in its second edition. The book is commonly used in public policy and public administration programs around the world. 

Bardach's procedure is as follows:

1. Define the Problem
2. Assemble Some Evidence
3. Construct the Alternatives
4. Select the Criteria
5. Project the Outcomes
6. Confront the Trade-offs
7. Decide!
8. Tell Your Story

A possible ninth-step, based on Bardach's own writing, might be "Repeat Steps 1 - 8 as Necessary."

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