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[donq]

the four Noble Truths and the noble eightfold path

Alena asked me about this from another thread but I think I should post it here.


The four Noble Truths:

1 The truth of dukkha (suffering, anxiety, unsatisfactoriness)
2. The truth of the origin of dukkha
3. The truth of the cessation of dukkha
4. The truth of the path leading to the cessation of dukkha

Let me put it in the more easy way:

1. What is your problem?
2. What is the origin of your problem (Where does it come from)?
3. What is the solution of your problem? How to end it?
4. What to do to reach that solution?


As for the noble eightfold path, it can be seen like this:

1. Sila (Ethical conduct)
2. Meditation
3. Wisdom.

1. Right speech, Right action, Right livelihood (these 3 are about Ethical conduct.)
2. Right effort, Right mindfulness, Right concentration (these 3 are about Meditation.)
3. Right view (understanding), Right thought (intention) (these 2 are about wisdom.)

I told you…this will be boring.

[donq]

Hi Alena,

What a coincidence! There was a blackout here, too, for almost 9 hours. It just has been ok now.

Whole article? Sound like you want to do your homework? hahaha.
Ok. I’ve just found this one after a quick search and think it’s good.
Anyway, please beware that this is not my post so I will not put any of my idea on it, ok? And this might has less to do with a practical way but it’s still good to know about it. :-)

The Eight-Fold Path is the fourth of the Four Noble Truths - the first of the Buddha's teachings. All the teachings flow from this foundation by John Allan



The Four Noble Truths are:

1. The Noble Truth of the reality of Dukkha as part of conditioned existence. Dukkha is a multi-faceted word. Its literal meaning is "that which is difficult to bear". It can mean suffering, stress, pain, anguish, affliction or unsatisfactoriness. Each of the English words is either too strong or too weak in their meaning to be a universally successful translation. Dukkha can be gross or very subtle. From extreme physical and mental pain and torment to subtle inner conflicts and existential malaise.

2. The Noble Truth that Dukkha has a causal arising. This cause is defined as grasping and clinging or aversion. On one hand it is trying to control anything and everything by grabbing onto or trying to pin them down, On the other hand it is control by pushing away or pushing down and running away or flinching away from things. It is the process of identification through which we try to make internal and external things and experiences into "me and mine" or wholly '"other" than Me. This flies in the face of the three signs of existence - Anicca, Dukkha. Anatta - Impermanence. Stress or Suffering and No-Self. Because all conditioned existence is impermanent it gives rise to Dukkha, and this means that in conditioned existence there is no unchanging and permanent Self. There is nothing to grasp onto and also in reality, nothing or no 'one' to do the grasping! We grab onto or try to push away ever changing dynamic processes. These attempts to control, limit us to little definitions of who we are.

3. The Noble Truth of the end of Dukkha, which is Nirvana or Nibbana. Beyond grasping and control and conditional existence is Nirvana. "The mind like fire unbound." The realization of Nirvana is supreme Bodhi or Awakening. It is waking up to the true nature of reality. It is waking up to our true nature. Buddha Nature. The Pali Canon of Theravada, the foundational Buddhist teachings, says little about Nirvana, using terms like the Unconditioned the Deathless, and the Unborn. Mahayana teachings speak more about the qualities of Nirvana and use terms like, True Nature, Original Mind, Infinite light and Infinite life. Beyond space and time. Nirvana defies definition.

Nirvana literally means "unbound' as in "Mind like fire unbound". This beautiful image is of a flame burning by itself. Just the flame, not something burning and giving off a flame. Picture a flame burning on a wick or stick, it seems to hover around or just above the thing burning. The flame seems to be independent of the thing burning but it clings to the stick and is bound to it. This sense of the flame being unbound has often been misunderstood to mean the flame is extinguished or blown out. This is completely opposite to the meaning of the symbol. The flame "burns" and gives light but is no longer bound to any combustible material. The flame is not blown out - the clinging and the clung to is extinguished. The flame of our true nature, which is awakening, burns independently. Ultimately Nirvana is beyond conception and intellectual understanding. Full understanding only comes through direct experience of this "state' which is beyond the limitations and definitions of space and time.

4. The Noble Truth of the Path that leads to Awakening. The path is a paradox. It is a conditioned thing that is said to help you to the unconditioned. Awakening is not "made" by anything: it is not a product of anything including the Buddha's teachings. Awakening, your true nature is already always present. We are just not awake to this reality. Clinging to limitation, and attempts to control the ceaseless flow of phenomena and process obscures our true nature.

