The 4 Noble Truths and the 8-Fold Path
The 4 Noble Truths and the 8-Fold Path are fundamental teachings in #Buddhism. The first time I heard about this was decades back in my high school days in the #Philippines, and over time as we get to travel along in #China and the rest of #Asia from India, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand, we do can all get to see and visit ancient sacred sites dedicated to the Buddha, and learn a deeper thing or two about Buddhism.
Siddhartha Gautama #Buddha (563-483 BC) emphasized to his followers that he should not be worshipped as he is not a deity or a god, and the Buddha's teaching of the "Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path" should be seen as a wise and enlightened teacher's guide towards an individual's liberation from suffering during the cycle of samsara (birth-death-rebirth) and the attainment of enlightenment, inner peace, joy, bliss, and nirvana.
The 4 Noble Truths (Caturaryasatyani):
Dukkha (Suffering): The first truth recognizes that suffering is an inherent part of human existence. It refers to the physical, mental, and emotional anguish experienced in various forms and varying degrees such as birth, aging, sickness, death, separation from loved ones, frustrations in life, relationship problems, money worries, difficult and unjust personal and societal circumstances, unfulfilled ambitions, lingering desires, and attachment to what is impermanent.
Samudaya (Origin of Suffering): The second truth explains that suffering arises from ego, pride, craving, and attachment. It suggests that our desires and attachments to worldly pleasures, applause, titles, and things, as well as our ignorance of the true nature of reality, are the root causes of suffering.
Nirodha (Cessation of Suffering): The third truth states that the cessation of suffering is attainable in one's lifetime. By eliminating craving and attachment, one can achieve a state of liberation, peace, and freedom from suffering known as the blissful and joyful experiential state of nirvana.
Marga (Path Leading to the Cessation of Suffering): The fourth truth outlines the Eightfold Path, which is the path to be followed to overcome suffering and to attain enlightenment and nirvana.
The 8-Fold Path (Aryastangamarga):
Right View: Developing an accurate understanding of the nature of reality, including the Four Noble Truths.
Right Intention: Cultivating wholesome and compassionate intentions, free from greed, ill will, and harmful thoughts.
Right Speech: Practicing truthful, kind, and non-harmful speech. Avoiding lying, gossiping, harsh language, and divisive speech.
Right Action: Engaging in actions that promote well-being, morality, and non-violence. Abstaining from killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct.
Right Livelihood: Choosing an occupation or livelihood that is ethical and supports the path of awakening. Avoiding occupations that cause harm or involve unethical practices.
Right Effort: Cultivating wholesome qualities, abandoning unwholesome qualities, and making a persistent effort to maintain a focused and balanced mind.
Right Mindfulness: Developing a clear and non-judgmental awareness of one's body, feelings, thoughts, and the surrounding environment. Being fully present in the present moment.
Right Concentration: Cultivating deep states of concentration and focused meditation to develop a calm, sharp, and unified mind. This leads to intelligence, insight, wisdom, kindness, and compassion.
I am not a Buddhist myself, but I do respect, appreciate, study, contemplate, and meditate upon these ancient teachings of the Buddha. His timeless wisdom, spiritual insight, and dharma philosophy have profound practical application in our complex, stressful, and overwhelming modern day living. I believe the positive attributes of religion, spirituality, and philosophy are fundamental elements in the next stage of human and societal evolution in the era of war and peace, human mind deep science, artificial intelligence, hyper-robotics, and beyond-earth human settlement building.
PS:
Starting this Summer 2024 through Neo Tao Society we would embark on a multi-year worldwide Sacred Sites Journey where we would visit and study sacred grounds related to #Zoroastrianism #Judaism #Christianity #Islam #Hinduism #Jainism #Buddhism #Taoism #Confucianism #Shintoism and their many groups, sects, denominations, and derivatives. We will go to the Holy Land, in Arabia and Persia, in the Vatican city-state, in the United States, in the United Kingdom, in Russia, in India, China, Japan, S.Korea, the Philippines, Indonesia, and the ASEAN countries. Join us and the #NeoTaoSociety in our multi-year worldwide Sacred Journey!
Photo: @Wenshu Monastery 文殊院 est. Year 605
Chengdu, Sichuan PRC. Summer of 2023
