The Tree of Enlightenment

do so because, to climb a mountain, we must have the summit
clearly in view. In this sense, the first step on our journey
depends on the last. We have to keep the goal clearly in view if
we are to travel a path which can take us surely to that goal. In
this way, right understanding gives direction and orientation to
the other steps of the path.
We can see here that the first two steps of the path, right
understanding and right thought, refer to the mind. rough
right understanding and right thought, ignorance, attachment,
and aversion can be eliminated. But it is not enough to stop
there because, to achieve right understanding and right thought,
we also need to cultivate and purify our minds and bodies, and
the way to do this is through the other six steps of the path. We
purify our physical being so that it will be easier to purify our
minds, and we purify and develop our minds so that it will be
easier to attain right understanding.
For the sake of convenience, the Noble Eightfold Path has
been divided into the three ways of practice: (1) morality, or good
conduct (2) mental development, and (3) wisdom. e eight steps
of the path are divided into these three ways of practice as follows:
(1) right speech, right action, and right livelihood belong to the
way of morality; (2) right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration
belong to the way of mental development; and (3) right
understanding and right thought belong to the way of wisdom.
Because it is necessary to purify our words and actions
before we can purify our minds, we begin our progress along
the path with morality, or good conduct. And because the Noble
Eightfold Path is the means of reaching the goal of Buddhism, I
will devote Chapters 5, 6, and 7 to these three ways of practice.
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