Friday, July 22, 2016

The Noble Eightfold Path

Read deeply the following article on "What is the Eightfold Path?" summarised by LION'S ROAR STAFF.
http://www.lionsroar.com/buddhism-by-the-numbers-the-eightfold-path/?utm_content=buffer9e7bf&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer
The followings are my understanding and commentaries. 
(Blue parts are excerpts from the above article.)

1. RIGHT VIEW
A true understanding of how reality and suffering are intertwined.

(My understanding and commentary)
Right view, or insight means the absence of all views.
All views are wrong views because they cause separation, discrimination, or the duality which brings about afflictions and sufferings. That's why we need to throw away all views.

2. RIGHT RESOLVE
The aspiration to act with correct intention, doing no harm.

(My understanding and commentary)
Right thinking (instead of RIGHT RESOLVE) means the non-thinking. 
All thoughts are wrong thoughts because they cause separation, discrimination, or the duality which brings about afflictions and sufferings. That's why we need to stop thinking in order to attain insight.

3. RIGHT SPEECH
Abstaining from lying, and divisive or abusive speech.

(My understanding and commentary)
Right speech means the loving speech based on right view, insight, or understanding.
All speeches which are not based on insight, they are wrong speeches. That's because only if we understand the true nature of reality, we can generate love and compassion. That's why we need to speak based on our deep understanding

4. RIGHT ACTION
Acting in ways that do not cause harm, such as not taking life, not stealing, and not engaging in sexual misconduct.

(My understanding and commentary)
Right action means the physical action based on right view, insight, or understanding.
All actions which are not based on insight, they are wrong actions. That's because only if we understand the true nature of reality, we can generate love and compassion. That's why we need to act based on our deep understanding.

5. RIGHT LIVELIHOOD
Making an ethically sound living, being honest in business dealings.

(My understanding and commentary)
Right livelihood means to make a living through the right job.
All jobs which harm others are wrong jobs. So, making a living through wrong jobs is the wrong livelihood. That's why we need to choose the right job to make a living.

6. RIGHT EFFORT
Endeavoring to give rise to skillful thoughts, words, and deeds and renouncing unskillful ones.

(My understanding and commentary)
Right diligence (instead of RIGHT EFFORT)  means the selective watering.
If we water to the unwholesome seeds, the unwholesome mental formations will manifest. And if we water to the wholesome seeds, the wholesome mental formations will manifest. That's why the selective watering is vital. Nevertheless, if our unwholesome mental formations manifest, we need to look deeply into it, understand the root cause and transform it by the energy of compassion

7. RIGHT MINDFULNESS
Being mindful of one’s body, feelings, mind, and mental qualities.

(My understanding and commentary)
Right mindfulness means to revive awareness by stopping thinking.
If we think, we are ego (separate self) and live in forgetfulness, or the wrong mindfulness. Awareness (non-separate self) can attain insight without thinking and touch the wonders of life. That's why we always need to live in mindfulness.

8. RIGHT CONCENTRATION
Practicing skillful meditation informed by all of the preceding seven aspects.

(My understanding and commentary)
Right concentration means to look deeply into the object in order to attain insight.  
If we practice the right concentration, we can touch the true nature of reality and liberate our mind through insight. That's why  we need to be always concentrated for our liberation.

(My comment)
Everything starts from stopping. That's because stopping thinking through mindfulness revives awareness. Without stopping, nothing starts.

(Cf.) http://www.slideshare.net/compassion5151/meditation-selfinquiry

Mindfulness, Concentration, Insight in PV stained glass