Dropping Everything and Taking the Eightfold Path

Buddhist rites, correct?

I did that a lot of months ago. ._. wow.

The Eightfold Path is more of an integration into your everyday life than a “path”. There are many facets to it, and you should start with the 4 Noble Truths. I wrote about it on my site ( http://practicingmindfulness.com/2011/03/the-four-noble-truths-are-simple/ ), and I’ll be doing a longer post about the Eightfold Path at some point soon I hope :)

It’s basically this:

1. Right View
2. Right Intention
3. Right Speech
4. Right Action
5. Right Livelihood
6. Right Effort
7. Right Mindfulness
8. Right Concentration

To sum it up, it’s a lifestyle change that you never really “finish” per se. It’s being mindful of your actions and their repercussions in the world around you and within you.

I hope that helps.

What is your goal?

@kayne, i always thought that too! it seems to me like the end result is kind of like a robot. i was turned off to the whole thing because of that.

Well it’s not a robot. It’s more like nihilism.

@ Kayne , it’s not about denying the self. It’s about realising that there is no self, there are only thoughts about what a self would be like if it existed.

And OP the reason for not following the eightfold path is that the core of enlightenment can be cracked in minutes.

In fact, that’s my job. I work with people liberating them from self.

If you’re interested in liberation check out my page I got links to the site I work out of and my personal blog on this stuff

I agree with Martin, it’s not nihilism. There is a subtle difference that I would have to think about before explaining.

BTW, I saw Henry Kissinger described Adolph Hitler as a romantic nihilist. That is so spot on.

Buddhism is not about detaching yourself from the world. it is about being happy with what you have, not wanting endless things. its about being as close as possible to yourself. the self you were born with, yet improved, by losing all the items, and the ways we are brought up to act.

Also expanding on the forth noble truth, or the eight-fold path

1. Right Vision/ right understanding

To have the right outlook on life

2. Right Intention/ thought or resolve

right attitude to life, to see enlightenment as the one goal. with this includes our surrender to the unselfish love of all beings.
actions are judged by intentions

3. Right Speech

speech is the easiest way to harm or help someone.
it is a waste of energy in idle chatter, gossip, lies and internal dialogue.

4. Right Action

avoid killing, stealing, false speech, sexual misconduct, and intoxication.

Help ever. Harm never.

5. Right Livelihood

to not harm any living creature, earning your crust.

6. Right Effort

to become aware of your personal good and bad traits, eliminate the bad, cultivate the good.

7. Right Mindfulness/ awareness

to learn calmness and awareness, within feelings thoughts and the whole body and sensations, to gain mastery over ones self.

8. Right Samadhi

a difficult word to translate, sometimes translated as concentration, but misses the point of the word samadhi. It is sometimes used to mean concentration, but it also means meditation, and even exalted meditative state at the threshold of enlightenment. Samadhi is more than just a method, it points to the fruits of meditation and the goal of the noble eightfold path which is enlightenment.

um…if anyone is interested in reading more about Buddhism…i can highly recommend the first book i read on the subject, its not to long, and is explained very well. i was very surprised at what Buddhism was about when i first read it….it just made so much sense…and has changed me over the last 5 years to become a better me.

Timeless wisdom of the Tibetans – by Craig Hamilton-Parker