Buddhism: Leave behind pain and acquire enlightenment

Karma

Karma is the law in Buddhism that whatever one; does, says or thinks is Karma. It plants seeds within the spirit and mind the bring about fruits, these fruits are results of those actions that occur either later in life or in a separate rebirth. They are the results of an unenlightened soul, one that has not yet reached Nirvana (pure enlightenment). Karma is the law which drives rebirths, until Karma is ended via Nirvana the cycle of re-birth will continue to occur.

en.wikipedia.org...

Rebirth

Rebirth occurs after a death of a past life, your future life will not be entirely different or entirely the same as it is merely a continuation of the stream of life. These rebirths bring us into 3 types of lives; animal, human and supernatural. Rebirth is generated by the Karma brought about during our past lives; good Karma in a previous life will bring about a good new life, bad Karma will bring about a bad new life. Rebirth is caused by consciousness in ignorance; when ignorance is removed, rebirth ceases.

en.wikipedia.org...(Buddhism)

Saṃsāra

Samsara is continuous, not knowing its’ beginning point just as we don’t know the beginning of a circle. Samsara is the cycle of death and rebirth, continuous suffering and attachment. It is continuous life, one that will never end until your spirit reaches the point of Nirvana.

en.wikipedia.org...(Buddhism)

The Four Noble Truths

1. The Nature of Suffering:
"This is the noble truth of suffering: birth is suffering, aging is suffering, illness is suffering, death is suffering; sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and despair are suffering; union with what is displeasing is suffering; separation from what is pleasing is suffering; not to get what one wants is suffering; in brief, the five aggregates subject to clinging are suffering."

2. Suffering’s Origin:
"This is the noble truth of the origin of suffering: it is this craving which leads to renewed existence, accompanied by delight and lust, seeking delight here and there, that is, craving for sensual pleasures, craving for existence, craving for extermination."

3. Suffering’s Cessation:
"This is the noble truth of the cessation of suffering: it is the remainderless fading away and cessation of that same craving, the giving up and relinquishing of it, freedom from it, nonreliance on it."

4. The Path Leading to the Cessation of Suffering:
"This is the noble truth of the way leading to the cessation of suffering: it is the Noble Eightfold Path; that is, right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration."

en.wikipedia.org...

The Noble Eightfold Path

1. Right View
“Right view can also be translated as "right perspective", "right vision" or "right understanding". It is the right way of looking at life, nature, and the world as they really are. It is to understand how reality works. It acts as the reasoning for someone to start practicing the path. It explains the reasons for human existence, suffering, sickness, aging, death, the existence of greed, hatred, and delusion. It gives direction and efficacy to the other seven path factors. Right view begins with concepts and propositional knowledge, but through the practice of right concentration, it gradually becomes transmuted into wisdom, which can eradicate the fetters of the mind. Understanding of right view will inspire the person to lead a virtuous life in line with right view.”

2. Right Intention
“Right intention can also be known as "right thought", "right resolve", "right conception" , "right aspiration" or "the exertion of our own will to change". In this factor, the practitioner should constantly aspire to rid themselves of whatever qualities they know to be wrong and immoral. Correct understanding of right view will help the practitioner to discern the differences between right intention and wrong intention.”

3. Right Speech
“The Abhaya Sutta elaborates:
In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be unfactual, untrue, unbeneficial (or: not connected with the goal), unendearing and disagreeable to others, he does not say them.
In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true, unbeneficial, unendearing and disagreeable to others, he does not say them.
In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true, beneficial, but unendearing and disagreeable to others, he has a sense of the proper time for saying them.
In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be unfactual, untrue, unbeneficial, but endearing and agreeable to others, he does not say them.
In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true, unbeneficial, but endearing and agreeable to others, he does not say them.
In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true, beneficial, and endearing and agreeable to others, he has a sense of the proper time for saying them. Why is that? Because the Tathagata has sympathy for living beings.”

4. Right Action
“Right action also be translated as "right conduct". As such, the practitioner should train oneself to be morally upright in one's activities, not acting in ways that would be corrupt or bring harm to oneself or to others.”

5. Right Livelihood
“Right livelihood. This means that practitioners ought not to engage in trades or occupations which, either directly or indirectly, result in harm for other living beings.
The five types of businesses that are harmful to undertake are:
1. Business in weapons: trading in all kinds of weapons and instruments for killing.
2. Business in human beings: slave trading, prostitution, or the buying and selling of children or adults.
3. Business in meat: "meat" refers to the bodies of beings after they are killed. This includes breeding animals for slaughter.
4. Business in intoxicants: manufacturing or selling intoxicating drinks or addictive drugs.
5. Business in poison: producing or trading in any kind of toxic product designed to kill.”

