Beliefs
The Three Marks of Reality
Reality has three characteristics:
The Four Noble Truths
1. To live is to suffer.
To live means to experience anxiety, loss, and sometimes even anguish. In other words, "living means sorrow."
2. Suffering comes from desire.
Suffering comes from wanting what we cannot have and never being satisfied with what we do have. There are obvious desires such as food, shelter, clothing, and good health, but our culture has cultivated "wants" such as designer clothes, expensive food, and entertainment. No matter how much we attain, we can never be permanently satisfied.
3. To end suffering, end desire.
Any kind of attachment will bring inevitable suffering. A step to inner peace is recognizing and accepting that what you have right now is enough. One must accept their own body, talents, family, and relatives. Rather, focus on the present, not on the past, or future, or one's desire for them. Essentially, you cannot change the world but you can change yourself and the way you experience the world.
4. Release from suffering is possible and can be attained by following the Noble Eight-fold Path
The ultimate goal of Buddhism is nirvana - end of suffering, inner peace, and freedom from the limitations of the world. It suggests that the individual has general inner quiet, ending karma and rebirth after the present life.
Noble Eight-fold Path
These "steps" seek to attain three main goals: to face life objectively, to live kindly, and to cultivate inner peace. Although they are often called "steps" the Noble Eight-fold Path is not meant to be taken sequentially but rather, all together.
1. Right understanding. -- Life is always changing and I recognize and accept that.
2. Right intention. -- My thoughts and motives are pure, and not tainted by selfish desires.
3. Right speech. -- I speak honestly and kindly, in positive ways
4. Right action. -- My actions do not harm any other being (including animals)
5. Right work. -- My job does no harm to myself or others
6. Right effort. -- With moderation, I continuously strive to improve
7. Right meditation.-- I use meditation and focused awareness to better understand the nature of reality.
8. Right contemplation. -- I cultivate states of blissful inner peace.
(Molloy, pp. 132-136)
Reality has three characteristics:
- Constant Change: (Pali: anichcha, Sanskrit: anitya) Nothing we experience in life ever remains the same. We get used to things such as routines, family, house, etc. so it feels the same. But Buddhists believe that this is an illusion. Reality is changing daily, gradually. We we experience impermanence we see that all of reality is in motion all the time. The wise expects change, accepts it, and savors it. In the same sense, pleasures do not last forever, neither do sorrows.
- No permanent identity: (Pali: anatta, Sanskrit: aratman) Buddha wanted people to abandon egotism, and fixation on material objects. This characteristic is also referred to "no permanent soul," or "no self." Each human being has one name but made up of parts/organs/systems/identities constantly changing.
- Suffering: (Pali: Dukkha, Sanskrit: Duhkha) translated as "suffering" or "sorrow" but also meaning "dissatisfaction" or "disease." Life can never be fully satisfying because of its inescapable change. Dukkha ranges from horrible suffering to every day frustration. This characteristic claims that no one can escape suffering, but each person can decide how to respond to it (which is indicated in the Four Noble Truths).
The Four Noble Truths
1. To live is to suffer.
To live means to experience anxiety, loss, and sometimes even anguish. In other words, "living means sorrow."
2. Suffering comes from desire.
Suffering comes from wanting what we cannot have and never being satisfied with what we do have. There are obvious desires such as food, shelter, clothing, and good health, but our culture has cultivated "wants" such as designer clothes, expensive food, and entertainment. No matter how much we attain, we can never be permanently satisfied.
3. To end suffering, end desire.
Any kind of attachment will bring inevitable suffering. A step to inner peace is recognizing and accepting that what you have right now is enough. One must accept their own body, talents, family, and relatives. Rather, focus on the present, not on the past, or future, or one's desire for them. Essentially, you cannot change the world but you can change yourself and the way you experience the world.
4. Release from suffering is possible and can be attained by following the Noble Eight-fold Path
The ultimate goal of Buddhism is nirvana - end of suffering, inner peace, and freedom from the limitations of the world. It suggests that the individual has general inner quiet, ending karma and rebirth after the present life.
