Buddhist Practices
How to Understand Basic Beliefs and Practices of Buddhism - A Path to Peace in a Conflict Burdened World
It is difficult to say if self confirmed Buddhist celebrities like Richard Gere, Tina Turner, Tiger Woods, Orlando Bloom, Leonard Cohen, Steven Segal and Herbie Hancock have attained nirvana, which can be defined as the ideal condition of rest, harmony, stability, and joy. It is clear however, that they have found a degree of peace and strength for themselves through the practice of Buddhism. One need only listen to any of them speak about how the practice of Buddhism has brought them a sense of peace, or look to see how their previous, sometimes turbulent lives have changed for the better.
Most of us wonder at how someone like 1991 Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Aung San Suu Kyi continually demonstrates such strength and composure while leading decades of non-violent campaigns for democracy in her native Myanmar. One ponders how despite enduring years of house arrest and separation from her family, she still exudes such apparent tranquility. When asked how she was able to withstand such long isolations, Aung San Suu Kyi said, "Isolation is not difficult for me. Maybe it's because of my Buddhist upbringing."
Understanding the new found popularity of Buddhism in the West
During the past four decades, the practice of Buddhism has taken hold in the west. This can be attributed to multiple factors; top psychologists have pondered the various reasons over the years. Buddhism provides answers to the problems inherent in modern society. It also provides an advanced understanding of the workings of ones own mind as well as effective, natural therapies for overcoming patterns and habits that lead to unhappiness and cause pain, both emotional and physical.
What is Buddhism?
Buddhism is both a religion based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama and a philosophy or way of life.
It is estimated that there are approximately 300 million people in the world who are practicing Buddhists and that there may be as many as 500 million. The reason it is difficult to come to an exact figure is because so many practicing Buddhists live in the poorer and third world countries where census taking is difficult.
The word Buddha comes from the word budhi and means 'to awaken'. Siddhartha Gautama awakened himself when he was 35 years old and then left his teaching, including the four noble truths and the eightfold pathway so that others too, could attain enlightenment and happiness.
It is also scientific in that science is testing a theory or principle and part of Siddhartha Gautama's teaching includes a challenge for others to test the four noble truths and the eightfold pathway for themselves.
4 Noble Truths
First Noble Truth - Dukkha or the truth of suffering
The first truth is that suffering exists; it is a fact of life. Life is imperfect, stressful and includes both physical and psychological pain. We endure such physical suffering as disease, aging, pain and ultimately death. Psychologically we undergo such pain as fear, frustration, embarrassment, loneliness and despair. The first truth is to accept dukkha or suffering as a fact of life as well as anatman, which literally translates as no soul. It further involves accepting that we have no individual existence but rather that we are interconnected with, and interdependent upon, everything else. The first truth also includes acceptance of anitya or the impermanence of everything, including ourselves.
Second Noble Truth - Samudaya or the cause of suffering
The second truth is the acceptance of Samudaya, which is the cause of suffering. It teaches that trishna, commonly translated to words like attachment, thirst, desire, greed, craving, wanting or clinging, is the cause of human suffering. It further explains that dvesha, which means hatred or avoidance, is yet another form of clinging, which leads to human suffering. Finally, it adds that the refusal to see or accept the impermanence of everything, including ourselves is avidya, or ignorance and also causes and perpetuates our suffering. A lifetime of wanting and clinging is what Buddhists believe creates the powerful force that causes us to be born again and again; which is known as reincarnation.
Third Noble Truth - Nirhodha or the end of suffering
The third noble truth, Nirhodha, is the acceptance that the overcoming of suffering and the attainment of happiness are possible. This third truth teaches that letting of fear, hatred, useless wanting, or clinging as well as learning to live in the moment rather than dreaming of the future, or constantly revisiting the past, leads us to nirvana.
Fourth Noble Truth - Magga, the path that leads us from suffering
The fourth truth or Magga is that the Eightfold Path, through the Three Practices, is the pathway, or as Buddha referred to it, "the middle way", that leads to the end of suffering and to the attainment of happiness and peace.
The Eightfold Path
The eightfold path and the three practices are practical guidelines for the mental and ethical development that leads to the attainment of enlightenment and nirvana.
The eightfold path is divided into three practice areas that support someone in attaining enlightenment. The three practices are Prajna, which roughly translates as Wisdom, Sila, which translates as Morality or Ethical Conduct and Samadhi, which means Mental Development or Meditation.
The eightfold path and the three practices were not intended as individual steps that one follows in a sequence but rather as interdependent principles that are best understood in relation to each other.
The Three Practices
1. Prajna refers to the first two pathways of the eightfold, Right View and Right Intention.
Right view is the acceptance and understanding of the four noble truths, while the right intention or aspiration addresses the need to have to true desire to free oneself from ignorance, wanting and attachment.
2. Sila addresses Right Speech, Right Action, and Right Livelihood.
Right speech refers to refraining from hurtful talk such as gossip or lying.
Right action addresses abstaining from hurtful behaviors like taking what does not belong to you, or what has not been given to you as well as causing injury or death to another. It includes such actions as careless sex.
Right livelihood means to make a living in a way that does not hurt other human beings or animals. It also requires one to be honest and peaceful in their labors.
3. Samadhi involves the practices of Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration.
The right effort, along with the right intention is largely considered prerequisites to the others in the eightfold pathway. Right effort refers to putting ones effort toward nurturing and enacting ones good qualities while turning away from ones bad qualities.
Right mindfulness addresses paying attention to one's own thoughts, feelings, words and actions in a way that promotes consciousness of ignorance and cravings so that they can be abandoned.
Right concentration refers to the practice of meditation so that one can come to fully understand and embrace imperfection, impermanence and the interconnectedness of everything.
If you are struggling to understand the purpose of life, to find a measure of happiness and peace or to make sense out of a world filled with injustice and inequality, perhaps the time has come for you to take a look at the practice of Buddhism. If you would like to learn more we suggest the Art of Happiness by His Holiness the Dalai Lama available from the ULC Catalog.