The path is a process to help you remove or move beyond the conditioned responses that obscure your true nature. In this sense the Path is ultimately about unlearning rather than learning - another paradox. We learn so we can unlearn and uncover. The Buddha called his teaching a Raft. To cross a turbulent river we may need to build a raft. When built, we single-mindedly and with great energy make our way across. Once across we don't need to cart the raft around with us. In other words don't cling to anything including the teachings. However, make sure you use them before you let them go. It's no use knowing everything about the raft and not getting on. The teachings are tools not dogma. The teachings are Upaya, which means skillful means or expedient method. It is fingers pointing at the moon - don't confuse the finger for the moon.

The Path

1. * Samma-Ditthi — Complete or Perfect Vision, also translated as right view or understanding. Vision of the nature of reality and the path of transformation.

2. Samma-Sankappa — Perfected Emotion or Aspiration, also translated as right thought or attitude. Liberating emotional intelligence in your life and acting from love and compassion. An informed heart and feeling mind that are free to practice letting go.

3. Samma-Vaca — Perfected or whole Speech. Also called right speech. Clear, truthful, uplifting and non-harmful communication.

4. Samma-Kammanta — Integral Action. Also called right action. An ethical foundation for life based on the principle of non-exploitation of oneself and others. The five precepts.

5. Samma-Ajiva — Proper Livelihood. Also called right livelihood. This is a livelihood based on correct action the ethical principal of non-exploitation. The basis of an Ideal society.

6. Samma-Vayama — Complete or Full Effort, Energy or Vitality. Also called right effort or diligence. Consciously directing our life energy to the transformative path of creative and healing action that fosters wholeness. Conscious evolution.

7. Samma-Sati — Complete or Thorough Awareness. Also called "right mindfulness". Developing awareness, "if you hold yourself dear watch yourself well". Levels of Awareness and mindfulness - of things, oneself, feelings, thought, people and Reality.

8. Samma-Samadhi — Full, Integral or Holistic Samadhi. This is often translated as concentration, meditation, absorption or one-pointedness of mind. None of these translations is adequate. Samadhi literally means to be fixed, absorbed in or established at one point, thus the first level of meaning is concentration when the mind is fixed on a single object. The second level of meaning goes further and represents the establishment, not just of the mind, but also of the whole being in various levels or modes of consciousness and awareness. This is Samadhi in the sense of enlightenment or Buddhahood.

* The word Samma means 'proper', 'whole', 'thorough', 'integral', 'complete', and 'perfect' - related to English 'summit' - It does not necessarily mean 'right', as opposed to 'wrong'. However it is often translated as "right" which can send a less than accurate message. For instance the opposite of 'Right Awareness' is not necessarily 'Wrong Awareness'. It may simply be incomplete. Use of the word 'right' may make for a neat or consistent list of qualities in translations. The down side is that it can give the impression that the Path is a narrow and moralistic approach to the spiritual life.

[donq]

1. Yesterday I felt too tried, had sore throat and worse headache (more than usual) and almost could not eat anything (my dukkha or suffering).
2. The origin of my dukkha: I got a cold.
3. The cessation of my dukkha: Recovering from that cold.
4. The path leading to the cessation of my dukkha: There are many things I still have had to do. Physically: rest more, take some (right) pills etc. Mentally: more calm down, not be distracted etc.
Sometimes, the solution could become a problem. Why? For example, if I didn’t get a cold but got something else. Then, the pills I took would only make me getting worse, right? Or if I choose the wrong way for my recovering, say, going out to pub or theater (for my entertaining) which there are many people there, then, my condition might be getting worse.
Anyway, so many times the problems in our lives are not that simple. For example, there was a blackout the day before yesterday. Yes, the problem was there was not electricity. But to get that electricity back was beyond my reach. My solution had to be limited to be only handling with myself, not handle with electricity’s problem? (How to calm myself down in that situation and accept it.)
See my point? So many times we have to cope with many unsatisfactoriness in life. In other words, we have to learn to deal with so many disappointment and feel ok with that.

[markings]

Jul 30, 2014 9:54:42 GMT donq said:

1. Yesterday I felt too tried, had sore throat and worse headache (more than usual) and almost could not eat anything (my dukkha or suffering).
2. The origin of my dukkha: I got a cold.
3. The cessation of my dukkha: Recovering from that cold.
4. The path leading to the cessation of my dukkha: There are many things I still have had to do. Physically: rest more, take some (right) pills etc. Mentally: more calm down, not be distracted etc.

1 I am not happy that there is a refernce to a physical illness. It is often said pain is inevitable, suffering in the sense of dukkha, is optional.

