Page 167 - The Buddha‘s Noble Eightfold Path

Perfect Samadhi

In these lectures we have been following, in imagination at least,
the Buddha's Noble Eightfold Path, and with the eighth and last

stage of that Path we come to the end of our long journey. This
last stage is that of samyak-samadhi (Pali: samma-samadhi),
usually translated — not very adequately — as Right Meditation;

though what it really means will, I hope, become clear as we
proceed.

We have learned, and by this time know very well, that the
Eightfold Path is divided into two principal sections: the Path of

Vision and the Path of Transformation. While the Path of Vision
represents the initial insight into — even the initial experience of

— Ultimate Reality, the Path of Transformation represents the
transformation and transfiguration of the various levels and
aspects of one's being and consciousness in accordance with

that initial insight and experience. The second section of the
Path is therefore much longer and more complex, as well as

much more difficult, than the first section, for the first section

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