Since the elements of our mental and spiritual being are even more intricately connected than those of our physical being, eliminating craving alone will not eliminate suffering. For true development, the entire mental and spiritual being must be improved. All delusions and impediments to attaining the ideal state of enlightenment must be eliminated, and the mind must be liberated to work in a free, healthy way. The program of religious practice set forth in the Eightfold Path stimulates just this kind of overall mental development and personal perfection.
Basic Buddhist Concepts

Buddhism begins with a direct examination of suffering, which figures prominently in most basic Buddhist teachings. For instance, one of the most fundamental of Buddhist doctrines is the four seals of the Law – suffering, impermanence, absence of a permanent self, and nirvana. The first of the Four Noble Truths is that birth is suffering, and in the Twelve-linked Chain of Dependent Origination, the final link, aging and death, is described as lamentable and pitiable suffering. Because of the numerous mentions of suffering in the most ancient scriptures, some people criticize Buddhism as pessimistic or argue that it is too otherworldly and aloof from the affairs of everyday life. But to overcome suffering is the purpose of all religions. The ultimate goal of Buddhism, too, is to conquer suffering, transcend the cycle of transmigrations, and attain the tranquility called nirvana.
Basic Buddhist Concepts

[T]he original teaching of the triple doctrine was that the believer should be charitable and observe the precepts in order to earn the karmic reward of rebirth in heaven, but the idea behind the teaching is that through the gradual and continuous practice of giving and the precepts the practitioner will come to understand the true nature of existence, abandon the lesser goal of rebirth in a heavenly realm, and begin to practice giving and the precepts with no thought of karmic reward. When this stage of awareness is reached, the practitioner has perfected the indestructible precepts, one of the four indestructible objects of faith (Buddha, Law, Order, and precepts) and is on the sage path leading eventually to enlightenment. The practitioner will continue on this path through various stages of spiritual development, stopping short of becoming an arhat only because lay people cannot devote themselves fully to meditation. If a practitioner can perfect the final practice of meditation, that reward, too, will be won.

Birth, aging, illness, and death, when viewed objectively, are only natural physiological changes. Our subjective, psychological interpretation converts them into suffering. Psychological reactions often make suffering worse than it need be. We are generally less distressed by illness itself than by the effect we imagine it will have on our future and the future of our loved ones. Unnecessary worrying about such things can only aggravate our suffering. By contrast, a correct understanding of the inevitability of change sets our minds at rest and thus minimizes our psychological suffering. The same is true of aging and death. In other words, subjective interpretation converts natural changes into causes of pain.
Basic Buddhist Concepts

The two pillars of Mahayana practice are wisdom and skillful means (upaya). The five perfections excluding wisdom are all types of skillful means. Giving, the central and all-inclusive practice, is a skillful means, and giving is based on compassion. Thus we can identify skillful means as a form of compassionate activity. Wisdom is enlightenment to the true nature of the world and humankind, the principle of causation. In Buddhism, of course, this enlightenment is not merely an intellectual understanding but an actual physical and mental experience. Giving and compassionate action are the inevitable and necessary social expressions of this enlightened view of the world. Thus wisdom and compassion, that is, both the proper understanding of dependent origination and the practice of shunyata that springs from that understanding, have been the guiding spirit of Buddhism from its earliest beginnings to its most recent developments.
Basic Buddhist Concepts

The first step on the Eightfold Path is right views, or the correct Buddhist interpretation of the world and humankind. People of learning and wisdom in the ways of Buddhism who apply the Eightfold Path as a system of self-improvement may safely be assumed to have already a correct Buddhist view of humankind and the world. People who come to Buddhism through faith instead of learning can be expected to have entrusted themselves to the Buddha, the Law, and the Order and to have faith in the precepts. In other words, they too already view the world and humankind in the Buddhist way.
Basic Buddhist Concepts

Right thought, the second step of the path, refers to correct thought, decisions, and attitudes in specific instances, in contrast to right views, the correct fundamental interpretation of the world. Primitive scriptures divide right thought into three attitudes. The first frees the individual from desire and the temptations of physical pleasure, the second from anger and irritation, and the third from harming others (or foolishness, since doing wrong to others is always a result of foolishness). In other words, right thought frees one from the three poisons of greed, anger, and foolishness. As long as thought is right, speech, action, and livelihood will also be right.
Basic Buddhist Concepts

Primitive Buddhist texts define four aspects of right mindfulness: that the body is impure, that perception is the source of suffering, that the mind is impermanent, and that all things are without self. For a Buddhist, remembering these things provides a powerful, unfailing source of religious energy for the practical application of faith. In everyday life, right mindfulness means being aware of what is happening at all times and avoiding carelessness or thoughtlessness.
Basic Buddhist Concepts

Right views, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, and right mindfulness all serve to make right meditation easier. Conversely, right meditation promotes the smooth practice of all the other steps.
Basic Buddhist Concepts