BUDDHA

The Enlightened one

 Quotation

by Siddhrtha Gautama

(Buddha):

"Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by manyBut after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it."

Buddhism currently has about 376 million followers and is generally listed as the world's fourth largest religion after Christianity, Islam and Hinduism. Buddhism is a religion based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, who lived about 26 centuries ago in what is now Nepal and northeastern India. He came to be called "the Buddha," which means "awakened one," after he experienced a profound realization of the nature of life, death and existence. In English, the Buddha was said to be enlightened, although in Sanskrit it is bodhi, "awakened."

In the remaining years of his life, the Buddha traveled and taught. However, he didn't teach people what he had realized when he became enlightened. Instead, he taught people how to realize enlightenment for themselves. He taught that awakening comes through one's own direct experience, not through beliefs and dogmas.

Buddhism is so different from other religions that some people question whether it is a religion at all. For example, the central focus of most religions is God, or gods. But Buddhism is nontheistic. The Buddha taught that believing in gods was not useful for those seeking to realize enlightenment.

Karma is the sum total of an individual's actions of body,

speech and mind -- good, bad and neutral -- taken in their current and previous lives.

Dharma, in Buddhism, refers to two items:

-the teachings of the Buddha; a person's path to enlightenment, and; the fundamental principles that order the universe

Reincarnation is the rebirth of a living being after death

into a new body that is either a human, animal or a supernatural being.

 1.

The truth of suffering (dukkha)

The

First Noble Truth often is translated as "Life is suffering." Many people new to Buddhism tune out as soon as they hear this. But the Pali word dukkha also refers to anything that is temporary, conditional, or compounded of other things. Even something precious and enjoyable is dukkha, because it will end.

2. . The Truth of the Cause of Suffering The Second Noble Truth teaches that the cause of suffering is craving or thirst (tanha). We continually search for something outside ourselves to make us happy. But no matter how successful we are, we never remain satisfied. The Buddha taught that this thirst grows from ignorance of the self. We go through life grabbing one thing after another to get a sense of security about ourselves. We attach not only to physical things, but also to ideas and opinions about ourselves and the world around us. Then we grow frustrated when the world doesn't behave the way we think it should and our lives don't conform to our expectations.

3.

The Truth of the End of Suffering

The Buddha taught that through diligent practice, we can put an end to craving. Ending the hamster-wheel chase after satisfaction is enlightenment (bodhi, "awakened"). The enlightened being exists in a state called Nirvana.

 4.

The Truth of the Path That Frees Us From Suffering Here the Buddha as physician prescribes the treatment for our illness: The Eightfold Path. Unlike in many other religions, in Buddhism there is no particular benefit to merely believing in a doctrine. Instead, the emphasis is on living the doctrine and walking the path.

 The

Eightfold Path is the means by which enlightenment may be realized. The historical Buddha first explained the Eightfold Path in his first sermon after his enlightenment

 A. WISDOM Right View and Right Intention together are the "Wisdom Path," the parts of the path that cultivate wisdom

1. Right View- To understand wholesome deeds, unwholesome deeds and comprehend the law of Karma.

 2.

Right Intention- The intention of nongreed, non-hatred and non-delusion.

Three Kinds of Right Intention The Buddha taught that there are three kinds of Right Intention, which counter three kinds of wrong intention. These are: The intention of renunciation, which counters the intention of desire. The intention of good will, which counters the intention of ill will. The intention of harmlessness, which counters the intention of harmfulness.

 B.

ETHICAL CONDUCT
Speech

3.Right

The Basics of Right Speech The historical Buddha taught that Right Speech had four parts: Abstain from false speech; do not tell lies or deceive. Do not slander others or speak in a way that causes disharmony or enmity. Abstain from rude, impolite or abusive language. Do not indulge in idle talk or gossip.

4. Right Action- Abstaining from killing, stealing and sexual misconduct. This means that when we act "rightly," we act without selfish attachment to our work. 5.Right Livelihood- Abstaining from wrong and corrupt means of livelihood; Right Livelihood is, first, a way to earn a living without compromising the Precepts. These three folds of the Path are connected to the Five Precepts. These are: Not killing Not stealing Not misusing sex Not lying Not abusing intoxicants

 C.

MENTAL DISCIPLINE

6. Right Effort- Awakening zeal for abandoning of unwholesome states and arising & sustaining of wholesome states; You might think Right Effort means practicing hard, but that's not necessarily so. Do not forget the Middle Way, between extremes. Don't force yourself to endure aesthetic practices or push yourself to exhaustion.

7. Right Mindfulness- Mindfulness is a wholebody-and-mind awareness of the present moment. To be mindful is to be fully present, not lost in daydreams, anticipation, indulgences, or worry. Four Frames of Reference The Buddha said there are four frames of reference in mindfulness: Mindfulness of body (kayasati). Mindfulness of feelings or sensations (vedanasati). Mindfulness of mind or mental processes (cittasati). Mindfulness of mental objects or qualities (dhammasati).

8. Right Concentration- is focusing all of one's mental faculties onto one physical or mental object and practicing the Four Absorptions, also called the Four Dhyanas (Sanskrit) or Four Jhanas (Pali).

Quote: "You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and that person is not to be found anywhere. You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe deserve your love and affection. " - Buddha