A Discourse on Buddha's Eightfold Path Teaching

Compiled from Kharma Klips Newsletter 9 - 16

RIGHT VIEW:

Right View is the first in the Eightfold Path teaching. It is our Views that lead to our way of thinking that leads to how we communicate, how we behave, what job we choose, what motivates us, how we stay focused or mindful and lastly how we come to a place of concentrated bliss (ahhhhh! or rather, OM).

So, if our Views are the root where do those roots ground themselves, what are we digging into? Well, obviously, our first experience in life is our tribal family. Our family teaches us values, judgments, prejudices, and other ways to View the world around us. A simple judgment like a Father who says, "I hate all green vegetables," can pass that View onto his children who then enter life hating all green vegetables. The issues we deal with, though, are far deeper like how we approach relating to each other, or conducting our lives. When we are confronted with difference we react according to our View on that subject. Regardless of whether we are in fact right or wrong, we hold to our Views for all they are worth. We will argue, fight wars, divorce spouses, kick children out of their home, fire employees, pass laws, the list is endless for all the infinite ways our Views as an individual, a tribal family, a state, a nation, a world will defend themselves for the sake of their View on how things should be. Does this sound crazy? or ridiculous? Yes. But, regardless, this is the root of our suffering, of our ignorance.

Buddha taught that instead, when we meet with difference. We stop and listen with an open heart. There may be a different view that could teach us, expand our understanding, and allow us the ability to embrace something new. For example, gay marriage, which is a "hot" topic. The root tribal response is that this is not "normal" or acceptable to our traditional VIEW on the institution of marriage. Yet, the "reality" is that we have a gay population who believes in this institution and wants to be a part of it. So, as Buddhists or Buddha-minded individuals, we can stop, listen compassionately and hear what from all sides. We can find a way to allow differing Views to unite. It takes a lot for a group of any size to accept this lesson. It takes the brutal task of uprooting our Views for examination. Why do we choose to hold to certain beliefs? Why can't we accept both our Views and others without creating conflict? I wish I had the answer. I wish there was a way, because I know the end result would be an amazing world of peace and harmony. If nothing else, we are here for just this reason. To learn through endless lessons how to be more open, more loving, more understanding of others and of ourselves.

It is necessary to stay grounded but we do not need to be so rooted; rooted into Views attaches us to a way of living that leads to endless cycles of suffering and struggle.

Ironically, we can spend a period of time thinking with one View-point and will defend it with all our might then one day you find that an inspiring person, tragic event or a particular teacher changes us. An attachment to the View that you hated green vegetables changes when someone introduces a spinach salad in a cooking class you decided to take. You try it, for some reason, and find your View has changed. It would be lovely if it were just that simple, And who knows, maybe it is?

RIGHT INTENT:

One of the greatest challenges we face everyday is the ego and making an effort to move past thinking only for our own selfish desires and comforts towards the needs of others. Enmeshed in this teaching is the 4 Noble Truths. By recognizing our own suffering we can begin to release attachments, disregard our egotistical desires and realize that we alone do not suffer. Renouncing our desires in an effort to release our suffering is a major first step. Thinking of the suffering of others and taking action to help them is another major accomplishment. Using the practice of daily meditation to center our thinking on the suffering of ourselves, our family, our community, our nation and the world with the intention of releasing suffering is a vital part of leading a Buddhist/Spiritual life. Beginning each day with the intention of thinking of the betterment of others through acts of kindness, goodwill, and service is all you need to do. When you train your mind this way you will see all the opportunities you used to miss where you could help someone else. Simple acts such as letting someone on the road merge into your lane from an exit ramp, holding the door for a woman with a stroller, or offering your place in the supermarket line to someone with fewer items shows a charitable thought for others. When you see someone is in distress think of how you might help them out, sometimes a loving smile can be a wonderful gift or giving your time in some way. This is where Right Thinking can manifest into Right Actions like volunteering or making donations.Putting into perspective how your suffering pales against the suffering of so many others, helps end the cycle of egocentric thinking. It's amazing when you open your life up in this way the world around you begins to bloom ever so slowly and oh, so beautifully. Angels sing, Buddha smiles, and your mind turns with goodness like a great dharma wheel.