6. Right Effort
“Right effort can also be translated as "right endeavor". In this factor, the practitioners should make a persisting effort to abandon all the wrong and harmful thoughts, words, and deeds. The practitioner should instead be persisting in giving rise to what would be good and useful to themselves and others in their thoughts, words, and deeds, without a thought for the difficulty or weariness involved.

The below four phases of right effort mean to:
1. Prevent the unwholesome that has not yet arisen in oneself.
2. Let go of the unwholesome that has arisen in oneself.
3. Bring up the wholesome that has not yet arisen in oneself.
4. Maintain the wholesome that has arisen in oneself. ”

7. Right Mindfulness
“Right mindfulness, also translated as "right memory", "right awareness" or "right attention". Here, practitioners should constantly keep their minds alert to phenomena that affect the body and mind. They should be mindful and deliberate, making sure not to act or speak due to inattention or forgetfulness.”

8. Right Concentration
“Right concentration, as its Pali and Sanskrit names indicate, is the practice of concentration (samadhi). As such, the practitioner concentrates on an object of attention until reaching full concentration and a state of meditative absorption (jhana). Traditionally, the practice of samadhi can be developed through mindfulness of breathing (anapanasati), through visual objects (kasina), and through repetition of phrases. Samadhi is used to suppress the five hindrances in order to enter into jhana. Jhana is an instrument used for developing wisdom by cultivating insight and using it to examine true nature of phenomena with direct cognition. This leads to cutting off the defilements, realizing the dhamma and, finally, self-awakening. During the practice of right concentration, the practitioner will need to investigate and verify their right view. In the process right knowledge will arise, followed by right liberation.”

en.wikipedia.org...




CONTINUE ON NEXT POST>>>>>

[edit on 7/11/2010 by Misoir]

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Pratītyasamutpāda

“The Buddha illustrated this concept, called dependent arising, with the wheel of life (Pāli: bhavacakka; Sanskrit: bhavacakra). Depicting the cycle of rebirth,[9] the wheel of life illustrates the fact that nothing in our conventional reality "is brought about ... by any single cause alone, but by concomitance of a number of conditioning factors arising in discernibly repeated patterns."[10] Thus, everything is dependent on and relates to something (and, ultimately, everything) else. "As far as one analyzes, one finds only dependence, relativity, and emptiness, and their dependence, relativity, and emptiness" ad infinitum.

The whole process is summarized by the Buddha as follows:

With Ignorance as condition, Mental Formations arise
With Mental Formations as condition, Consciousness arises
With Consciousness as condition, Name and Form arise
With Name & Form as condition, Sense Gates arise
With Sense Gates as condition, Contact arises
With Contact as condition, Feeling arises
With Feeling as condition, Craving arises
With Craving as condition, Clinging arises
With Clinging as condition, Becoming arises
With Becoming as a condition, Birth arises
With Birth as condition, Aging and Dying arise”

en.wikipedia.org...

Nirvana

Nirvana is defined as a state of mind free from craving, anger and other afflictions. It is the ‘end of the world’ as no identity is left and there are no boundaries for the mind. You are at absolute peace with everything, you have love and compassion for all things and you no longer have obsessions or fixations. All dispositions are pacified and the conditions for new dispositions are eradicated. In Nirvana, you are no longer subject to human suffering or further rebirths. The Buddha says Nirvana is, “The highest happiness”.

Buddha describes Nirvana, the goal of Buddhism, as full enlightenment. The ‘unconditioned mind’, a mind that has come to a perfect point of lucidity and clarity due to the cessation of dispositions. It is also described by Buddha as, “Deathlesness”, and is the highest spiritual attainment. It is the natural result that occurs from living a noble life in accordance of the ‘noble eightfold path’.

en.wikipedia.org...




That is Buddhism quickly summed up. Nirvana is the ultimate reach of every Buddhist, you are not limited to just human form in the path of Nirvana, what you do in your present life and what you have done in your past life will determine your pace towards Nirvana. You can either progress forward after death into supernatural, you can repeat humanity once again (last chance), or you will be pushed back into sub-life, such as animals and hell.

en.wikipedia.org...

[edit on 7/11/2010 by Misoir]

When the Buddhists start smiling wisely and going off about karma, I get images of Third World poverty and all those children who died in Rwanda and Somalia. I guess they died for the misdeeds of a past life.

I think of all the parents around the world who've lost their children to disease and illness...I guess the kids died to teach their parents a life-lesson?

Thank you for all the work and showing ATS about Buddhism. Are you just promoting/teaching the ideas?

