The Eightfold Path - The Fourth Noble Truth

[Still_Waters]

On another thread, we started to talk about the Four Noble Truths of the Buddha ...specifically the Fourth Noble Truth (The Eightfold Path). It was suggested that some one start a separate thread on this topic.

I am approaching this from the perspective of Theravada Buddhism. Theravada Buddhism is older and the more conservative of the two main divisions of Buddhism and is often referred to as the 'traditions of the elders'. Many Theravada Buddhists follow the teachings of the Buddha exactly, and many of them are monks or nuns.

The Eightfold Path is:

Wisdom/Panna

1. Right Understanding
2. Right Thought

Morality/Sila

3. Right Speech
4. Right Action
5. Right Livelihood
6. Right Effort

Concentration/Samadhi

7. Right Mindfulness
8. Right Concentration

"Right Understanding is the full penetration of Truth and would have to be realized first before one could think of developing Right Thought, or of practicing Right Speech, etc." However, the Reality of the situation is that one starts with whatever understanding one considers to be right (in the moment) and acts in accordance with that ... until, through mindfulness and concentration, that understanding becomes more and more refined ... as one's understanding goes deeper and deeper in this developmental spiral ... and one becomes as aware as possible of the Reality/Truth.

[Still_Waters]

Quoting from "The Buddhist Way of Meditation, Guide To Meditation Teachers, by Venerable Weragoda Sarada Maha Thero":

Right Understanding is actually "understanding the Four Noble Truths:

1. To understand suffering;
2. To understand the origin of suffering;
3. To understand the extinction of suffering;
4. To understand the path that leads to the extinction of suffering."

(The above clearly correspond to the Four Noble Truths taught by the Buddha.)

[utopiandreamchild]

Originally Posted by Still_Waters

Right Understanding is actually "understanding the Four Noble Truths: 1. To understand suffering; 2. To understand the origin of suffering; 3. To understand the extinction of suffering; 4. To understand the path that leads to the extinction of suffering

Negativity is suffering, emotions such as hate, anger, frustration, jealousy are all forms of suffering. Hate is at the core of it all.

Suffering shall become extinct when we constantly choose the right thought, word and action, that being love/positivity.

Haters have mental and emotional health issues and need to be educated in righteousness in order to break free from suffering.

Hate is wrong, love is right.

utopia

[Gem]

It is pretty clear in Buddhist philosophy that suffering has a cause, which is craving. Wheres recent commentary on the thread omits desire and focuses on its counterpart, aversion (hatred), Buddhist philosophy defines 'craving' as aversion and desire. In other words 'craving' is a tendency to want things to be other than they are.

In many cases craving is harmless enough, like you'd want to rescue the child who fell down the well; not leave the child to drown. There's a motive which is simplistically categorised as goodwill or ill-will.

To understand how this plays out one needs to look deeply into feeling the body because all ill-will is felt toward one's own feelings via adverse reactivity to them, and then projected out toward people and objects. Usually we continue to cast cause outwardly without understanding what we ourselves are doing internally, and thus remain subjects of circumstance and remain caught in the reactive cycle. If one can remain at peace with their own feeling, they won't be rattled too much by their changing circumstances. Furthermore, when hatred, malice and/or vitriol is directed at you by someone else, you understand the way in which aversion works within us all. You recognise how your aggressor is harming themselves and projecting their suffering as a wish to harm you and others. Nothing can be done about them because they 'know not what they do'. It is them unwittingly generating the kamma, not you. If you react to them (which is really reacting to the unpleasant feeling their ill-will elicits in your body), that's your kamma.

[utopiandreamchild]

I love Buddhism and Christianity.
The extinction of suffering, that's a good teaching. No more negativity/hate.

utopiandreamchild

[sky]

Originally Posted by Still_Waters

"Right Understanding is the full penetration of Truth and would have to be realized first before one could think of developing Right Thought, or of practicing Right Speech, etc."

Looks so easy but the hard part is ' Understanding Right '

[Still_Waters]

Originally Posted by sky

Looks so easy but the hard part is ' Understanding Right '

Yes. Right Understanding is indeed the "hard part" despite the fact that outwardly it "looks so easy".

Right Understanding, however, is a good place to start this thread.

[Gem]

Originally Posted by Still_Waters

Yes. Right Understanding is indeed the "hard part" despite the fact that outwardly it "looks so easy". Right Understanding, however, is a good place to start this thread.

I think the main thing to understand about Buddhist philosophy is, even though they have 8 categories that define the path, it pertains to something whose aspects are inseparable (rather than discusses 8 different things).

[Still_Waters]

Originally Posted by Gem

I think the main thing to understand about Buddhist philosophy is, even though they have 8 categories that define the path, it pertains to something whose aspects are inseparable (rather than discusses 8 different things).

That's similar to Pantanjali's Yoga Sutras (Asthanga Yoga - Eight Limbs) where one can be working on several limbs simultaneously.

How do you suggest that we approach the Buddha's Eightfold Path?

[Gem]

Originally Posted by Still_Waters

That's similar to Pantanjali's Yoga Sutras (Asthanga Yoga - Eight Limbs) where one can be working on several limbs simultaneously. How do you suggest that we approach the Buddha's Eightfold Path?

I'd start with the morality aspects because morality necessitates one's self awareness and mindfulness.

In Buddhist philosophy, morality is the foundation... Kind of like a compass that keeps you on the 'right' path.