Eight-fold Path of the Middle Way

4.  What is the Means to overcome tanha that is cause of dukkha that leads to nirvana - sunyata?    Eight-fold Path - e.g., Dhammapada 1:1-20 (The Twin Verses), 2:1-9 (Vigilance), 3:1-11 (The Mind)

The means that "results" in  nirvana - sunyata (to be followed by laypeople and monks/nuns)

• Preface - Sangha and "right association" (Smith p.72)  - supporting others and support from others, but others who are of following the example of the Buddha - "right association"

• Steps of Wisdom - Prajna,  inclusive of: 1. "right knowledge" and 2. "right intent"  -  it all begins with your thoughts -

  • "The Twin Verses" from the Dhammapada, chapter 1, verse 1 and 2

  know the territory as well as yourself, that all is indeed suffering, impermanent and illusion, and your motivations,            and that there is no, . . . "you"? 

  • Anatta - principle of "no-self."

• Steps of Ethical and Moral Conduct - Sila,  the action steps, inclusive of:  3. "right speech," 4. "right action," and 5. "right livelihood" - don't lie, spread rumors, exaggerate, hurt people's feelings, don't steal, no illicit sex, no gambling, no intoxicants, no killing   -      "walking the . . .  thought"

  • ahimsa - non-violence (Buddhists vow to refrain from causing both physical as well as psychological suffering; never been a "holy war" in the name of the Buddha, though defensive army; so won't see a "hunting" or "fishing" Buddhist magazine)

   

  • mettā - loving kindness - karunā - compassion (Buddha distinguished three attitudes toward "love," 1. sexual lust, 2. tender personal affection for an individual so strong and uncontrollable that it occupies one's thoughts and results in dependence on the loved one, clinging, and 3. good will for all, a universal and impersonal love for the welfare of all, to be carried out in action, such as charity, generosity, protection for those in need or afraid, etc.  "Your good will should be as inexhaustible as the waters of the Ganges." The Buddha condemns the first, and regards the second only leading to attachments and thus sorrow.  

    • Dalai Lama on compassion  - on all religions 

    • Akin to Christian "loves" of "friendship" and "charity" as articulated by C. S. Lewis.)

• Steps of Mental Discipline - Dhyana,  back to the mind and the meditative steps, inclusive of: 6. "right effort," 7. "right mindfulness," and 8. "right concentration" - concentrate, avoiding action that might result in bad karma 

  • Buddhists meditation seeks to awaken the mind, while Hindu Raja Yoga seeks to still the mind

For the Buddha, the "Mind" is the key, and he attributed to it such qualities as "subtle, invisible, treacherous," which makes it all the more challenging to cultivate and focus on.

With your "Mind" be attentive and awake to all, be compassionate to all living beings, be non-violent to all living beings, and seek the truth that throughout it all, the need to overcome ignorance

SUM:  "All that we are is the result of what we have thought.  It is founded on our thoughts.  It is made up of our thoughts.  If one speaks or acts with an evil thought, pain follows one, as the wheel follows the foot of the ox that draws the wagon."     Dhammapada 1:1  "Twin Verses"

• ignorance is your primary adversary, not "sin"

• it is above all your responsibility to attend to the Mind at each and every moment of the day

• In the Western tradition,  "to understand something is to be delivered of it"    -    Spinoza, 17th century Dutch rationalist philosopher  

• but also consider how Buddhism and the focus on the Mind contrasts with much of Euro-American Praxis Western Theory

Among the popular techniques and practices stemming from the Eightfold Path are related to vipassana - "insight or clear-seeing," - deep empathy -  an ancient methodology attributed to the Buddha:    

1. a simple meditative breathing exercise. 

Following your breath, in and out, forever changing, realize all is transitory - impermanence (anicca), and finally realize you're not in control but part of a great chain of causation and influences (paticcasamuppada); 

    

2.  another simple form is meditative "mindfulness,"

starting with a back ache, to other parts of your body, focusing one's awareness, one's empathy on the present moment (not what had happened, not anticipating what could happen), while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts and bodily sensations (without judging, without believing in a "right" or "wrong" way),

then onto others around you, than all things, finally dissolving all gross and specific bodily sensations such as cravings, attachments and fears, leaving you with only a subtle flow of sensations, ultimate empathy,  dissolving self and other - union of all

and observing that nothing is final and everything is transitory, in process (anicca);   

 

3. mettā - karunā - "unconditional compassion,"  

first express toward yourself, then a friend, your teacher, then a stranger, a difficult person, then an enemy, finally all sentient beings and beyond - the universe.

 

and 4. pavivaká - "practice of attentive solitude"  See Practice of Solitude

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