The Religion
Buddhism
is a spiritual path grounded more in reason than on devotion to a particular
saint or god. It does not deny or confirm the existence of an external creator,
or god. This philosophy is held by all schools of Buddhist thought, so that
it can be said the general view of Buddhism is that of the interdependent nature
of phenomena.
Buddhism is based on the
Four Noble Truths, which are:
- The Truth of
Suffering: Suffering exists, and every stage of life, from birth to illness,
old age and death, is subject to suffering, referred to as the Eight Sufferings.
- The Truth of the Cause
of Suffering: Suffering has an identifiable cause, which is desire. All human
existence is subject to desire, which leads inevitably to suffering.
- The Truth of the Cessation
of Suffering: When desire is removed, the root cause of suffering ceases to
exist.
- The Truth of the Noble
Path to End Suffering: The way to remove desire and end suffering is by following
the Middle Way, which means practicing the Noble Eightfold Path.
The Noble Eightfold Path:
- Right Understanding:
The practice of Right Understanding leads to the removal of ignorance. This
means observing something as it really is; not just a part of it, or only
its surface, and gaining a full and objective insight into the Four Noble
Truths. The process of Right Understanding involves acquiring firstly an understanding
through personal observation, and secondly acquiring an understanding through
study.
- Right Thought: The practice
of Right Thought leads to the removal of the causes of suffering by cultivating
a mind free of greed, hatred, anger, delusion and ignorance. The process of
Right Thought involves the cultivation of right motivation, detachment, kindness
and compassion.
- Right Speech: The practice
of Right Speech involves cultivating a mindful attitude towards what is said.
This means avoiding all forms of harmful speech, including lying, gossip and
slander.
- Right Action: The practice
of Right Action for lay people means adhering to the five precepts not to
kill, steal, lie or be promiscuous, and to avoid intoxicants, while nuns and
monks adhere to the additional precepts of not eating after noon, avoiding
entertainment, jewelry, perfumes, soft beds, and any contact with money.
- Right Livelihood: The
practice of Right Livelihood means earning one's living by means that are
harmless to all creatures.
- Right Effort: The practice
of Right Effort means maintaining an attitude of selflessness, to be dedicated
to the spiritual practices, and have the discipline to adhere to the moral
principles set out by the Buddha.
- Right Mindfulness: The
practice of Right Mindfulness means being conscious of all body, speech and
mind activities as a means of overcoming the ignorance that leads to suffering.
- Right Concentration:
The practice of Right Concentration includes reflection upon life, self-examination,
meditation and contemplation.
back