I'd like to add, source being myself as studying Tibetan Buddhism for about 15 years, that Samsara can also be thought of as the material world. When one is wrapped up in the karmic cycles of life, death, and rebirth we believe we're material and real, but are ignorant to the true nature of reality/energy/consciousness.

peace

reply to post by Misoir


Cool thing about Buddhism is that you do not have to believe in anything except that meditation brings you wisdom and tranquility , and also that all suffering stems from desire... duh~!

Originally posted by Kandinsky
When the Buddhists start smiling wisely and going off about karma, I get images of Third World poverty and all those children who died in Rwanda and Somalia. I guess they died for the misdeeds of a past life.

I think of all the parents around the world who've lost their children to disease and illness...I guess the kids died to teach their parents a life-lesson?

I 100% understand what you are saying, believe me! I use to think the exact same thing, except about god. Then about Buddhism, but until you actually open your mind to it me telling you something will change nothing. I may humbly guide you to a path of tolerance and open mindedness, but in order to fully embrace it you must not close your mind.

While being human we know of suffering, if you lost your child how is that cause for any justification for the ramifications of the deeds of a past life? Would that not punish the parent more than the child? Indeed it would, but only because we lack the understanding of our world and why bad things happen. Sure we could just bicker about why bad things happen to good and innocent people, where is the justice!? Well until we understand what is happening, justice will never be known.

Until you understand and embrace the causes of the inflictions of pain and suffering which is a craving, you are attached to that child. Buddhism does not say such an attachment is wrong, but how it is perceived is wrong. If a parent lost their child while being in a state of understanding of Karma and Samsara, possibly even in a state of Nirvana, the lost of their child would not be so devastating because you know it was only part of a cycle. Only a small part of the stream that was that child's soul, he/she has taken what he/she has created(Karma) in this world and has shifted it over to another world.

Until you understand that, which 99% of people don't, you would never understand why such unjust deeds occur.

I found this path about 3 years ago and it has changed everything in my life. like looking at the world through new eyes. It actually led me to sites like ats. everyday is a struggle with our own ego, and suffering that we create. once this really sank in, I realized how much suffering I cause myself. many people can not see past their own suffering to realize it. thanks for sharing, I hope this may open a few more eyes.

reply to post by Misoir


I completely agree. I also think that the poster, Kandinsky, is attributing the wrong cause to third world poverty and children dying in Rwanda and Somalia. I would like to know his logic. It seems to be the common drabble I hear from people who argue against all religions these days. It is rather sad to see that even buddhism is being attacked.

Kandinsky should also know that atheists do their fair share of killing as well, and that believing in something like Buddhism or Christianity also brings a lot of good into the world.

Really, arguments like this just support my belief that atheists are trying to destroy religions. I'm just as annoyed with that as I would be if religion was trying to hold back science.

[edit on 11-7-2010 by darkbake]

reply to post by tracer7


Good luck man. I'm glad you were able to change your life for the better. I'm too afraid to believe in something at the moment because of all the antagonism against it.

I am agnostic, however Buddhism does interest me - and as a religion I can find no fault in it.

It is not a death cult like Islam or Christianity - there is no-one sitting in judgment of our deeds. it is simply ourselves who judge ourselves.

The person who referenced karma saying thats why children die or some such - thats just off beam.

Buddhism doesn't make the claim at all - suffering teaches the soul - that is the only lesson regarding karma.

A lot of what I read about Buddhism resonates with me. A lot of it just seems like an attempt to explain or justify suffering. The idea that suffering 'teaches' to me sounds like this. I agree that suffering can make people think in a certain way and ask questions like "why am I suffering?" or "why me?" and "what have I done to deserve this?” These are questions no more.

Suffering is unpleasant and not desired. Therefore people who suffer may in many cases decide to look at suffering as some sort of punishment. This seems to make sense to individuals. To me it just sounds like rationalisation. If I get hit by a car and injured, I decide the reason why after the event the reason. It is very hard for a mind to accept that someone else just hit them with their car, it hurts and it is unpleasant suffering. We need a reason.

In the fact that the human mind has the ability to ask questions, it does not follow that there are answers to those questions.

The whole Buddhism and the techniques therein may help in the context of living a life that causes less suffering to oneself and others, but I just can't see a universal truth there yet. If I do in the future, it will me my mind that has developed this understanding based upon what I have learned/read/heard.

I say again:

In the fact that the human mind has the ability to ask questions, it does not follow that there are answers to those questions.

Any answer you give I could just ask... why?

There seems to be an infinity of possibility.

It seems that all ideas and concepts have no value except at this moment and in this situation or context.

