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The Eightfold Path Supported by Confidence - bruni dávila

The following talk was given by bruni dávila at Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, CA on October 07, 2024. Please visit the website www.audiodharma.org for more information.

The Eightfold Path Supported by Confidence

Good morning. It is great to be here at home. This is my home center, and it has been quite a while since I have been here for a Sunday morning. It feels very cozy and sweet.

As I was reflecting on being here today and what was emerging to share with you, I had a moment of remembering different teachings and instances in my life—times where it has been wonderful to recognize the practice and other times where it has been tricky. You know those moments of being on a rollercoaster and having something remind you of the practice and the fruits that emerge when there is a sense of confidence, trust, and faith in the path.

One of the teachings that I realized has always been there, showing me where to start or where to go, is the Noble Eightfold Path. I wanted to share a bit about it today, especially since we have started our program year. It touches my heart to see how many times these teachings show up and how they go deeper and deeper as I engage in the practice.

The Four Noble Truths

The Eightfold Path is the teaching that the Buddha offered as the final part of the Four Noble Truths1. To mention them briefly before going deeper: in a very simple way, if we cling, we suffer. That is one interpretation I have received from my teachers, especially Gil Fronsdal. There is stress, there is suffering, and the specific suffering addressed through the Eightfold Path is the "extra" suffering we add when we cling to different aspects of our lives.

That clinging is the cause of stress and discomfort. But there is a moment where it can cease. It is amazing to realize that there can be a cessation of suffering—a release from the beliefs or loyalties we have toward our own suffering. As we continue this practice, there is a deep understanding and a deep penetration of that truth.

The VISALMC Acronym

The Eightfold Path applies to all aspects of life. It is one of those recipes you can adapt to anything "cooking in the pot" for you. I will give you an acronym to remember the eight factors: VISALMC.

  • Vise View (Wise View)
  • Intention (Wise Intention)
  • Speech (Wise Speech)
  • Action (Wise Action)
  • Livelihood (Wise Livelihood)
  • Mindfulness (Wise Mindfulness)
  • Concentration (Wise Concentration)

(And Wise Effort is tucked in there as well). Take a moment to check if any of these words resonate for you particularly right now.

Wise View and Wise Intention

I started in the practice thinking that any stress or suffering I felt was just a part of me—a quality of being "Bruni." And yes, there is suffering in the world; there is sickness, old age, and dying. I am sitting on a chair today because my right knee is a little tricky. But there were other things I couldn't get a grip on—identities, relationships, work—where I felt I was just doing something wrong.

Through the practice, I learned Wise View2: the understanding that actions have consequences and that while some things are beyond our control, we have agency in how we relate to them. Wise View helps us understand impermanence (anicca) and the fact that things are inconstant. We see that there is no independent, solid "self" in a vacuum; we are interconnected by causes and conditions.

When we meet these truths, the practice becomes a balm. It has taken me time to accept this. Sometimes I resist, I fight, I blame; then, at some point, the heart and mind surrender to that understanding. From that surrender, compassion arises.

This leads to the second factor: Wise Intention. This is the intention of non-greed, non-aversion, kindness, goodwill, compassion, and letting go (renunciation). Gil Fronsdal often uses the word anukampa3, which can be translated as "care" or "compassion in action." It is a quivering of the heart that dissolves the sense of a solid self. Suddenly, you feel connection and humanity, even for someone you were struggling with. Out of that compassion comes a sense of shedding layers and letting go into freedom.

Wise Speech, Action, and Livelihood

This understanding begins to manifest in how we speak and act. You might start noticing the impulse to say something harmful and think, "No, don't say that." Wise Speech involves more care, choosing the right time, and saying things in a way that is beneficial.

People often ask me how to talk to others about the practice after a retreat. The truth is, the practice changes you. You start behaving differently, and people notice. My mother used to ask me, "What is going on with you?" because the impact of the practice was visible.

Wise Action gives us a framework through the Five Precepts4. These are guidelines that support us in community and prevent harm. Thich Nhat Hanh called them "trainings." They are:

  1. Not killing.
  2. Not taking what is not given.
  3. Not engaging in sexual misconduct.
  4. Not engaging in false speech.
  5. Not clouding the mind with intoxicants.