2 The reason for suffering is not the cold, it is the attachment to the idea that having a cold is bad, not right or should not be. If we would look at it in terms of energy medicine that will open another pandora's box about attitude to self, body, life. Specific physical happenings are just a sign that something has happened.

3 The cessation of suffering is in becoming aware of what is truly going on, under the surface, and then take corrective action to align myself with the natural flow of things. In many cases this is a simple as letting go.

[donq]

Hi Markings,

Hmm…somehow I learnt it by a very hard way.

While I lived in the forest (Buddhist temple) almost 30 years ago, from time to tome, I had to come back to Bangkok for my examination (my open university for a Law degree), which I wasn’t interested in it anymore, but I had to do it for my parent. And I didn’t remember exactly when it happened, but it did happen! Once I came back home and staying for a while, my appendix erupted/ruptured (I mean literally, not just inflamed or appendicitis) while I stayed at home alone. Though my meditation (indeed, it was mindfulness) helped me endure it for 3 days, climbed on the floor but when my mom came back home and immediately brought me to a nearest hospital, I already was in coma…and had to stay in ICU for two months. She told me later that all doctors thought I could not make it. But one thing they were sure was if only I was brought to that hospital just half an hour late, well…(you have to know that the standard of middle class lives here is like this, we never go to see doctor unless in the worst, worst case. It was about money to pay for the cure, too.
So, my point is that, when I have walked on my spiritual path, I tended to overlook on my worldly part. If only I never knew how to meditate and could not bear with my serious pain, I might not have to stay in ICU for 2 months. Worse than that, my meditation became my worst problem as it was not the right (physical) solution.

[markings]

This may be a good attitude towards physical happenings. We need to attend to them but see that they are not the true reality

And what is the path?
To learn to reside in whatever life presents.
To learn to attend to all those things
that block the flow of a more open life;
and to see them as the very path of awakening—
all of the constructs, the identities,
the holding back, the protections,
all of the fears, the self-judgments, the blame—
all that separates us from letting Life be.

Source:
mettarefuge.wordpress.com/2011/08/26/what-is-our-life-about-poem-and-music/

[sparklekaz]

Physical pain is often the bodies only way of alerting us to the fact that something is wrong. While enduring extreme pain through the use of meditation, shows a high level of mental discipline. Dare I say that there is also an element of ego involved. As if by giving in to the pain and getting help implies weakness and failure. Not saying you did this Monty Just that it can be very dangerous, as you've illustrated in your story.


The majority of us are well aware of what is 'normal' for us and what is not. Meditation or mindfulness allows us to enter into a state of being purely present. Red flag situations that one might ignore in the midst of our busy and mentally frenetic lives. Would surely 'scream' their message of warning, within the meditative state of stillness. I do acknowledge that a number of physical conditions can be attributed to anxiety or unbalanced mental states. However, severe pain, or any debilitating condition that has gone on for more than a couple of days, is not I feel one of them. And should always be given immediate attention.

Love and light
Kaz

[donq]

Hi Markings,

Thanks for the link and good photo.
It reminds me of myself when I was a forest monk.
Though my robe was a dark brown (dye by the core or heart-wood of jack-fruit tree).

[donq]

Hi Karen,

You wrote:

“Dare I say that there is also an element of ego involved. As if by giving in to the pain and getting help implies weakness and failure.”

You were absolutely right! I had to accept that to myself long time ago from my life and death lesson.

Some ancient yogis tried to ignore their physical pains to the utmost, even mortified themselves, and thought that would bring them to nirvana. Buddha tried that. And it was not the way. Hence he taught about the middle way (though it has very complicated meaning than only physical and psychical one, but it could be roughly adapted here in generally). Mind can affect body and vice versa. Comfortable body can do better mind work for us than uncomfortable/suffering one. Again, in generally speaking. 
And that is why a physical pain for. To warn us that there’s something wrong and we have to do something to fix it immediately. The sooner the better.
Very good post, Karen. Thanks.

P.S. Just reminds some funny thing to share here. When my doctors removed my ventilator, though I still had to stay in ICU, I could begin to talk. They still strapped my hands so that I could not touch my wound (from two BIG operations) but my aspirator was still there, four tubes inserting to my stomach, to suck the puss off of my body (as it went to everywhere in my internal organs after my appendix ruptured for 3 days before coming to the hospital).
And yes, I talked a lot. I mean I tried to convince every nurses and doctors about spiritual stuff I had practiced. . Finally, they had to bring a shrink for me, for my health and them? hahaha. (She was old and kind. I can remember her face but not her name.) Anyway, that time I felt that she was a nicest person in the world as she was the only one who listened to me.