What is the Noble Eightfold Path in Buddhism?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

The Noble Eightfold Path is central to Buddhism, teaching followers to overcome desire and suffering through wisdom, ethical living, and meditation. The Noble Eightfold Path emphasizes right view, intent, speech, behavior, livelihood, effort, awareness, and meditation, all pursued simultaneously to break free from desire and reach Nirvana. The Bible reveals the opposite: Nothing we can do makes us right with God or brings us lasting peace. The Bible calls believers to control their words, attitudes, and actions, but always in reliance on God’s power rather than personal striving (Galatians 5:16; Colossians 3:17). Unlike Buddhist meditation that seeks emptiness, biblical meditation fills the mind with God’s truth (Psalm 1:2; Colossians 3:16). Ultimately, Buddhism points inward for release, but Christianity points upward to Christ, who alone provides forgiveness, freedom, and fullness of life to eternal life.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• Buddhism teaches meditation as the emptying of the mind to achieve Nirvana. But the Bible teaches meditation as filling our minds with God’s truth. For instance, when God appointed Joshua as Moses’ successor, He charged him to meditate on His law: “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success” (Joshua 1:8).
• In another example from the book of Psalm, the psalmist describes the person whose “delight is in the law of the Lord” as “Blessed” (Psalm 1:1-2). Again, Scripture emphasizes focusing on God’s word rather than Buddhism’s emptying of self.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• One wisdom aspect of the Noble Eightfold Path is “right view”, which is believing in the Four Noble Truths that life is suffering, suffering results from our seeking temporary things, all things are temporary, and following the Noble Eightfold Path will lead to a lack of desire. Biblically, believers are taught that salvation is through Jesus alone (John 8:32-36; 14:6; Acts 4:12). But pursuing specific knowledge is not an active part of salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9; 1 Corinthians 3:19).
• Right view also includes the belief in rebirth (reincarnation and karma). But the Bible teaches that we die once and are then judged to eternal life or eternal separation from God (Matthew 25:46; Hebrews 9:27).
• Another of the wisdom aspects of the Noble Eightfold Path is “right intent,” which teaches a person to submit thoughts and attitudes to the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path. In Christianity, the Bible teaches us to strive to emulate the actions and standards of Jesus (2 Corinthians 13:5; Romans 13:14; John 15:14). The Bible also teaches us that our natural, fleshly desires are not Christ-like (Galatians 5:17). Buddhism offers no tools for a person to change those desires, while Christianity offers the indwelling of God Himself (Romans 8:9; John 14:16-17; Galatians 5:16).
• Though the foundation and goals of Buddhism are unbiblical, some of its precepts coincide with biblical teachings. For instance, ”right speech” is part of the “Ethical Conduct” of the Noble Eightfold Path. The Bible also tells us to control our words (Ephesians 4:29; Colossians 4:6), our tongues (James 3:3-12), and avoid unnecessary arguing (1 Timothy 6:4). It teaches Christians to talk about spiritual things, and specifically to share the Good News (Matthew 28:18-20).
• Buddhism’s “right behavior” calls for measuring our actions against the standard of whether they would bring harm to others and avoiding those that do. The Bible addresses behavioral ethics, summed up in Matthew 7:12 and popularly known as the “golden rule.” It also combines actions with attitude, judging each equally (Matthew 5:21-22, 27-28). The standard is God's holy nature.
• “Right livelihood” focuses on occupation. Does it harm others or require you to lie or cheat? Buddhist understanding of animal life and violence would eliminate any job related to the preparation or selling of meat or weapons. The Bible tells us that we should do all things for God's glory (Colossians 3:17), which would include the way we do business. And of course, it makes sense that believers would respect what the Lord has created (Colossians 1:16-17). But Scripture indicates that animals are for our benefit and does not prohibit the eating of meat (Mark 7:19). Christians may also defend themselves (Luke 22:36).
• “Right effort” includes avoiding pessimism, negativity, and such emotions as anger. Biblically, human nature is flawed, so a person can do only so much to live an upstanding life (Romans 3:23, 5:12). However, God desires to change our hearts and help us become more like Him (2 Thessalonians 3:13; 1 Corinthians 6:11). Buddhism offers no means for such change.
• Unlike Buddhism, biblical salvation and transformation come not through self-effort but through Jesus Christ (John 14:6; Ephesians 2:8-9).

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

Buddhists strive to follow the Noble Eightfold Path in the categories of Wisdom, Conduct (Ethical), and Concentration. The Noble Eightfold Path represents the practical way to live out the Four Noble Truths, which teach that life is suffering caused by desiring impermanent things. It teaches that all things, even people, are impermanent.

The eight parts of the Path—right view, right intent, right speech, right behavior, right livelihood, right effort, right awareness, and right meditation—are not to be followed in any specific order but pursued simultaneously. Buddhists believe that when all desire is removed, a person can reach Nirvana; pursuing the aspects of the Noble Eightfold Path is meant to help practitioners rid themselves of desire.

While Buddhism and Christianity have similarities, the differences are such that there can be no agreement between the two. Buddhism requires someone to push themselves to reach the highest goals, while Christianity shows that a person's natural heart is not to be trusted (Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:10-12, 5:12, 7:18-24) and relies on God to bring about the goodness in us through a relationship with Jesus Christ (John 3:16; Romans 7:25; Galatians 3:13).

UNDERSTAND

• Buddhism’s Eightfold Path seeks freedom from suffering through self-effort in wisdom, ethics, and meditation.
• The Bible teaches salvation and transformation come only through Jesus, not human striving.
• God calls us to fullness of life found in Him, not through emptying of self.

REFLECT

• Where do you find yourself relying on your own effort instead of trusting in Jesus for transformation?
• How does the way you meditate or reflect on God’s Word shape your choices and desires?
• Where are you tempted to chase temporary solutions for peace instead of turning to Christ for lasting hope?

ENGAGE

• How does the Buddhist idea of striving through the Eightfold Path compare with the Bible’s teaching that salvation is by grace through faith?
• What differences do we see between Buddhist meditation that seeks emptiness and biblical meditation that fills us with God’s truth?
• How can we encourage one another to find true freedom in Christ rather than in self-effort or self-improvement?