At first, I thought there were too many "nos." I tried to make them "positive." But as I went deeper, I took the "no" back—not because it was negative, but because it was a protection. Sometimes we need a Kalyāṇa-mitta5 (a spiritual friend) to say, "Don't go there." If everyone followed even one precept, the world would be different. I sleep better when I review my day through the lens of these precepts.

Wise Livelihood integrates these factors into how we live and use resources. It keeps me out of the "field of perfection." I cannot support billions of people at once, but I can see how my actions have a domino effect on the well-being of those around me and the planet.

Wise Effort and Conviction

Wise Effort6 is about understanding what is wholesome and what is unwholesome. It is the effort to prevent and abandon unskillful habits while cultivating and maintaining states of mind that bring peace.

We tune into this effort daily. Some days we need more effort to incline the mind toward freedom, especially in moments of grief, struggle, or confusion. In those moments, we rely on conviction. If you can remember how the practice has supported you in the past, that memory may be enough to shift the mind just one degree—to reach out to the community, to remember your ancestors, or to click that Zoom link for a sit. Other times, effort is simply about receiving the practice and letting it guide you.

Wise Mindfulness and Concentration

Wise Mindfulness (Sati) is present in all these factors. We can always go back to the body. Whether you are at work, eating, or driving, you can check in: What is the physical sensation? Is it pleasant or unpleasant? What is the attitude of the mind? Is there curiosity or compassion? This check-in takes only a minute, but it allows mindfulness and investigation to work together.

Finally, we have Wise Concentration (Samādhi), or the unification of the mind. I met this factor as a fruit of the practice. For a long time, I was averse to concentration because I didn't like it when the "present moment" feeling went away. I realize now that was a misunderstanding.

As we show up, things become clearer. The ability to rest in and be nourished by the breath is a gift. I thought practice was just about getting rid of suffering, but I discovered it is also about being nourished, having more joy, and finding a lasting sense of well-being. This mind is malleable; we don't have to stay stuck in a box.

Closing

If the Eightfold Path feels like too many factors, just remember the one word that resonated with you earlier. Write it on a Post-it note and look at it. Go there. That is your entry point.

I will close with a quote from Ajahn Sucitto7 about conviction and the mind:

"This mind can be very fluid and, as such, can be poured into any suitable container. We pour our mind and awareness into the vehicle of faith and confidence. We frame it with mindfulness, and we wield it with energy. We firm it up with samādhi so that we can review all things with discernment."

Thank you for your practice. It is wonderful to be on this path together, supporting and celebrating with each other.

Footnotes

  1. Four Noble Truths: The foundational reachings of Buddhism: the truth of suffering (dukkha), the cause of suffering (clinging/taṇhā), the cessation of suffering (nirodha), and the path to the cessation of suffering (the Eightfold Path). ↩

  2. Wise View (Sammā-diṭṭhi): The first factor of the Eightfold Path, involving an understanding of the Four Noble Truths, the laws of karma, and the nature of reality (impermanence and non-self). ↩

  3. Anukampa: A Pali term often translated as "compassion," "empathy," or "trembling along with." It signifies a sense of care that moves one to act for the benefit of others. ↩

  4. Five Precepts (Pañcasīla): The basic code of ethics for lay Buddhist practitioners, intended to cultivate a mind free from remorse and to protect oneself and others from harm. ↩

  5. Kalyāṇa-mitta: A "noble friend" or "virtuous friend." In Buddhism, this is someone who acts as a spiritual guide and mentor, encouraging one on the path to liberation. ↩

  6. Wise Effort (Sammā-vāyāma): The effort to prevent unarisen unwholesome states, abandon arisen unwholesome states, arouse unarisen wholesome states, and maintain arisen wholesome states. ↩

  7. Ajahn Sucitto: A prominent teacher in the Thai Forest Tradition and former abbot of Cittaviveka Buddhist Monastery in England. (Original transcript said "aan suito" or "aanu Cheo"). ↩