Showing posts with label four noble truths. Show all posts

Right Vision


Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh


What is Right Vision?  

Right vision is the first step on the Noble Eightfold Path. It directly relates and ties into the next as the spokes on a ships wheel each support one another. Right view is where we begin. It is the place where we acknowledge the Four Noble Truths. 

  1. The Truth of Suffering (The Truth of Suffering)
  2. The Truth of the Cause of Suffering (Truth of the Origin of Suffering)
  3. The Truth of the End of Suffering (Truth of Cessation)
  4. The Truth of the Path that Leads to the End of Suffering (Truth of the Path)




“Right View” is what the Buddha considered to be the correct way to look at existence. It is seeing things as they are. “Right View” is the wisdom to look at existence from the perspective of the Four Noble Truths. The wrong view will lead us towards courses of action that bares results in suffering while the right view will guide us towards right actions, and thereby towards the cessation of suffering.

Right view - leads to end suffering.

Wrong view - does not lead to end suffering.



Hecate's Wisdom vs. Buddhism's Right View.

Wisdom is the ability to take knowledge gained from experience and apply it to new situations to avoid harm, discomfort or injury. To me this is very similar to Right View. 

Wisdom guides us to down the path and helps us know when to employ the remaining virtues. It helps us know when to call on courage or temperance. It guides us to speaking truthful words in a peaceful way. It guides to work with our community and join together without strife or conflict. It helps us on our path to being at balance.  Right view is working from a set of guidelines (Hecate's Virtues) and use that to further our walk down the right path (Noble Eightfold Path).  Each step building on the last and helping guide us to the ultimate goal, the end of suffering.



What are you thoughts on this? Does the Noble Eightfold Path resonate with you? What do you think about right vision?  Here are a view videos on the Right View. 





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Prayer of the 5-Virtues of Hekate

Sacred Goddess Hekate
help me to manifest Justice in my actions
Temperance in my soul
Courage in my choices
Wisdom in my words
Compassion towards all beings.



Full content of the five virtues from the COH Website:

Compassion
– Sympathy and/or concern for others who are suffering or find themselves in an undesirable position. A person attempting to develop the virtue of Compassion within their daily life and practice would desire to aid in the alleviation of any undesirable situation or at the very least not be a contributing factor towards it.


Real Life Example – You could try to help the homeless or less fortunate be they of the two or four legged variety. Volunteering at local shelters or organizing food drives are great ways to learn and show compassion.

Courage
– Strength or character or fortitude to stand firm in your convictions and face adversity or distress without fear. A person attempting to develop the virtue of Courage within their daily life and practice may chose to stand firm against those who would chose to undermine their beliefs or convictions or to speak out against those who hurt and undermine others.

Real Life Example – Try standing up for someone you or your friendship group may deem unpopular. Also when someone shows remorse for a wrongdoing some people will continue to be angry and unforgiving. Instead state your position calmly (in itself an act of courage) and then allow the situation to pass.

Temperance
– Moderation and self-control are both acts of Temperance. A person attempting to develop the virtue of Temperance within their daily life and practice may chose to restrict some part of their life be that thought or action in an attempt to find a balance rather than choosing to allow extremes.

Real Life Example – Try abstaining from certain types of food or drink or showing restraint in discussions online. An example would be to learn to hold one’s tongue and listen a bit more before jumping into an argument.

Justice
– Moral and physical rightness are both aspects of Justice, as is the sometimes contradictory act of behaving fairly towards other people. A person attempting to develop the virtue of Justice within their daily life would strive to act fairly, truthfully and with personal integrity when dealing with others and themselves.

Real Life Example – Try to treat others fairly, in action and tone be it online or in person. Try to not pass judgement on another based upon your own feelings for a person, your understanding of the situation or hearsay. There are often two (or more) sides to a story and the truth lies somewhere between. If the truth cannot be ascertained then try being impartial.

Wisdom
– To have the common sense, foresight and understanding to think or act in a manner most objectively and beneficially to any given situation. A person attempting to develop the virtue of Wisdom within their daily life would strive to apply their knowledge and experiences in a prudent and practical way.

Real Life Example – Try volunteering to share on a topic that you are knowledgeable on with a local group or center. Offer to do a guest blog post or write an article for an eZine on a particular subject.

Monday Meditation - Strive

On the title of my blog page I have the following subtitle:

UNDERSTAND . RELEASE . OVERCOME . STRIVE


Image Credit - http://buddhismpathtowellbeing.blogspot.com/


I created this as a way to help me learning the Four Noble Truths. For me it was easier to remember if I had just one word for each of the truths. This is the fourth of four blog posts related to the Four Noble Truths.

