Revision summary
The eightfold path is wisdom, conduct, and concentration as one way. Right view and intention clean the aim; speech, action, and livelihood clean the outer act. Effort, mindfulness, and concentration clean the mind that signs the act. For an officer, no lie, no stamp-theft, and a watched temper are the living path. It is a middle way, not withdrawal from the file.
Model answer
Introduction
The Buddha’s eightfold path is a discipline for purifying conduct, mind, and view. It is not a slogan of withdrawal; it is eight connected habits that turn greed, hatred, and delusion into a usable public ethic.
Body
The path as a whole
- The ariya atthangika magga sits inside the Four Noble Truths as the way out of dukkha.
- It is grouped as wisdom (panna), conduct (sila), and concentration (samadhi).
- Purification of conduct is not only sila; wrong view will dirty even a quiet outer life.
Wisdom
- Right view (samma ditthi): seeing cause and effect, not a superstition that a bribe is luck or that a caste is pollution.
- Right intention (samma sankappa): resolve of non-ill-will, non-cruelty, and letting go of grabbing; the inner aim before the file is opened.
Conduct (sila)
- Right speech (samma vaca): no lie, no slander, no harsh taunt, no empty chatter that inflames a mohalla.
- Right action (samma kammanta): no killing, no taking what is not given, no sexual misconduct; in office, no violence as habit and no theft of the stamp.
- Right livelihood (samma ajiva): earning without trading in weapons of harm, deceit, or exploitation; for a public servant, the salary is the livelihood, not the queue.
Concentration
- Right effort (samma vayama): energy to drop a corrupt thought and to grow a fair one; vigilance as inner labour.
- Right mindfulness (samma sati): watching body, feeling, and mind so that anger at a protest does not become an unlawful order.
- Right concentration (samma samadhi): a steady mind that can hold a complex file without panic or appetite.
Purification in public life
- Speech and livelihood are the most visible tests for a civil servant.
- Mindfulness is the Buddhist name for what Ethics papers call emotional intelligence.
- The path rejects both self-torture and self-indulgence; it is a middle way usable at a desk.
Flow diagram
flowchart TD V[Right view intention] --> S[Right speech action livelihood] S --> M[Right effort mindfulness concentration] M --> P[Purified conduct]
Conclusion
Buddha’s eightfold path purifies conduct through right view and intention, right speech, action and livelihood, and right effort, mindfulness and concentration. Together they are a full ethic, not eight posters.
Quick related
Students also ask
-
Sanjeev is an idealist. He believes that "truth is the greatest virtue and should never be compromised". One day he witnessed a person running away from a mob equipped with sticks and stones. He watched him hiding in a particular spot. The mob asked Sanjeev whether he saw the thief. Sanjeev tells the truth, pointing towards the spot where he saw the person hiding. The mob gets hold of the person and beats him to death. In light of the above circumstance, comment on the conduct of Sanjeev.
Next question in the 2022 paper (Q20). View answer →
-
Is the path only for monks?
The factors are stated for noble living. A householder or officer can practise speech, livelihood, and mindfulness at the desk.
-
Does right speech mean never refusing?
No. A truthful, non-humiliating refusal is right speech. A flattering lie is not.
PYQ trend
When UPSC asked this
Related PYQs from other years, newest first. Open a question to read it.
-
2023 · Q5 · UPGS4 · 8 marks
“Concealment of Information impedes public access and involvement.” In the light of this statement, discuss the importance of information sharing and transparency in Government. -
2022 · Q10 · UPGS4 · 8 marks
Differentiate between (a) Code of ethics and code of conduct (b) Tolerance and compassion. -
2022 · Q16 · UPGS4 · 12 marks
“The Right to Information Act is not only about citizen's empowerment but it essentially redefines the concept of accountability.” Discuss. -
2022 · Q18 · UPGS4 · 12 marks
What steps should be taken according to you to prevent corruption in society? Explain. -
2022 · Q20 · UPGS4 · 12 marks
Sanjeev is an idealist. He believes that "truth is the greatest virtue and should never be compromised". One day he witnessed a person running away from a mob equipped with sticks and stones. He watched him hiding in a particular spot. The mob asked Sanjeev whether he saw the thief. Sanjeev tells the truth, pointing towards the spot where he saw the person hiding. The mob gets hold of the person and beats him to death. In light of the above circumstance, comment on the conduct of Sanjeev. -
2021 · Q3 · UPGS4 · 8 marks
‘Corruption causes misuse of government treasury, administrative inefficiency and obstruction in national development.’ Give suggestions for prevention of corruption in public life in the context of the statement given. -
2021 · Q13 · UPGS4 · 12 marks
Is change in work-culture necessary for providing quality service delivery in present administrative structure? Answer with arguments. -
2021 · Q15 · UPGS4 · 12 marks
Ram Murti is a Government servant and lives with his old aged parents in Indore. One day during a field-visit he meets an 11-year-old orphan boy. The boy was in a miserable condition and homeless, with no one to look after him. Ram Murti brings the boy home and proposes that if the boy takes care of his aged parents, Ram Murti will give him a daily wage according to his needs and will also arrange for his education. Evaluate Ram Murti’s conduct from an ethical perspective.
More from this paper
Q1 · UPSC Mains 2022 · UPGS4 · 8 marks
Differentiate between democratic attitude and bureaucratic attitude of public servants.
Attitude
Democratic attitude treats the citizen as the source of authority and shows as courtesy, speaking orders, and inspectable criteria. Bureaucratic attitude is Weber’s hierarchy, rules, and impersonality; its virtue is fairness, its vice is delay-as-power. Merton’s trained incapacity is when the file becomes the purpose. The Second ARC asked for citizen-centric skill inside a rule-bound office. Public service ethics keeps impersonality against favour and drops contempt of the counter.
Q2 · UPSC Mains 2022 · UPGS4 · 8 marks
Explain the role of persuasion in relation to public protest with proper argument.
Attitude
Protest is often an Article 19 voice; persuasion is public reason before coercion. Ethos, pathos, logos and Cialdini’s tools explain how a trusted, factual, felt message works. Naming the grievance and offering an auditable next step convert heat into a file. Gandhi’s satyagraha is persuasion plus discipline, not vandalism. Force is last when life or another’s right is hit; empty persuasion is deceit.
Q3 · UPSC Mains 2022 · UPGS4 · 8 marks
Define impartiality and discuss the role of impartiality in solving problems of weaker section.
Civil Service aptitude and values
Impartiality decides by statute, evidence and need, not by caste, party, gift or fear. Nolan, Kant and Rawls give the same test: a noting that survives a hidden name. For the weaker section it applies Articles 14–17 and 46 instead of selling the free entitlement. Speaking orders, social audit and protection of the honest officer are the method. Ambedkar and field officers like Sankaran show impartiality as social democracy in the file.
Toppers' copies
Toppers' copies for this question will be uploaded soon.