SN 45.8: Analysis [of Noble Eightfold Path], you should have this memorized, all factors in proper order

If you're serious about the Dhamma, studying the suttas,

this is one of the suttas you should have memorized,
all 8 factors in order,
all subfactors of each of the 8 factors in order.

Why do I say that?

Because in the oral tradition,

things are memorized, information memorized are necessarily compact and dense,

and composed in a way to make it easier to memorize accurately.

You don't want to memorize more data than necessary,

that's just more data that can be mis-memorized and garbled.

And if you're serious about studying the suttas,

what you'll find is that there's a lot of information conveyed in subtle ways,

a kind of hidden commentary written in invisible ink,

but only visible to those who've memorized the core Dhamma formulas and ideas,

in proper order.

For example, I'll bet if I ask most people,

what's the difference between non-ill-will and non-harmfulness? (2 of the 3 factors in right resolve)

There's some overlap, but there's a very big difference between those 2 factors.

MN 8 has the solution to that question,

but it's never explicitly answered as such.

The sutta never says, "the difference between non ill will and non harming is...".

But the answer is clear, only if you know the noble eightfold factors, and their subfactors in proper order.

So this is a sutta (SN 45.8) you should aspire to have memorized.

(pāḷi optional, but at least in English or your native tongue all 8 factors and their subfactors in correct order).

In the meantime, my translation with its table of contents and illustrations makes it the best reference available.

You can look up anything with a hyperlink and get to what you want in under 2 seconds.

SN 45.8 Vibhaṅga: Analysis [of Noble Eightfold Path]

(2018 FLIPT translation by frankk‍)

SN ^45.8 – SN 45.8 Vibhaṅga: Analysis [of Noble Eightfold Path]
SN ^45.8.1 - (1. sammā-diṭṭhi: 1👁 right view )
SN ^45.8.2 - (2. sammā-saṅkappo: 2💭 right resolve)
SN ^45.8.3 - (3. sammā-vācā: 3💬 right speech)
SN ^45.8.4 - (4. sammā-kammanto: 4🏃 right action)
SN ^45.8.5 - (5. sammā-ājīvo: 5👑 right livelihood)
SN ^45.8.6 - (6. sammā-vāyāmo: 6🏹 right effort)
SN ^45.8.7 - (7. sammā-sati: 7🐘 right remembering [and applying Dharma])
SN ^45.8.8 - (8. sammā-samādhi: 8🌄 right undistractible-lucidity)

“ariyaṃ vo, bhikkhave, aṭṭh-aṅgikaṃ maggaṃ	"(the) noble , *********, Eight-fold Path.
desessāmi vibhajissāmi.	(I) will-teach (and) analyze.
taṃ suṇātha, sādhukaṃ	(to) this, listen thoroughly,
manasi karotha;	mind attentively;
bhāsissāmī”ti.	(I) will-speak."
“evaṃ, bhante”ti	As-you-say, lord,'
kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṃ.	*** those monks, (to the) blessed-one, consented.
bhagavā eta-d-avoca —	The-Blessed-One **--said,
“katamo ca, bhikkhave, ariyo aṭṭh-aṅgiko maggo?	"what **, monks, (is the) Noble Eight-fold Path?
seyyathidaṃ —	(it is) as-follows -

正見 zhèng jiàn	1👁 sammā-diṭṭhi	right-view
正思惟 Zhèng sīwéi	2💭 sammā-saṅkappo	right-resolve
正語 Zhèng yǔ	3💬 sammā-vācā	right-vocalization
正業 zhèng yè	4🏃 sammā-kammanto	right-action
正命 zhèng mìng	5👑 sammā-ājīvo	right-livelihood
正精進 zhèng jīngjìn	6🏹 sammā-vāyāmo	right-effort
正念 zhèngniàn	7🐘 sammā-sati	right-remembering
正定 zhèngdìng	8🌄 sammā-samādhi	righteous-undistractible-lucidity

45.8.1 - (1. sammā-diṭṭhi: 1👁 right view )

“katamā ca, bhikkhave, sammā-diṭṭhi? yaṃ kho, bhikkhave,	What , *****, (is) right-view? * * *******
dukkhe ñāṇaṃ,	pain-&-suffering; knowledge (of that)
Dukkha-samudaye ñāṇaṃ,	pain-&-suffering's-origination; knowledge (of that)
Dukkha-nirodhe ñāṇaṃ,	pain-&-suffering's-cessation; knowledge (of that)
Dukkha-nirodha-gāminiyā paṭipadāya ñāṇaṃ —	pain-&-suffering's-cessation-way (of that) practice; knowledge (of that)
ayaṃ vuccati, bhikkhave, sammā-diṭṭhi.	this is-called; *****; right-view.

45.8.2 - (2. sammā-saṅkappo: 2💭 right resolve)

“katamo ca, bhikkhave, sammā-saṅkappo? yo kho, bhikkhave,	What , ****, (is) right resolve? * *******
Nekkhamma-saṅkappo,	Renunciation-resolve,
A-byāpāda-saṅkappo,	Non-ill-will-resolve,
A-vihiṃsā-saṅkappo —	Non-harmfulness-resolve
ayaṃ vuccati, bhikkhave, sammā-saṅkappo.	This is called, *********, right resolve.

