Page 168 - The Buddha‘s Noble Eightfold Path

of the Path, or Path of Vision, corresponds to one stage of the

Eightfold Path only, i.e. the stage of Perfect Vision, whereas the
second section, or Path of Transformation, corresponds to all the

other stages up to and including Perfect Samadhi, which is our
present subject.

What, then, is Perfect Samadhi?
Before any attempt is made to answer this question it may be

observed that, as a general rule, the more advanced the stage of
spiritual development with which we are dealing the less there
really is to say about it. This principle holds good throughout the

whole of the spiritual life. In the Pali Scriptures, for instance, we
find that whereas the Buddha had quite a lot to say about ethics,

and went into questions of personal behaviour in considerable
detail, when it came to Nirvana, the ultimate goal, he said very
little. Indeed, there was very little for him to say! Thus although

the Buddhist Scriptures are very extensive, and deal with a vast
number of topics, on the whole they do not tell us very much

about Nirvana. The Buddha was not very communicative on this
particular subject. Indeed, when questioned about Nirvana, or
about the nature of Enlightenment or the experience of the

Enlightened person, he sometimes remained perfectly silent.

The same principle holds good with regard to the Noble
Eightfold Path. One can say quite a lot about
Perfect Speech, Perfect Action and Perfect Livelihood. For

instance, in connection with Perfect Livelihood it is possible to go
into the whole question of economics and spiritual life, on which

there is a very great deal of material. One can even say quite a
lot about Perfect Effort and Perfect Awareness. But

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