RIGHT SPEECH:

We can all relate to being a blubbering idiot at times. We have also witnessed countless politicians open their mouths and let loose all kinds of amazing false truths. It is probably one of the hardest things to train ourselves on and practice daily. A thought comes into our mind and the next thing you know, you've manifested it into speech. The worst is in moments of heated debate, stress, frustration, drunkenness, or over zealousness. The art of "mouna", the Tibetan word for silence, is one we should all try to practice more in our daily lives. Taking deep breaths and releasing both the thoughts and the words can be very liberating.

As parents we reach that point of intense frustration with our children and then anger sprays like rapid fire, scalding our children's ears. An employee or co-worker has us twisted in stress knots and we let our good buddy at work know. Then you come to find out they've heard all about it. When you stop and think about how many people we come into contact with and how many of those people we speak to, it's enough to make your vocal chords ache.

I made a concerted effort years ago to not behave this way. I'm no saint and I have my days and moments of weakness but I try to move through my days far more silently, far more patiently, far more slowly. When I catch myself engaging in work gossip, I pull away from adding my two cents. When I catch myself finally passing that slow poke on the highway, I take a deep breath and send them a blessing instead of a curse. When I'm waiting in line I think of the cashier whose feet ache and who wishes they could be anywhere but there.

The other half of speech is hearing. We know that much of where we all go wrong is in misinterpreting what someone else has said. How often do you hear the words " I never said that!" or "That's not what I meant!". I personally would rather spend the rest of my days in silence and communicate through writing. I express myself far more clearly and confidently through the written word. Allowing someone to speak without translating according to your way of thinking, according to your expectation, without busily coming up with a reply before they've finished is truly, actively listening. Clarify with questions to ensure you heard the person correctly and do not interrupt (to quote my mother).

When Buddha taught about Right Speech I imagine he wanted us to speak from the heart, from a place of deep compassion, peace and love. I don't think he could have imagined this world we live in today full of media, full of shock and noise. Yet, we still after all this time can and should bring his teachings to this present moment. We can begin today to speak from the heart, to speak words that inspire, to speak so that others feel our compassion.

When you catch yourself engaging in words of gossip, slander, condemnation, or judgment, choose to be silent. Choose to take deep breaths, opening the heart, releasing both the thoughts and the words that will only cause harm. I believe in a world where people speak more kindly and where enemies can become friends. And remember the old cliché; a smile is worth a thousand words. Know that to be true : )

RIGHT ACTION:

Somehow this seems to reflect more intrinsically the manifestation of all the other Paths. Beyond Right Speech, Right Action is physical and has the potential to do far more good or harm than anything else human. There are institutions established to ensure Right Action according to human rights or animal rights like the Red Cross, PETA, Amnesty International, and Habitat for Humanity. It's as if our modern world has created such organizations to be guardians to ensure Right Action is respected, if not enforced. So much of what we do in our simple, small lives has potential to significantly impact the world.

Think about just one part of Right Action like walking. Walking mindfully we can observe the ants and other insects in our path and try to step around them. It's reducing ourselves down to the level of understanding that we are all interconnected, life is life, breath is breath. What arrogant part of our minds deludes us into thinking we are superior to anything, even an ant or slug? What would the world be like without them or us? Just as the Eightfold Path is interrelated, so we know everything is and in our infinite connection we take a responsibility to treat all life with equality and respect. We have no Right to abuse, harm, or kill another life. Without enemies we would have no comprehension of friendship, therefore how can we call someone an enemy? Where does that line get drawn to the point where we want to take Action against or for another life?

The issues we see blasted across the headlines, numbly retold news stories all are only a microcosm of the suffering that goes untold everyday everywhere in this beautiful world of samsara. We all suffer; we all feel some level of abuse or terror just by being a witness, if not a victim. It's not about what happens to us, though, it's what we choose to do, and it's how we choose to ACT. It's with that great step we take to be mindful and compassionate in how we conduct our lives that changes the world. For instance, have you ever participated in one of the world prayer or meditation days? You want to talk about amazing ACTION and what that feels like? It's Powerful.

