Final answer:
Buddhists believe that they will be free from suffering if they reach nirvana, which is associated with the highest level of the Eightfold Noble Path. Nirvana is the state of ultimate peace and enlightenment that is the goal of following the Buddhist teachings.
Step-by-step explanation:
Buddhists and the Eightfold Noble Path
Buddhists believe that they will be free from suffering if they reach nirvana, the ultimate level of the Eightfold Noble Path. The Eightfold Path outlines the way to the cessation of suffering, which is a central aim of Buddhism. This path is part of the Four Noble Truths, which teach that life is suffering, suffering arises from attachment to desires, suffering ceases when attachment to desires ceases, and freedom from suffering is possible by practicing the Eightfold Path or the "middle way."
The path consists of eight practices: Right Understanding, Right Mindedness, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Living, Right Effort, Right Attentiveness, and Right Concentration. These practices are categorized into three areas: Wisdom, Morality, and Concentration. Achieving enlightenment and subsequently nirvana requires a combination of ethical conduct, meditation, and wisdom.
Therefore, the correct answer to the question is option 2) nirvana.