Noble Eight-fold Path
These "steps" seek to attain three main goals: to face life objectively, to live kindly, and to cultivate inner peace. Although they are often called "steps" the Noble Eight-fold Path is not meant to be taken sequentially but rather, all together.
1. Right understanding. -- Life is always changing and I recognize and accept that.
2. Right intention. -- My thoughts and motives are pure, and not tainted by selfish desires.
3. Right speech. -- I speak honestly and kindly, in positive ways
4. Right action. -- My actions do not harm any other being (including animals)
5. Right work. -- My job does no harm to myself or others
6. Right effort. -- With moderation, I continuously strive to improve
7. Right meditation.-- I use meditation and focused awareness to better understand the nature of reality.
8. Right contemplation. -- I cultivate states of blissful inner peace.
(Molloy, pp. 132-136)
Practices
In Buddhism, the practices are intended to aid the journey to enlightenment.
Veneration of the Buddha
The central figure on the altar is the Buddha image in sitting posture. Training the mind to cultivate reverence and dedication towards the Buddha is an essential component of the practice of the Dhamma (teachings and doctrine's of the Buddha). No other image should be placed above the Buddha image. One should not sit with the feet pointing to the image, remain sitting or standing with the back to it, or engage in worldly conversation in the shrine room. Buddha images should not be used as items of living room decoration.
http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/history/devotion/devotion02.htm
Meditation
The practice of meditation is central to nearly all forms of Buddhism; it derives directly from the Buddha’s teaching. There are two main types of meditation: vipassana (insight) and samatha (tranquility). The two are often combined or used after the other.
http://www.religionfacts.com/buddhism/practices/meditation.htm
Ordination
The procedure to become a Buddhist monk is known as “Going Forth” ceremony. It begins with a formal request to a senior monk for the ordination. When permission is granted, they prepare for the ceremony by acquiring a complete set of robes and shaving their head. The ceremony begins by approaching the senior monk. They show respect by bowing three times, he then hands over the robes to the senior monk by saying a passage that is assigned.He then formally asks the senior monk to give him the robe; from here the senior monk administers the training rules.
http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhistworld/ordination1.htm
Holy Days
The most significant celebration happens every May on the night of the full moon. Buddhist all over the world celebrates the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha over 2,500 years ago. It has been known as Buddha Day. Most Buddhist with the exception of the Japanese uses the lunar calendar which make the dates of Buddhist festivals vary from country to country and between Buddhist traditions.
http://www.buddhanet.net/festival.htm
Veneration of the Buddha
The central figure on the altar is the Buddha image in sitting posture. Training the mind to cultivate reverence and dedication towards the Buddha is an essential component of the practice of the Dhamma (teachings and doctrine's of the Buddha). No other image should be placed above the Buddha image. One should not sit with the feet pointing to the image, remain sitting or standing with the back to it, or engage in worldly conversation in the shrine room. Buddha images should not be used as items of living room decoration.
http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/history/devotion/devotion02.htm
Meditation
The practice of meditation is central to nearly all forms of Buddhism; it derives directly from the Buddha’s teaching. There are two main types of meditation: vipassana (insight) and samatha (tranquility). The two are often combined or used after the other.
http://www.religionfacts.com/buddhism/practices/meditation.htm
Ordination
The procedure to become a Buddhist monk is known as “Going Forth” ceremony. It begins with a formal request to a senior monk for the ordination. When permission is granted, they prepare for the ceremony by acquiring a complete set of robes and shaving their head. The ceremony begins by approaching the senior monk. They show respect by bowing three times, he then hands over the robes to the senior monk by saying a passage that is assigned.He then formally asks the senior monk to give him the robe; from here the senior monk administers the training rules.
http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhistworld/ordination1.htm
Holy Days
The most significant celebration happens every May on the night of the full moon. Buddhist all over the world celebrates the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha over 2,500 years ago. It has been known as Buddha Day. Most Buddhist with the exception of the Japanese uses the lunar calendar which make the dates of Buddhist festivals vary from country to country and between Buddhist traditions.
http://www.buddhanet.net/festival.htm