45.8.3 - (3. sammā-vācā: 3💬 right speech)

“katamā ca, bhikkhave, sammā-vācā? yā kho, bhikkhave,	What , *****, is right speech? * *******
musāvādā veramaṇī,	lying; abstaining (from it)
pisuṇāya vācāya veramaṇī,	Divisive-speech; abstaining (from it)
pharusāya vācāya veramaṇī,	Abusive-speech; abstaining (from it)
samphappalāpā veramaṇī —	Idle-chatter; abstaining (from it)
ayaṃ vuccati, bhikkhave, sammā-vācā.	This is called, *********, right speech.

45.8.4 - (4. sammā-kammanto: 4🏃 right action)

“katamo ca, bhikkhave, sammā-kammanto? yā kho, bhikkhave,	What , *******, is right action?
Pāṇā-atipātā veramaṇī,	Life-attacking(, killing); abstaining (from it)
Adinnā-dānā veramaṇī,	stealing; abstaining (from it)
A-brahmacariyā veramaṇī —	Un-chastity; abstaining (from it)
ayaṃ vuccati, bhikkhave, sammā-kammanto.	This is called, *********, right action.

45.8.5 - (5. sammā-ājīvo: 5👑 right livelihood)

“katamo ca, bhikkhave, sammā-ājīvo?	What , *******, is right livelihood?
Micchā-ājīvaṃ pahāya	Wrong-livehihood; having-abandoned,
Sammā-ājīvena jīvitaṃ kappeti —	Right-livelihood; lives accordingly
ayaṃ vuccati, bhikkhave, sammā-ājīvo.	This is called, *********, right livelihood.

45.8.6 - (6. sammā-vāyāmo: 6🏹 right effort)

“katamo ca, bhikkhave, sammā-vāyāmo?

What **, *********, is right-effort?

(1. Restrain)

An-uppannānaṃ pāpakānaṃ a-kusalānaṃ dhammānaṃ	Not-yet-arisen evil, un-skillful ☸Dharma-[teachings]:
An-uppādāya	(let them remain) un-arisen!
chandaṃ janeti	desire (he) generates!
vāyamati	(he) endeavors!
vīriyaṃ ārabhati	Vigor & vitality (he) arouses!
cittaṃ paggaṇhāti padahati,	(the) mind (he) pushes, exerts!

(2. Abandon)

uppannānaṃ pāpakānaṃ a-kusalānaṃ dhammānaṃ	arisen evil, un-skillful ☸Dharma-[teachings]:
pahānāya	abandon!!!
chandaṃ janeti	desire (he) generates!
vāyamati	(he) endeavors!
vīriyaṃ ārabhati	Vigor & vitality (he) arouses!
cittaṃ paggaṇhāti padahati,	(the) mind (he) pushes, exerts!

(3. Develop)

An-uppannānaṃ kusalānaṃ dhammānaṃ	Not-yet-arisen skillful☸Dharma-[teachings]:
uppādāya	(let them) arise!
chandaṃ janeti	desire (he) generates!
vāyamati	(he) endeavors!
vīriyaṃ ārabhati	Vigor & vitality (he) arouses!
cittaṃ paggaṇhāti padahati,	(the) mind (he) pushes, exerts!

(4. Protect)

uppannānaṃ kusalānaṃ dhammānaṃ	arisen skillful ☸Dharma-[teachings]:
ṭhitiyā asammosāya bhiyyo-bhāvāya	maintenance, non-confusion, increase,
vepullāya bhāvanāya pāri-pūriyā	plenitude, development, & culmination
chandaṃ janeti	desire (he) generates!
vāyamati	(he) endeavors!
vīriyaṃ ārabhati	Vigor & vitality (he) arouses!
cittaṃ paggaṇhāti padahati,	(the) mind (he) pushes, exerts!

ayaṃ vuccati, bhikkhave, sammā-vāyāmo.

This is called, *********, right effort.

45.8.7 - (7. sammā-sati: 7🐘 right remembering [and applying Dharma])

“katamā ca, bhikkhave, sammā-sati?

what **, *********, is right-remembering?

(1. 🏃 kāya: [physical] body)

kāye kāyā-(a)nu-passī viharati	He lives continuously seeing the body as a body [as it truly is].
ātāpī sampajāno satimā,	he is ardent 🏹, he has lucid discerning 👁, he remembers 🐘 [to apply relevant ☸Dharma].
vineyya loke abhijjhā-do-manassaṃ;	he should remove greed and distress regarding the world.

(2. vedana: sensations)

vedanāsu vedanā-(a)nu-passī viharati	He lives continuously seeing sensations as sensations [as it truly is].
ātāpī sampajāno satimā,	he is ardent 🏹, he has lucid discerning 👁, he remembers 🐘 [to apply relevant ☸Dharma].
vineyya loke abhijjhā-do-manassaṃ;	he should remove greed and distress regarding the world.

