PRACTICE OF THE SUBLIME EIGHTFOLD WAY 

 As already mentioned, this method of meditation is based on The Sublime Eightfold Way, as taught by the Buddha. (KS Vol. 5: 7-9) 
It is very important to understand that this technique of meditation is a method of transforming oneself from a self-centered personality into a selfless one, by following the Supernormal Eight-fold Way. There are eight steps to be followed. They are as follows: 

                    1. Harmonious Perspective (sammā-ditthi) 

                    2. Harmonious Orientation (sammā-sankappa) 

                    3. Harmonious Speech (sammā-vācā) 

                    4. Harmonious Action (sammā-kammanta) 

                    5. Harmonious Lifestyle (sammā-ājīva) 

                    6. Harmonious Exercise (sammā-vāyāma) 

                    7. Harmonious Attention (sammā-sati) 

                    8. Harmonious Mental Equilibrium (sammā-samādhi) 


The first step is to acquire the harmonious perspective. The harmonious perspective is the perspective that brings about harmony internally and externally. This is a perspective, not merely a right view or a right understanding. This is a different way of looking at life, yourself, the world, and your relationship to the world. It is seeing things in a different way that does not create conflict internally or externally. 
Even Charles Darwin the originator of the modern theory of evolution saw life as a struggle for existence. It needed the evolution of a Buddha to realize that this struggle was only a mistake, for it was an effort to be permanent in an impermanent world. This struggle, however, occurred quite unconsciously and deterministically. No one was responsible for it. Even after the evolution of the thinking human being, this futile effort is continued quite unconsciously through blind emotions. This struggle stands out in the human being as a conflict between blind emotions and the rational intelligence that is aware of reality. It needed the evolution of a Buddha, however, to see this mistake and realize that the cause of the problem was the blind emotions that clashed with the reality conceived by intelligence. This distressful conflict is what the Buddha called suffering (dukkha). 
There are three kinds of conflict that emotions come up with: 

                     1. With nature 

                     2. With people 

                     3. With reason 


 It was to resolve this conflict by eliminating the blind emotions that the Buddha found this Sublime Eightfold Way.