“Remember that this is not something we do just once or twice. Interrupting our destructive habits and awakening our heart is the work of a lifetime.”
~ Pema Chodron
I’m truly loving this beautiful breeze we’ve been blessed with these past few days. While our temperatures don’t vary too much here through the course of the year, it’s been wonderful having this natural bit of air-conditioning to our summer’s sun ….
So yesterday, I spoke to The 4 Noble Truths. Whenever I am uncertain, or feel myself grasping, I can always go to look at them, and they immediately help quite my mind.
The Buddha’s Dharma is usually represented by the symbol of a wheel. Dharmachakra, or “wheel of law” or “the wheel of transformation.”
The wheel’s motion is a metaphor for the rapid spiritual change engendered by the teachings. The change comes through learning, then applying the teachings in a experiential way. The eight spokes of the wheel symbolize the Noble Eightfold Path, the way to the end of suffering. The wheel’s three basic parts are symbols of the “three trainings” in Buddhist practice: The hub symbolizes moral discipline, which stabilizes the mind. The spokes (usually there are eight) represent wisdom which is applied to defeat ignorance. The rim represents training in concentration, which holds everything else together.
So what is the Noble Eightfold Path? The Noble Eightfold Path has eight parts or factors, and like the wheel, the factors are not linear, but circle around themselves, starting and ending with right understanding:
1. Right understanding means to know and understand the Four Noble Truths: the truth of suffering; its cause; its end; and the way to its end. Everything in this world is full of suffering, and the cause of suffering is craving. The end of suffering is nirvana. The way to the end of suffering is via the Noble Eightfold Path.
2. Right attitude means to have three kinds of thoughts or attitudes:
(i) Thoughts of renunciation or an attitude of “letting go”.
(ii) Thoughts of goodwill to others, which are opposed to ill will.
(iii) Thoughts of harmlessness, as opposed to cruelty.
3. Right speech deals with refraining from falsehood, such as telling lies or not telling the truth; tale-bearing or saying bad things about other people; harsh words and frivolous talk such as gossiping.
4. Right action deals with refraining from killing, stealing and sexual misconduct.
5. Right livelihood deals with the five kinds of trade which should be avoided in order to lead a noble life. They are: trading in arms (weapons), living beings (breeding animals for slaughter), intoxicating drinks and poison.
6. Right effort has four parts using meditation:
(i) To try to stop unwholesome thoughts that have arisen
(ii) To prevent unwholesome thoughts from arising.
(iii) To try to develop good thoughts
(iv) To try to maintain good thoughts that have arisen
7. Right mindfulness is also fourfold. It is mindfulness of the body, mindfulness of feelings/sensations, mindfulness of thoughts passing through the mind and mindfulness of Dharma.
8. Right concentration is one-pointedness of mind as developed in meditation.
These eight factors can be grouped into three smaller groups, as follows:
Sila (morality)
right speech, right action, right livelihood.
Samadhi (concentrated mind in meditation)
right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration.
Panna (wisdom)
right attitude, right understanding.
Today, I’m going to spend some time on my website, getting some of my resources bookmarked out on-line. It will be nice to have them all in one place, as even for myself, my bookmarks are a big mess LOL …
But I was very happy to find that the very first book which inspired me to gain further knowledge in the Buddha’s teachings is available on line …
“The Noble Eightfold Path: The Way to the End of Suffering” by Bhikkhu Bodhi
http://www.vipassana.com/resources/8fp0.php
So maybe today, should you find yourself and your mind running in circles, painfully grasping, might you think of the Buddha’s wheel. As a teacher, I can only help to point the way. You must be the one to walk it yourself …
Happy Sunday everyone, full of right speech, right action and right livelihood !!!
Source: http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/lifebuddha/2_2lbud.htm
