THE TWO UNDERSTANDINGS

Therefore, I say, Right Understanding is of two kinds:
1. The view that alms and offerings are not useless; that there is
fruit and result, both of good and bad actions; that there are such
things as this life, and the next life; that father and mother as
spontaneously born beings (in the heavenly worlds) are no mere
words; that there are monks and priests who are spotless and
perfect, who can explain this life and the next life, which they
themselves have understood: this is called the "Mundane Right
Understanding," which yields worldly fruits, and brings good results.
2. But whatsoever there is of wisdom, of penetration, of right
understanding, conjoined with the Path-the mind being turned away from
the world, and conjoined with the path, the holy path being turned
away from the world, and conjoined with the path, the holy path
being pursued;-this is called the "Ultramundane Right
Understanding," which is not of the world, but is ultramundane, and
conjoined with the Path.
[Thus, there are two kinds of the Eightfold Path: the "mundane,"
practiced by the "worldling"; and the "ultra-mundane," practiced by
the "Noble Ones."]
Now, in understanding wrong understanding as wrong, and right
understanding as right, one practices Right Understanding [1st step];
and in making efforts to overcome wrong understanding, and to
arouse right understanding, one practices. Right Effort [6th step];
and in overcoming wrong understanding with attentive mind, and
dwelling with attentive mind in the possession of right understanding,
one practices Right-Attentiveness [7th step]. Hence, there are three
things that accompany and follow upon right understanding, namely:
right understanding, right effort, and right attentiveness.