The Eightfold Path is often taught in terms of the “Threefold Training,” consisting of precepts, meditation, and wisdom.

Precepts refer to the ethical demand of right speech , right action, and right livelihood. Right effort is sometimes included in this category, as well. There are five precepts at the heart of Buddhist morality. These are: not killing, not stealing, not engaging in sexual misconduct, not lying, and not using intoxicants that cloud the mind. Through ethical living, we refrain from making bad causes and take responsibility for developing a life of integrity and confidence.

Meditation refers to mental discipline and refinement, covering right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. By training the mind, we are able to sharpen and strengthen our ability to maintain a peaceful mind and see things as they are, not simply as we wish them to be.

Wisdom refers to the development of right views and right intentions. This means that we are able to see the true nature of reality just as the Buddha sees it.

The Buddha taught that we are able to free ourselves from craving and ignorance and attain awakening when precepts, meditation, and wisdom are developed together.

Right View is fully understanding life as revealed by the Four Noble Truths.

Right Intention is thinking clearly without the distortion of greed, hatred, or delusion. We are sincere and do not harbor ulterior motives.

Right Speech is the avoidance of deceit, gossip, slander, and other forms of verbal abuse and dishonesty. Instead, we speak only to benefit others and to reveal the truth.

Right Action is conducting oneself in an ethical manner and acting to benefit others. We refrain from killing, stealing, sexual deception or exploitation, and other activities harmful to ourselves and to others.

Right Livelihood is making a living without harming or exploiting others. Right livelihood precludes such activities as dealing in armaments, drug dealing, fraud, insider trading and any other means of living that involves the exploitation or harming of others. In other words, our work should be in accord with the rest of the Eightfold Path.

Right Effort is making every effort to develop good habits while curbing our bad habits.

Right Mindfulness is developing an ongoing awareness of all aspects of our life, including our physical condition and actions, our feelings, moods, ideas, our general enviroument, and our relations with others. Through such careful attention we are able to see more deeply into the true nature of our lives.

Right Concentration is making every effort to develop our Buddhist practice in order to acquire tranquility, insight into the true nature of life, and liberation from false views.