What is one key ethical teaching central to Buddhism?

The Noble Eightfold Path is a central ethical teaching in Buddhism that outlines a practical guide for ethical and mental development with the goal of freeing individuals from suffering and attaining enlightenment. This path encompasses eight interconnected factors: right understanding, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. Together, these practices encourage ethical living, mental discipline, and wisdom, which are essential for overcoming ignorance and craving, the primary sources of suffering in Buddhist thought.

In contrast, the other choices represent ethical frameworks from different religious traditions. The Ten Commandments is a foundational set of ethical guidelines in Judaism and Christianity, while the Five Pillars of Faith are central acts of worship and practice in Islam. The Virtues of the Conducted Life might refer to general ethical principles but are not specifically tied to Buddhism in the way the Noble Eightfold Path is. Thus, the Noble Eightfold Path distinctly embodies the ethical teachings crucial to Buddhist practice and philosophy.