So we know that suffering happens.  We know that attachment is the source of our suffering and we know that there is an end to that suffering.  Next we're going to look at how we end that suffering.  Magga is the way to end suffering.


This video contains information on both the Third and Fourth Noble Truths.


I chose strive here because this is what I try to do for this truth.  The final truth is that we have a path to the end of suffering. If we follow that path we can end suffering.  The Noble Eight-fold Path shows us the way to end suffering.



The Noble Eight-fold Path tells us how to  end suffering.

Image Source - Quora.com



If we have the right view, the right intention, the right speech, the right action, the right livelihood, the right effort, the right concentration and the right mindfulness, each and everyone one of us can end suffering.

As always, your comments are welcome.  Feel free to post here or continue to use the form or email to send your questions/discussions.

Monday Meditation - Overcome

On the title of my blog page I have the following subtitle:

UNDERSTAND . RELEASE . OVERCOME . STRIVE


Image Credit - http://buddhismpathtowellbeing.blogspot.com/


I created this as a way to help me learning the Four Noble Truths. For me it was easier to remember if I had just one word for each of the truths. This is the third of four blog posts related to the Four Noble Truths.

So we learned that there is suffering in life.  We learned that attachment is the source of our suffering. Next we're going to look at Nirodha. Nirodha is the truth of the end of suffering. This means that yes, we all suffer but suffering can end.




I chose the word overcome here because I wanted to remind myself that I can overcome suffering. I have that power within me.  We know that suffering can end. We do not have to continue to suffer. There is an end. All we need to remember is that the Third Noble Truth is that there is an end to suffering.


How do we end it?  That's covered in our next section on the Four Noble Truths.

As always, your comments are welcome.  Feel free to post here or continue to use the form or email to send your questions/discussions.

Monday Meditation - Release

On the title of my blog page I have the following subtitle:

UNDERSTAND . RELEASE . OVERCOME . STRIVE


Image Credit - http://buddhismpathtowellbeing.blogspot.com/


I created this as a way to help me learning the Four Noble Truths. For me it was easier to remember if I had just one word for each of the truths. This is the second of four blog posts related to the Four Noble Truths.


To understand that suffering exists is the beginning of the Four Noble Truths. Now where does this suffering come from?  What is the origin of our suffering? What is Samudaya?


I chose release here because release is the opposite of attachment.  It reminds me that I need to release that attachment in order to cease the suffering in my life.  Suffering comes from attachment.  Attachment to people and things.  If we get a child, we fear losing the child. If we get any new possession, (car, house) or even a new job, after we have the happiness of having those, along with that comes naturally the fear of losing them.




So first we learned that life is suffering.  Living equates to suffering. To live is to suffer.  Now, we know why we suffer. We suffering due to attachment.  Attachment is the fear of loss. So we are suffering because we don't want to lose what we have. Samudaya is understanding that there is a source of this suffering.


As always, your comments are welcome.  Feel free to post here or continue to use the form or email to send your questions/discussions.

Monday Meditation - Understand

On the title of my blog page I have the following subtitle:

UNDERSTAND . RELEASE . OVERCOME . STRIVE


Image Credit - http://buddhismpathtowellbeing.blogspot.com/


I created this as a way to help me learning the Four Noble Truths. For me it was easier to remember if I had just one word for each of the truths. This is the first of four blog posts related to the Four Noble Truths.

I started out with Dukkha, the truth of suffering.  Simpy put, the truth of suffering is that we all suffer. No matter how wonderful our life is, there will be suffering. Suffering is inevitable. 



I always found this profound even when put to me in a slightly different context.  The Princess Bride for example has an excellent quote when Princess Buttercup confronts the Dread Pirate Roberts.






Until we fully understand that all life is suffering, we cannot move forward. We sit as victims waiting for the next problem. The next big drama. The next failure.  Now while you may say, not all life is suffering; I would ask you to really examine that statement and look at some of the modern "great" life events.

The birth of a child.
Buying a new house.
Buying a new car.
Getting a promotion.

All of these are great things right?  Life is good!  Yes, and no.

The birth of a new child leads to all sorts of suffering. You have worries associated with the health and well-being of the child. You have new expenses with the new child, house or car.  You have new demands with the new promotion and the new child.  Each of these things are suffering.

Now, don't think I'm being pessimistic. We're going to work through the all of the truths and you'll see how they tie together. Right now just try to examine dukkha and understand what it is. How does dukkha impact your life.

We're not judging suffering, we're just understanding that suffering exists.

Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments or continue to email/message me directly.  I don't mind these messages at all.