The Fourth Noble Truth

[HandOfZek]

This truth is simple: The Noble Eight-fold Path leads to Enlightenment.

It's actually a lot more complicated than just that.

quote:1. * Samma-Ditthi — Complete or Perfect Vision, also translated as right view or understanding. Vision of the nature of reality and the path of transformation.

2. Samma-Sankappa — Perfected Emotion or Aspiration, also translated as right thought or attitude. Liberating emotional intelligence in your life and acting from love and compassion. An informed heart and feeling mind that are free to practice letting go.

3. Samma-Vaca — Perfected or whole Speech. Also called right speech. Clear, truthful, uplifting and non-harmful communication.

4. Samma-Kammanta — Integral Action. Also called right action. An ethical foundation for life based on the principle of non-exploitation of oneself and others. The five precepts.

5. Samma-Ajiva — Proper Livelihood. Also called right livelihood. This is a livelihood based on correct action the ethical principal of non-exploitation. The basis of an Ideal society.

6. Samma-Vayama — Complete or Full Effort, Energy or Vitality. Also called right effort or diligence. Consciously directing our life energy to the transformative path of creative and healing action that fosters wholeness. Conscious evolution.

7. Samma-Sati — Complete or Thorough Awareness. Also called "right mindfulness". Developing awareness, "if you hold yourself dear watch yourself well". Levels of Awareness and mindfulness - of things, oneself, feelings, thought, people and Reality.

8. Samma-Samadhi — Full, Integral or Holistic Samadhi. This is often translated as concentration, meditation, absorption or one-pointedness of mind. None of these translations is adequate. Samadhi literally means to be fixed, absorbed in or established at one point, thus the first level of meaning is concentration when the mind is fixed on a single object. The second level of meaning goes further and represents the establishment, not just of the mind, but also of the whole being in various levels or modes of consciousness and awareness. This is Samadhi in the sense of enlightenment or Buddhahood.

* The word Samma means 'proper', 'whole', 'thorough', 'integral', 'complete', and 'perfect' - related to English 'summit' - It does not necessarily mean 'right', as opposed to 'wrong'. However it is often translated as "right" which can send a less than accurate message. For instance the opposite of 'Right Awareness' is not necessarily 'Wrong Awareness'. It may simply be incomplete. Use of the word 'right' may make for a neat or consistent list of qualities in translations. The down side is that it can give the impression that the Path is a narrow and moralistic approach to the spiritual life. I use variant interpretations so you consider the depth of meanings. What do these things mean in your life right now?

- John Allan

That should be enough to get some discussion going. As far as the listed steps go, I have some comments and questions.

The first seems to be a little confusing. Understanding of what, exactly?

Will post more later, <3

[redzed]

quote:Originally posted by HandOfZek:

The first seems to be a little confusing. Understanding of what, exactly?

My thoughts hinge on the etymology of the word 'understanding' and my reason is because of past encounters with this word in the bible. In the 5th verse of John's gospel it says "and the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not."(KJV) the word 'comprehended' is variously translated by different interpreters as: 'understood'(NIV), or 'overcome'(NSRV).

The connection is between comprehended and understanding. The dictionary says this of comprehension: the act or capacity of understanding.

substitute comprehension for understanding: "1. * Samma-Ditthi — Complete or Perfect Vision, also translated as right view or comprehension. Vision of the nature of reality and the path of transformation. "

Seems to me this verse is speaking of the individual's active attempts, and capacity, to truly comprehend reality. The latin root of comprehend is 'to seize' - a thought that invokes an image of a mind with a powerful grasp on the true nature of reality.

That's all I've got for now but thanks heaps for the quote from John Allen. Do you have a link or is the quote from a book?

Namaste

[This message has been edited by redzed (edited 01-22-2007).]

[ArmsMerchant]

That sounds very much like what Neale Donald Walsch calls "the New Gospel"--a term I am NOT comfortable with, I might add, but he does come froma Christian background--although he HAS been trying to transcend that.

Also sounds a lot like Deepak Chopra's "New paradigm," which is based on, among other things, quantum physics and the Vedanta.

[HandOfZek]

"2. Samma-Sankappa — Perfected Emotion or Aspiration, also translated as right thought or attitude. Liberating emotional intelligence in your life and acting from love and compassion. An informed heart and feeling mind that are free to practice letting go."

How do you feel this translates? Aspiration to obtain enlightenment, and only acting in the name of <3. I like and agree. ^^

John allen was a pretty read dude../

quote:Originally posted by HandOfZek:

This truth is simple: The Noble Eight-fold Path leads to Enlightenment.

It's actually a lot more complicated than just that.

That should be enough to get some discussion going. As far as the listed steps go, I have some comments and questions.

The first seems to be a little confusing. Understanding of what, exactly?

Will post more later, <3

To me it just sounds like the buddha is saying try your best and follow the middle-way when at all possible. It's very easy to overthink buddhist believes.