Walking along a Path

The word "Path" has several meanings. First of all and most basically it should be as synonymous with "practice" (Patipatti) or "way of practice" (patipada). Both of these terms imply stepwise progress like walking along a path; and they also imply the path itself which is to be walked. The word "Path" refers specifically to that which is practised or walked, but strictly speaking the Path and the walking of it ought not to be distinguished. The walking, the walker, and the path walked are not to be recognized as separate things. In Pali language, one single word was used for these, or at least one basic root word was used in slightly different forms which referred respectively to the one who walks, the path walked, and the act of walking, All these are in Pali variants of the one root word.  So when we hear of the practice (Patipatti) or the way of practice (patipada), let us bear in mind that they refer to walking the Path.