What I understand is incorrect because that which was understood in the past is incorrect. New theories are developed. These are just correct enough to get us though the present.

There are those people who think as a child thinks; questioning and exploring, full of life. The ego demands to know. Why? So that they can sit back and say "I know".

[edit on 11-7-2010 by Pentothal]

Meditation is also accompanied by analytical thinking.
Emptying your mind and calming down senses is an experience which proves that your existence is not necessarily part of the world (Samsara) in which everything is conditioned by cause-and-effect (Karma).

Most people simply follow routine which is opposite to meditation. That's why they get stuck and stop learning about themselves and everything else. It is the worse possible curse which people impose on themselves and their children.

According to Buddha, here is a list of causality which perpetuates suffering:

1. Ignorance causes expressions of will (projections)
2. Expressions of will (projections) cause consciousness.
3. Consciousness causes name-and-form (idea-and-perception or soul-and-body, or physical-and-psychical).
4. By name-and-form are conditioned six realms of perception.
5. Realms of perception condition touch.
6. Touch conditions feelings.
7. Feelings condition thirst for life.
8. Thirst for life conditions craving to life.
9. Craving conditions being (don't confuse existence and being, for being means being in form, like living form, while existence is abstract).
10. Being conditions birth.
11. Birth condition:
12. Age and death, misery and trouble, suffering, sorrow and desperation.

That's how all this heap of suffering becomes.
From total aversion and cessation of ignorance follows cessation of expressions of will (and all that chain of 12 links). Thus ends this heap of suffering.


Many believe that Buddha was about saving life, but in truth, he was about saving FROM LIFE.

In Buddha's philosophy, life is a very bad thing, because it causes suffering and because it is the result of ignorance.

The aim of Buddha was to cease suffering, and life turned out to be in the way.

My own personal experience confirms that he was right.

reply to post by DangerDeath


Great reply! Quite informative.

I must admit that Buddhism is actually quite new to me, the in depth understanding of it anyway. I have never meditated, but I do believe that I am already on the right path. My view of the world is extraordinarily different than most other people's, I already do not believe anything is punishment, but it is a result of a past action. And while I still do have cravings I have been known to always demand control over myself, if I decide against something my mind and body crave then I am controlling myself and that is the more advanced steps of Buddhism.

Suffering comes from resisting experience.

It is avoided by focusing entirely and exclusively on the experience at hand (stay in the present).

The hard part is letting go.

(Do you really want to let go?)

reply to post by Misoir


Where is Dharma?

Thank you for your time and effort in putting this together. This is why I come here.

Originally posted by Misoir
reply to post by DangerDeath

 

Great reply! Quite informative.

I must admit that Buddhism is actually quite new to me, the in depth understanding of it anyway. I have never meditated, but I do believe that I am already on the right path. My view of the world is extraordinarily different than most other people's, I already do not believe anything is punishment, but it is a result of a past action. And while I still do have cravings I have been known to always demand control over myself, if I decide against something my mind and body crave then I am controlling myself and that is the more advanced steps of Buddhism.

Buddhist practice is very simple. Meditation actually means mindfulness, which is a practical tool (paticcasamuppada - dependent origination).

Very simply - you observe the order and connection of things in everything you do. (I intentionally use this phrase "order and connection of things" because it is Spinoza's formulation, to show that this practice works independently from the actual historical or social or philosophical frame).

In Buddhism, along with mindfulness, goes insight (vipassana, intuition).
Vipassana means to see things as they are - essentially, it is just another aspect of practicing mindfulness, or if you want - the result.

In philosophy and art, method is everything. The only valid method in this respect is - the analytical method. Results come directly from applying this method, not from PROJECTIONS.

Some people tend to project (like: their future, or a sequence of events) but this method almost always fails and is not 100% certain.

Analytical method does not project, instead it deals with PRESENT situation (past and future are projections, and the meaning of this is very important).

Living in the present (the now) is only possible by means of improvisation, but it will be futile if it is not based on experience-knowledge of how things really work (the order and connection of things).

Analytical method acquires the necessary knowledge to practice living in the now (free from projections).

This method is also called stochastic method (stochastic really means "chance").

The emphasis in Buddha's teaching is to acquire the "fruit" of ascetic's effort IMMEDIATELY (now), therefore no karma producing action (projecting and thus delaying effect) is encouraged.

As I said, it is only possible if one aims to acquiring knowledge.

Needless to say, it is a life long "project".

YOu know if I was too choose a religion to follow it would probably be Buddhism or Taoism. The closest thing to my spiritual belief. I have proven to people many of times about Karma and its existence. you see it many times in sports for the matter as well.