My view of Buddhism is partly Theravada and partly Mahayana and partly
Vajrayana,
viz., partly SE Asian, partly Japanese / Chinese, and partly Tibetan. It is
also
based on the kind of latitude that is found in various Japanese "new religions"
like Perfect Liberty Koyodan
Hence, while my interpretation of Buddhist practice might not pass muster among
the monks
of Thailand or among Zen Buddhist purists, it might well find Buddhists who
basically agree
with the ideas in it, in Japan and maybe elsewhere.
BR
------------------------------------------------------------------
from the Wikipedia article "Buddhism"
The Buddhist path
Theravada – Noble Eightfold Path
[ship's wheel with eight spokes represents the Noble Eightfold
Path]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Dharma_Wheel.svg>
The Dharmachakra<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharmachakra> represents the
Noble Eightfold Path<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path>.
Main articles: Noble Eightfold
Path<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path> and Buddhist Paths to
liberation<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_Paths_to_liberation>
An important guiding principle of Buddhist practice is the Middle
Way<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Way> (madhyamapratipad). It was a part
of Buddha's first sermon, where he presented the Noble Eightfold
Path<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path> that was a 'middle
way' between the extremes of asceticism and hedonistic sense
pleasures.[159]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHarvey201323,_81-190>[160]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEKeown199624,_59-191>
In Buddhism, states Harvey, the doctrine of "dependent arising" (conditioned
arising, pratītyasamutpāda) to explain rebirth is viewed as the 'middle way'
between the doctrines that a being has a "permanent soul" involved in rebirth
(eternalism) and "death is final and there is no rebirth"
(annihilationism).[161]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHarvey201372-192>[162]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEBuswellLopez200349,_''antagrahadrsti''-193>
In the Theravada canon, the Pali-suttas, various often irreconcilable sequences
can be found. According to Carol Anderson, the Theravada canon lacks "an
overriding and comprehensive structure of the path to
nibbana."[163]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEAnderson1999131-194>
Nevertheless, the Noble Eightfold
Path<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path>, or "Eightfold Path of
the Noble Ones", has become an important description of the Buddhist path. It
consists of a set of eight interconnected factors or conditions, that when
developed together, lead to the cessation of
dukkha<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dukkha>.[164]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEAjahn_Sucitto201087–88-195>
These eight factors are: Right View (or Right Understanding), Right Intention
(or Right Thought), Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort,
Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration.
This Eightfold Path is the fourth of the Four Noble
Truths<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths>, and asserts the path
to the cessation of dukkha (suffering, pain,
unsatisfactoriness).[165]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEGethin199881–83-196>[166]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEAnderson201364–65-197>
The path teaches that the way of the enlightened ones stopped their craving,
clinging and karmic<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karma> accumulations, and
thus ended their endless cycles of rebirth and
suffering.[167]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHarvey2016253–255-198>[168]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEBhikkhu_Bodhi20101–13-199>[169]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEWilliamsTribeWynne201252-200>
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEWilliamsTribeWynne201252-200>
The Noble Eightfold Path is grouped into three basic
divisions<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_disciplines_of_Buddhism>, as
follows:[170]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEVetter198812–13-201>[171]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHarvey201383–85-202>[172]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEBhikkhu_Bodhi201047–48-203>
Division Eightfold factor Sanskrit, Pali Description
Wisdom
(Sanskrit: prajñā<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wisdom_in_Buddhism>,
Pāli: paññā) 1. Right view samyag dṛṣṭi,
sammā ditthi The belief that there is an afterlife and not everything ends
with death, that Buddha taught and followed a successful path to
nirvana;[170]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEVetter198812–13-201>
according to Peter Harvey, the right view is held in Buddhism as a belief in
the Buddhist principles of karma<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karma> and
rebirth<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebirth_(Buddhism)>, and the importance
of the Four Noble Truths<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths> and
the True
Realities.[173]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHarvey201383–84-204>
2. Right intention samyag saṃkalpa,
sammā saṅkappa Giving up home and adopting the life of a religious mendicant
in order to follow the
path;[170]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEVetter198812–13-201>
this concept, states Harvey, aims at peaceful renunciation, into an
environment of non-sensuality, non-ill-will (to lovingkindness), away from
cruelty (to
compassion).[173]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHarvey201383–84-204>
Moral
virtues[171]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHarvey201383–85-202>
(Sanskrit: śīla<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9A%C4%ABla>,
Pāli: sīla) 3. Right speech samyag vāc,
sammā vāca No lying, no rude speech, no telling one person what another
says about him, speaking that which leads to
salvation;[170]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEVetter198812–13-201>
4. Right action samyag karman,
sammā kammanta No killing or injuring, no taking what is not given; no sexual
acts in monastic
pursuit,[170]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEVetter198812–13-201>
for lay Buddhists no sensual misconduct such as sexual involvement with
someone married, or with an unmarried woman protected by her parents or
relatives.[174]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-Emmanuel2015p440-205>[175]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-206>[176]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-207>
5. Right livelihood samyag ājīvana,
sammā ājīva For monks, beg to feed, only possessing what is essential to
sustain
life.[177]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEVetter198812-208>
For lay Buddhists, the canonical texts state right livelihood as abstaining
from wrong livelihood, explained as not becoming a source or means of suffering
to sentient beings by cheating them, or harming or killing them in any
way.[178]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHarvey201383,_273–274-209>[179]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-210>
Meditation[171]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHarvey201383–85-202>
(Sanskrit and Pāli: samādhi<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam%C4%81dhi>)
6. Right effort samyag vyāyāma,
sammā vāyāma Guard against sensual thoughts; this concept, states Harvey,
aims at preventing unwholesome states that disrupt
meditation.[180]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHarvey201383-211>
7. Right mindfulness samyag smṛti,
sammā sati Never be absent minded, conscious of what one is doing; this,
states Harvey, encourages mindfulness about impermanence of the body, feelings
and mind, as well as to experience the five
skandhas<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skandha>, the five hindrances, the four
True Realities and seven factors of
awakening.[180]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHarvey201383-211>
8. Right concentration samyag samādhi,
sammā samādhi Correct meditation or concentration (dhyana), explained as the
four
jhānas.[170]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEVetter198812–13-201>[181]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-bucknellkangp12-212>
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