Hi everyone! I would like to share the basic concepts of Buddhism with you for those that are curious in the over-all religion/ philosophy. This is beneficial to beginners and those who like to explore belief systems from around the globe. Buddhism is known as the child or cousin of Hinduism (An ancient Indian religion and dharma/ way of life). Th content in this packet is a short version of the main ideas throughout this belief system. I hope that this finds use to anyone wanting a basic idea on what Buddhism is.
Buddhist Concepts
Original Teachings In Buddha’s Words
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By Maria Morris
INTRODUCTION
In this I will be showing you the Noble Eightfold Path as well as the Four Noble Truths that the Buddha has laid out as a tool for the monks and lay-people that wish to understand and take to themselves the buddhist path.
The Universal Fight
Upon the Buddha’s awakening he came to find out about the truth of life. That life is changing and suffering, and that death is inevitable. His goal thereafter finding this truth was to find an end to suffering and to know why we suffer. To shorten this up and save this story for a later time, he began to lay down the foundation to end suffering with the following.
The Four Noble Truths
The Four Noble Truths lay out what is known about suffering, such as the root causes. This is the short description, while we talk about a deeper meaning later.
Dukkha (The Truth of Suffering)
This truth is focused on what suffering is. In order to free us from suffering, we must know what suffering is. Suffering is a universal issue that we all have. The belief is that suffering is a false view on reality. This suffering is on an internal level. This is the acknowledgement of suffering.
Samudaya (The cause of suffering)
The root cause is the relationship between ourselves and our ego. In other words this is more so the relationship between the mental symbols in our life that we Identify with. In suffering there arises from the ego’s expansion of mental symbols. This is also known as attachment.
Nirodha (The end of suffering)
This is known as the “cure” to suffering. Also known as the hope of Nirvana. The acknowledgment that with practice you can achieve the end of suffering such as through The Eightfold Path. An acknowledgment that we can achieve this state.
Magga (The Path that frees us from suffering)
This is known as the truth of The Noble Eightfold Path that frees us from the suffering that we cause ourself from within. This is the steps to enlightenment as well.
Dukkha (The Truth of Suffering)
As discussed in the generalization of the Four Noble Truths, The first Noble Truth is Dukkha (The Truth of Suffering). When we realise that suffering and change is something that bounds us as beings in this life, then we can better understand why we suffer and what we can do about suffering. We can practice Mindfulness to achieve this. Being aware of the processes in life and finding understanding of life's impermanence is the first step in achieving enlightenment and the end of suffering. I like to call this the truth of the double arrow.
Samudaya (The cause of suffering)
In one of the Buddha’s teachings he told a story of a man getting hit by two arrows. After the man was hit with one arrow, he was then hit by another arrow in the same location. In this analogy the Buddha explains that the first arrow is your karma (We will talk about this later) and the physical pain/ discomfort. The second arrow is caused by our perception and thoughts. He explains that the second arrow further pushes the first arrow in and creates a deeper wound. In the same sense, our thoughts and perception on the occurrences in life have an impact on the amount of suffering we endure. Had we accepted the original suffering as it is, we would not be hit with the second arrow (being our self deluded arrow).
Further Explanation
Watch this video to gain better insight on the parable of the two arrows
Nirodha (The end of suffering)
This is the acknowledgment of The Noble Eightfold path and its efficiency to end suffering. Once we know the root cause of suffering we can then address the suffering. Such as when someone becomes ill; they go to the clinic and see a doctor. In this sense we can imagine Buddha as the doctor. He examines the problem (Being Suffering) and what had caused the suffering (Root Cause) and prescribes us an antibiotic (The Noble Eightpath) in which to cure our “Illness” (Suffering).
Magga (The path that frees us)/ The Noble Eightfold Path
The last truth is the path of Enlightenment and the end to suffering.
Right View
Having the right view means to clear your thinking of deluded and confusing thoughts. As said in the Six Wholesome and Unwholesome Roots of the Mind, we are influenced by one of the following:
Generosity
Love
Wisdom
Greed
Hatred
Delusion
When we are trained in the view of generosity, love, and wisdom we will be in the right view.
Right Intention
Setting the Intention plays a big role in the Eightfold Path. This is to take up to the wholesome view in practice and to give up attachment to worldly things conveyed through greed, hatred, and delusion.
Right Speech
This is the action of abstaining from hurtful and untruthful speech.
Right Action
This is the idleness and restraint from committing harmful and unwholesome acts such as killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct.
Right Livelihood
Using the Five Precepts being:
Killing
Stealing
Sexual Misconduct
False, harsh and idle speech
Intoxicants that cloud the mind
We can make this a guideline as to how we should not make a living for ourselves and our family.
Right Effort
The right effort is the letting go or prevention of unwholesomeness as taught in the four aspects to Right Effort
The prevention of unwholesome thoughts
The prevention of unwholesome qualities we already have
The use of skills that arise the wholesome qualities
The effort to strengthen wholesome qualities
Right Mindfulness
Mindfulness is to be aware and conscious of the habits of our mind and observe our illusion of a separate self.
Right Concentration
This is the practice of putting your focus on one physical or mental object. This is how we slow down our mental activity to focus on one concept rather than try and multitask.
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