What Buddha taught was simple. What Buddha taught was as base, simple as the ground from which trees and grass grow and a web of insects thrive. What have we, you, me, us done to escalate humanity to the level at which we survive, struggle and suffer now? How can we make effective change to choose to live better, and LIVE RIGHT ACTION? We must learn to love. We must learn to embrace what is simple and pure again. We must unplug from all the lights and color to see, breathe, speak and act as if this were our last day, our only day to make a difference, to make an impact. You can start with a smile.

RIGHT LIVING:

Ask yourself simple, explorative questions about how you earn a living. What is your industry? What role do you play? Does the end result harm anyone, any living species, or the environment? How does your work make you feel as a spiritually responsible person? I began asking myself these questions years ago. I have spent most of my life selling in a mostly retail environment. For a short time I was a telemarketer trying to persuade small business owners to change long distance companies. My motive of saving them money was honorable enough, though the tactics of selling felt pretty manipulative and aggressive. In the end, I longed more and more to continue to use my well honed skill but in a more "Right Minded" way. I was struck with the inspiration to start this business and blessed with an inheritance from my dear Godfather, Clyde Marshall, to make it possible. I have never gained such satisfaction from a job. I know on many levels that I am contributing to people's lives in a spiritual way and from a spiritual mission. This feels Right.

Being a butcher, an arms trader, a chicken truck driver, a drug dealer, a prostitute is not ideally Right Living. Still, the butcher's children need to be cared for and if people didn't eat meat there would be no need for butchers - this is collective karma. What about chem-lawn sprayers or land developers? Is there a way to avoid such professions or are they jobs that someone will have to do because there is a demand for the end product? Then, we must realize we have choices. We have a choice as to what we do for a living. We have a choice as to where we live, and what products we buy and use and in so doing, what industries we support. Wearing leather or fur, eating meat, buying toxic items like moth balls, spraying your lawns with fertilizers.... the list is as endless as our global problems. Choosing to buy organic meats and produce, becoming vegetarian, detoxing your house of chemicals and supporting companies that give back to the community are just some of the ways you can make a difference in supporting "Right Livers."

Try approaching your work day from the virtue of Right Living just by answering the phone with a smile : ) Breathe deeply and open your heart when going into a meeting. Slow down for a lunch eaten in silence. If you like to take a walk during your work day why no make it a walking meditation? Talk to people joyfully and compassionately as you engage in business.

RIGHT EFFORT:

Our View, our Intent, where our Mind is Concentrated and Aware of, how we choose to Make a Living, How we Speak all are part of the Effort we make in our lives. "Proper effort is not the effort to make something particular happen. It is the effort to be aware and awake in each moment, the effort to overcome laziness and defilements, the effort to make each activity of our day meditation." Ajahn Chah

It's the Buddhist middle path approach to life, walking in the gray, avoiding black and white exclusively by merging the two in harmony. You don't have to look very hard to find too much effort put forth everywhere. As Americans, it is our culture to work hard, tirelessly reaching for the golden ring of abundance. We work endless hours to accumulate endless amounts of things. The effort we put forth should be moderate, enough to oblige our responsibilities without extreme.

Look at what emotions motivate our efforts, desire and aggression. It's not being a couch potato to life, nor the fast track career consumed consumer. Its being of a clear, focused mind and Knowing what it is you need to do as a service to yourself or to your family or to your community. We work too hard, we do too much, we expend huge amounts of energy. It taxes our health rather than spending quality time with our loved ones and fostering a truer sense of spirituality. Look at the life of Buddha, how rich a Prince was he and how simple a man in the end under that Bodhi tree. When you strip away the desire and negativity your mind generates, you can be motivated from a far deeper place.

Instead of running, try a walking meditation. Instead of going to the mall choose to go to the park and collect pinecones, flowers and rocks. Make better, simpler choices that include your loved ones, and that include your Spirit. Scale back, retrain yourself to slow down and make each part of your day a working, walking, living, and breathing meditation. It's time to Forgive yourself for all your commitments, for all you feel responsible for, for all the people you are trying to live up to and let go to the humble place of the middle path.

RIGHT MIND-FULLNESS:

It would seem that our mind is the most active part of our body; an endless train of stimulation going in and out of the ol' cranium station. It's no wonder television was such an amazing immediate hit for the world since the t.v. is like a brain. As long as we find something of interest, we are only too glad to sit there and give ourselves over to it. I turned off the television years ago. Other than PBS kid shows, we find our time well occupied with other activities.

