user23920: In the Noble Eight Fold path, the practices which are said to be done often have a suffix of 'right' to them. My question is, on what basis is this 'right' found? Could a logical explanation be given?

user16635: Think of it this way... If you want to go to a friend's house, there are probably dozens of paths you can take to get there. Some are shorter, some are more pleasant to walk, some go by your favorite coffeeshop or bookstore, etc. There are also many, many, many paths you can walk that will take you someplace else entirely, so that you never reach your friend's house at all.   The 'right' path to your friend's house is whatever path gets you there reasonably quickly, reasonably pleasantly, and reasonably safely.
That's all that 'right' means in this Buddhist context. The eightfold path spells out things that monastics should adhere to so that the journey toward attainment will be fast and direct. It's a roadmap that keeps one out of the mire and free of unforeseen obstacles.

user43: The 'Right' in Buddhism (Samma or Samyak, literally "done well" or "properly done") is that which is causally connected with peace (and Peace). It is causally connected with peace because it removes (arrests and prevents) the causes of non-peace, and because it ('the right') is itself caused and supported by such wholesome factors. The Buddhist right is a virtuous circle building up to Peace.
Unlike most ethical systems, Buddhism is exceedingly deterministic. The Buddha himself said his Dharma was based on the invariant law of nature:

when this exists - that exists. Arising of this leads to arising of that. When this doesn't exist - that doesn't exist. Cessation of this leads to cessation of that.

I suppose it makes sense: when someone seeds irresolvable contradictions, in the end someone has to reap the fruits. And vice versa, when irresolvable contradictions are not sowed, there are no contradictions to be experienced when the seeds would fruit.
Therefore the Right Speech is right because it being factual rather than lying, reconciling rather than divisive, helpful rather than abusing, and useful rather than idle - it functions as a factor of Peace by not creating latent tendencies leaning towards irreconcilable contradictions.
Similarly, Right Samadhi (here in the sense of meditation) is right because being a succession of jhanas it arrests and prevents inner causes of subtle contradictions towards more and more refined inner peace.
The rest of the factors in the Eightfold Path can be analyzed the same way. It's always about cultivating cessation and prevention of causes, either direct or indirect, that would  lead to an eventual experience of irreconcilable contradiction known as suffering. And cultivation of wholesome factors conducive to Peace.

23920: <p>In the Noble Eight Fold path, the practices which are said to be done often have a suffix of 'right' to them. My question is, on what basis is this 'right' found? Could a logical explanation be given?</p>
 16635: <p>Think of it this way... If you want to go to a friend's house, there are probably dozens of paths you can take to get there. Some are shorter, some are more pleasant to walk, some go by your favorite coffeeshop or bookstore, etc. There are also many, many, many paths you can walk that will take you someplace else entirely, so that you never reach your friend's house at all.   The 'right' path to your friend's house is whatever path gets you there reasonably quickly, reasonably pleasantly, and reasonably safely.</p>
<p>That's all that 'right' means in this Buddhist context. The eightfold path spells out things that monastics should adhere to so that the journey toward attainment will be fast and direct. It's a roadmap that keeps one out of the mire and free of unforeseen obstacles.</p>
 43: <p>The 'Right' in Buddhism (Samma or Samyak, literally &quot;done well&quot; or &quot;properly done&quot;) is that which is causally connected with peace (and Peace). It is causally connected with peace because it removes (arrests and prevents) the causes of non-peace, and because it ('the right') is itself caused and supported by such wholesome factors. The Buddhist <em>right</em> is a <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtuous_circle_and_vicious_circle" rel="nofollow noreferrer">virtuous circle</a> building up to Peace.</p>
<p>Unlike most ethical systems, Buddhism is exceedingly deterministic. The Buddha himself said his Dharma was based on the invariant law of nature:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>when this exists - that exists. Arising of this leads to arising of that. When this doesn't exist - that doesn't exist. Cessation of this leads to cessation of that.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I suppose it makes sense: when someone seeds irresolvable contradictions, in the end someone has to reap the fruits. And vice versa, when irresolvable contradictions are not sowed, there are no contradictions to be experienced when the seeds would fruit.</p>
<p>Therefore the Right Speech is right because it being factual rather than lying, reconciling rather than divisive, helpful rather than abusing, and useful rather than idle - it functions as a factor of Peace by not creating latent tendencies leaning towards irreconcilable contradictions.</p>
<p>Similarly, Right Samadhi (here in the sense of meditation) is right because being a succession of jhanas it arrests and prevents inner causes of subtle contradictions towards more and more refined inner peace.</p>
<p>The rest of the factors in the Eightfold Path can be analyzed the same way. It's always about cultivating cessation and prevention of causes, either direct or indirect, that would  lead to an eventual experience of irreconcilable contradiction known as suffering. And cultivation of wholesome factors conducive to Peace.</p>
