The Eight Fold Path - Disembled

The Eight Fold Path -

1. Right View	Wisdom
2. Right Intention
3. Right Speech	Ethical Conduct
4. Right Action
5. Right Livelihood
6. Right Effort	Mental Development
7. Right Mindfulness
8. Right Concentration

as put by the website we were asked to visit.(http://www.thebigview.com/buddhism/eightfoldpath.html)
I apologize in advance to everyone who was all "yea the eightfold path is awesome and we should do it....etc...." I am writing from the side of a few questions that I feel make interesting conversation.

I read through this and found some things interesting to think about. One idea I have been toying with since we started this topic of the Four Noble Truths and the Eight fold Path is the idea that the pursuit of Nirvana in and of itself is in violation of the very ideas that Buddhism stands on. This idea being that desires lead to suffering and suffering leads to a long struggle against the imperfect nature of the human "condition". So based upon this precept the very fact that these people "want", "try", or even "attempt" to achieve Nirvana through a systematic list of steps that essentially say be good to everything living and take no action that could bring harm to others. I wonder if the Monks who follow this way of life so ferverantly ever contemplate the very desire based nature of their pursuit of "a higher state of being" or "Enlightenment". Is such a thing even possible? It seems counter intuitive to say be without desire and the reality of the world will reveal itself to you, when in fact by wanting to know or see that reality is in and of itself a desire. So is it possible to live without desire whether with or without your own intent? Then if it is not is there truly a purpose to seeking the improbable reality that seems to only be revealed when you are doing the "Right" things and without "Desire". What constitutes a desire? if my stomach growls is it not a sign that I could be in need or want of food in order to sate my desire to be comfortable? If my bladder is full is it not my desire to find relief in emptying it? How do you live a life without desire really if we are creatures of need? I suppose an argument could be that the answer to these questions is a desire, maybe it is, but can you invest in something that seems to hinge on something that goes against the very nature of the world of life? There are basic "needs" that could be said to be desires, it seems to be a perspective game. Perhaps in realizing these things and doing the "right" thing while realizing that there is no promise of benefit or even answer that this is the true nature of reality. I don't know, I'm speculating. What do you think?

I feel that the website we went to is also needlessly sub categorizing the Eight Fold Path by limiting their application by giving labels such as "wisdom" , or "ethical conduct" when really all the parts of this path are applicable and interchangeable with each category. again Perspective.

I can agree that the eight fold path lays a nice foundation to lead the world were it to follow to some semblance of harmony, however peace is difficult to maintane because there will always be some exception the the rules or way people think. I Wonder if perhaps the message here is that to see the truth you have to let go of your interest in yourself and your own personal gain and instead attend to the needs of others? but then is it right to be slave to the needs of others when there are those who would not do for themselves if given the option? what is the purpose of struggle without goals or reason? Why should we exist without goal? or is it that we exist because there is no goal? I at this point am rambling to no purpose and a purpose. Thanks!

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