(3. citta: mind)

citte cittā-(a)nu-passī viharati	He lives continuously seeing a mind as a mind [as it truly is].
ātāpī sampajāno satimā,	he is ardent 🏹, he has lucid discerning 👁, he remembers 🐘 [to apply relevant ☸Dharma].
vineyya loke abhijjhā-do-manassaṃ;	he should remove greed and distress regarding the world.

(4. Dhamma: The Buddha's Dharma teachings)

dhammesu dhammā-(a)nu-passī viharati	He lives continuously seeing ☸Dharma as ☸Dharma [as it truly is].
ātāpī sampajāno satimā,	he is ardent 🏹, he has lucid discerning 👁, he remembers 🐘 [to apply relevant ☸Dharma].
vineyya loke abhijjhā-do-manassaṃ;	he should remove greed and distress regarding the world.

ayaṃ vuccati, bhikkhave, sammā-sati.

This is called, *********, right remembering.

45.8.8 - (8. sammā-samādhi: 8🌄 right undistractible-lucidity)

“katamo ca, bhikkhave, sammā-samādhi?

What **, *********, is right-undistractable-lucidity?

j1🌘 First Jhāna

🚫💑 vivicc’eva kāmehi	Judiciously-secluded from desire for five cords of sensual pleasures,
🚫😠 vivicca a-kusalehi dhammehi	Judiciously-secluded from unskillful ☸Dharmas,
(V&V💭) sa-vitakkaṃ sa-vicāraṃ	with directed-thought and evaluation [of those verbal ☸Dharma thoughts],
😁🙂 viveka-jaṃ pīti-sukhaṃ	with [mental] rapture and [physical] pleasure born from judicious-seclusion,
🌘 paṭhamaṃ jhānaṃ upasampajja viharati.	he attains and lives in first jhāna.

j2🌗 Second Jhāna

Vitakka-vicārānaṃ vūpasamā	with the subsiding of directed-thought and evaluation [of those verbal ☸Dharma thoughts],
ajjhattaṃ sam-pasādanaṃ	with internal purity and self-confidence,
🌄 cetaso ekodi-bhāvaṃ	his mind becomes singular in focus.
🚫(V&V💭) a-vitakkaṃ a-vicāraṃ	Without directed-thought and evaluation, [mental processing is now subverbal,]
🌄😁🙂 samādhi-jaṃ pīti-sukhaṃ	[mental] rapture and [physical] pleasure is born from undistractible-lucidity,
🌗 dutiyaṃ jhānaṃ upasampajja viharati.	he attains and lives in second jhāna.

j3🌖 Third Jhāna

🚫😁 pītiyā ca virāgā	With [mental] rapture fading,
👁 upekkhako ca viharati	he lives equanimously observing [☸Dharmas with subverbal mental processing].
(S&S🐘💭) sato ca sam-pajāno,	remembering [and applying relevant ☸Dharma], he lucidly discerns.
🙂🚶 sukhañca kāyena paṭi-saṃ-vedeti,	He experiences pleasure with the [physical] body.
yaṃ taṃ ariyā ācikkhanti —	The Noble Ones praise this [stage of jhāna in particular because they expect this to be the normal state of the average monk in all postures at all times]:
‘upekkhako satimā sukha-vihārī’ti	"He lives happily with pleasure, Equanimously observing and remembering [to engage in relevant ☸Dharma]."
🌖 tatiyaṃ jhānaṃ upasampajja viharati.	he attains and lives in third jhāna.

j4🌕 Fourth Jhāna

sukhassa ca pahānā	With the abandoning of [physical] pleasure
dukkhassa ca pahānā	and pain,
pubbeva so-manassa-do-manassānaṃ atthaṅgamā	with the previous abandoning of elated and distressed mental states,
A-dukkham-a-sukhaṃ	experiencing [physical] sensations of neither pain nor pleasure,
👁🐘 Upekkhā-sati-pārisuddhiṃ	his equanimous observation and his remembering [and application of relevant ☸Dharma] is purified.
🌕 catutthaṃ jhānaṃ upasampajja viharati	he attains and lives in fourth jhāna.

ayaṃ vuccati, bhikkhave, sammāsamādhī”ti.

This is called right undistractible-lucidity.”

(end of sutta⏹️)

SN 48.40 Ven. Thanissaro comments on Ven. Sunyo's analysis

This was Ven. Sunyo's analysis of SN 48.40: https://notesonthedhamma.blogspot.com/2024/05/exciting-news-honest-ebt-scholars-like.html And here is Ven. Thanissaro's response to that analysis: I think there’s a better way to tackle the issue of SN 48:40 than by appealing to the oldest layers of commentarial literature. That way is to point out that SN 48:40, as we have it, doesn’t pass the test in DN 16 for determining what’s genuine Dhamma and what’s not. There the standard is, not the authority of the person who’s claiming to report the Buddha’s teachings, but whether the teachings he’s reporting are actually in accordance with the principles of the Dhamma that you know. So the simple fact that those who have passed the Buddha’s teachings down to us say that a particular passage is what the Buddha actually taught is not sufficient grounds for accepting it. In the case of the jhānas—the point at issue here— we have to take as our guide the standard formula for the jhānas, a...

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