I often suggest to my daughter at the end of the day to let go of the day, stop thinking and just breathe. Right Mind-Fullness is tricky, because it just seems so monumental a task. How do we learn to control our minds, and further yet, re-teach the mind to think with Buddha nature? Every thought we have has the potential to affect others, ourselves or something. Take for example, last night just as we were sitting down to eat I thought, "I hope the phone doesn't ring" and a second later....you guessed it - the phone rang! I then thought, "Well, you put that out there, so go answer it."

Okay, so here is the stage from which you can really make some progress. Jot down some of the thoughts you find repeatedly entering your head and really look at their influences. I can tell you if you harbor ill thoughts towards another - they feel it. If you dread financial ruin, losing your job, breaking up with a lover, a friend moving away......you fill your head with this kind of thinking - you will manifest them in your life, in some way, at some point in history. And I don't want to even begin to tell you what this kind of thinking does for your physical health too.

In every activity stay present. I am making salad - I am focused on chopping, slicing and dicing. I am driving my car - I am aware of everything around me and am NOT on the phone, NOT trying to groom myself, NOT lost in the conversation I want to have with my boss today....etc.... Okay, so when you realize the train of thought is running - pull it back into station. Let go of the thought - if it was a negative thought about someone else - send them a prayer. If you were beating up on yourself with a lecture about what a butt head you were yesterday - let it go and hug yourself. Train yourself to stay present, focused and to recognize the distraction of that thinking train and how to best take control over it. Some people use visual images to clear their head, others use breathing techniques, maybe flash cards taped on walls, or chanting a mantra. For every negative you turn into a positive, you will reap sun from the clouds.

The world comes at us with so much to process. The best environment is one where you can focus, be clear and open. Purge yourself of such Mind-Less activities as television, reading of pulp media, and gossip. We may not even realize all the things we do to distract ourselves from really being aware of our own mind because there is so much out there to do it for us. Turn it off, and take your train to the station for a fill up of calm, quiet. Sowing the seeds of staying present and clear will reward you with a head full of flowers fragrant and radiant.

RIGHT CONCENTRATION:

As everything is interdependent and interrelated, you can easily weave a thread in and out of each of these Eight to see the full Teaching. When you really are able to see how so much of our lives is directly related to our process of thought, how our thoughts lead us to actions, to make choices, to inspire speech, to distract us, to punish us and on and on. I see concentration as the point of focus where we take the camera lens of our mind and zoom in really closely for a macro-view. Observe a child following the erratic flight of a butterfly and how they let out a gasp as they see it alight on a flower seeing their chance to capture it in their hands. There are thousands of such moments that we witness each day whether we notice them or not.

The absolute root of Concentration, in Buddhist practice, is through Meditation. There is no Path that will lead you to enlightenment that doesn't Concentrate on Meditation first and foremost. Through intense Meditative practice over a span of time, a person can find applying the same tools in everyday "waking" life.

There are an infinite number of ways to Meditate. Books, seminars, gurus, and other resources can teach you some of the approaches. When I construct someone's Chinese Astrology chart, I often show how a specific meditation can alleviate stress, bring balance and improve health. For example, a person weak in Fire energy who also suffers from ADD can gain great benefits from meditating with a candle flame. I had a meditation I use to do where I stared into a candle flame until I became the flame. I felt myself flickering, leaping and dancing to the subtle changes in the air's movement. Sometimes I discovered hidden faces or animals within the flame. My focus was entirely on this one object. I've also used mandalas, intricate designs on paper or exquisite silk Tibetan thankas that I would stare into. The mind doesn't seem to wander or become distracted near so easily when I am using a tool like a candle flame, a visual image, or even counting mala beads. Ultimately, though, the practice of full Concentration through Meditation graduates to where you can sit comfortably and simply BE. Breathing in, breathing out, and letting that chance distracting thought or sound drift by like clouds.

I cannot emphasize more strongly to each of you, that in this place and time, it is imperative that we adopt some form of Meditative practice. I truly believe that as we all acquire the ability to slow down and simply allow our bodies to breathe in stillness, our entire planet will benefit.