Buddism 4 EveryOne

Inspiration 4 U!

- Peace comes from withIN. Do not seek withOUT.
- Those who are free of resentful thoughts surely find peace.
- Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. BUT, after careful observation and analysis, when you find anything that agrees with REASON and is conducive to the GOOD and BENEFIT of one and ALL, then accept it and live up to it.
- No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path.
- The whole secret of existence is to have fear. Never fear what will become of you, depend on no one. Only the moment you reject ALL help, you are freed.
- Only real failure in life is not to be true to the best one knows.
- Your work is to discover your work and then with all your heart give yourself to it.
- The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles, BUT to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.
- When you realize how perfect everything is, you will tilt you head back and laugh at the sky.
- We are shaped by our thought; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves.
- To understand everything is to forgive everything.
- You will not be punished FOR your anger, but BY your anger.

Eightfold Noble Path- to Enlightment
The Noble Eightfold Path describes the way to the end of suffering, as it was laid out by Siddhartha Gautama [Buddha]. It is a practical guideline to ethical and mental development with the goal of freeing the individual from attachments and delusions; and it finally leads to understanding the truth about all things. The eight aspects of the path are not to be understood as a sequence of single steps, instead they are highly interdependent principles that have to be seen in relationship with each other.

Right View: Means to thoroughly understand the Four Holy Truths of Suffering, to believe in the Law of Cause and Effect and not to be misled by appearances and desires. Seeing things through, to grasp the impermanent and imperfect nature of worldly objects and ideas, and to understand the law of karma and karmic conditioning.right view is attained, sustained, and enhanced through all capacities of mind. This begins with the intuitive insight that all beings are subject to suffering and it ends with complete understanding of the true nature of all things. Since our view of the world forms our thoughts and our actions, right view yields right thoughts and right actions.

Right Intention/Thought: Means the resolution not to cherish desires; not to be greedy; not to be angry; and not to do any harmful deed. Budda distinguishes three types of right intentions: 1. the intention of renunciation, which means resistance to the pull of desire, 2. the intention of good will, meaning resistance to feelings of anger and aversion, and 3. the intention of harmlessness, meaning not to think or act cruelly, violently, or aggressively, and to develop compassion.

Right Speech: Means to avoid lying, idle talk, abuse and hypocrisy. Right speech is the first principle of ethical conduct in the eightfold path.The importance of speech in the context of Buddhist ethics is obvious: words can break or save lives, make enemies or friends, start war or create peace. Buddha explained right speech as follows: 1. to abstain from false speech, especially not to tell deliberate lies and not to speak deceitfully, 2. to abstain from slanderous speech and not to use words maliciously against others, 3. to abstain from harsh words that offend or hurt others, and 4. to abstain from idle chatter that lacks purpose or depth. This means to tell the truth, to speak friendly, warm, and gently and to talk only when necessary.

Right Behavior/Action: Means not to destroy any life; not to steal; not to commit adultry [cheat]. Unwholesome actions lead to unsound states of mind, while wholesome actions lead to sound states of mind. The principle is explained in terms of abstinence: right action means 1. to abstain from harming sentient beings, especially to abstain from taking life (including suicide) and doing harm intentionally or delinquently, 2. to abstain from taking what is not given, which includes stealing, robbery, fraud, deceitfulness, and dishonesty, and 3. to abstain from sexual misconduct. This means to act kindly and compassionately, to be honest, to respect the belongings of others, and to keep sexual relationships harmless to others.

Right Livelihood: Means to avoid any way of life that would bring shame. Right livelihood means that one should earn one's living in a righteous way and that wealth should be gained legally and peacefully. Any other occupation that would violate the principles of right speech and right action should be avoided.

Right Effort: Means to make diligent and unending efforts in the right direction. Without effort, which is in itself an act of will, nothing can be achieved, whereas misguided effort distracts the mind from its task, and confusion will be the consequence. The same type of energy that fuels desire, envy, aggression, and violence can on the other side fuel self-discipline, honesty, benevolence, and kindness.

Right Mindfulness: Means to maintain a pure and deeply thoughtful mind. It is the mental ability to see things as they are, with clear consciousness. Right mindfulness is anchored in clear perception and it penetrates impressions without getting carried away. Right mindfulness enables us to be aware of the process of conceptualisation in a way that we actively observe and control the way our thoughts go.

Right Concentration: Means to train the mind to remain tranquil in its search for wisdom, seeking to realize the mind's true essence. Right concentration for the purpose of the eightfold path means wholesome concentration, i.e. concentration on wholesome thoughts and actions. The Buddhist method of choice to develop right concentration is through the practice of meditation.

Path to Enlightment Path- Four Holy Truths of Suffering-once you accept these, enlightment can begin!

Truth of Suffering: The world is full of suffering. Birth is suffering; old age is suffering; sickness and death are suffering. Life that is not free from desire and passion is to lead a life of suffering.

Truth of the Cause of Suffering: The cause of human suffering is found in the thirsts of the physical body and the illusions of worldly passion.

Truth of the Cessation of Suffering: If desire, lying at the root of all human passion, can be removed, then passion will die out and all human suffering will be ended.

Truth of the Noble Path to Cessation of Suffering: By following the Noble Eightfold Path [above], a state where there is no desire and no suffering is attainable. Don't believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. BUT, after careful observation and analysis, when you find anything that agrees with REASON and is conducive to the GOOD and BENEFIT of one and ALL, then accept it and live up to it.