Wednesday, February 23, 2011

The 4th Noble Truth: The Noble 8-fold Way ceases Suffering!

Friends:
The 4th Noble Truth: The Noble 8-fold Way ceases Suffering!
The blessed Buddha once said:
One should dwell reflecting on all phenomena as mental states in the light of these
Four Noble Truths. How does one do so? Here, one sees, understands, and knows
this
, as it verily and really is:
All this is suffering!
Craving is causing all that suffering!
Absence of craving ceases all suffering!
This Noble 8-fold Way is the only method to cease all suffering!
And what, Bhikkhus, is this Noble Truth of the Way to cease all suffering?
It is just this Noble 8-fold Way, namely:
Right View (sammā-ditthi)
Right Motivation (sammā-sankappa)
Right Speech (sammā-vācā)
Right Action  (sammā-kammanta)
Right Livelihood (sammā-ājīva)
Right Effort (sammā-vāyāma)
Right Awareness (sammā-sati)
Right Concentration (sammā-samādhi)

The 8 spokes in the Buddhist wheel each symbolizes a step on the Noble 8-fold Way.
And what, Bhikkhus and friends, is Right View?
It is, Bhikkhus, knowing such is suffering, such is the cause of suffering,
knowing
such is the ceasing of suffering, and knowing such is the way leading
to the cessation of suffering. This is called Right View...
And what, Bhikkhus and friends, is Right Motivation?
Being motivated by withdrawal, by good-will, and being motivated by utter
harmlessness
. This, Bhikkhus and friends, is called Right Motivation...
And what, Bhikkhus and friends, is Right Speech?
Refraining from any lying, from slandering, from scolding, and refraining
from
empty gossip. This is called Right Speech...
And what, Bhikkhus and friends, is Right Action?
Refraining from all killing, from all stealing and cheating, and avoiding all
sexual
misconduct. This is called Right Action...
And what, Bhikkhus and friends, is Right Livelihood?
Here, Bhikkhus and friends, the Noble Disciple, having given up all wrong
livelihood
, lives by right livelihood. This is called Right Livelihood...
And what, Bhikkhus and friends, is Right Effort?
Here, Bhikkhus and friends, one makes a decision, makes an effort, stirs up
energy, exerts the mind and strives to prevent the arising of unarisen evil
disadvantageous mental states. One makes a decision... and strives hard to
overcome
any evil disadvantageous mental state that already have arisen.
One makes a decision... and strives to develop all yet unarisen advantageous
mental
states. One makes a decision, makes an effort, stirs up energy,
exerts
the mind and strives to maintain any advantageous mental states,
that already have arisen, not letting them fade away, growing them greater,
to the fulfilled perfection of development. This is called Right Effort...
And what, Bhikkhus and friends, is Right Awareness?
Here, Bhikkhus, one dwells considering the body as a group of mere form,
alert
, clearly comprehending & aware, thereby ending worldly urge & trouble...
One dwells considering feelings just as assigned responses, alert, clearly
comprehending
and aware, thereby ending all worldly urge and trouble...
One dwells considering mind & mentality just as ever changing moods, alert,
clearly
comprehending and aware, thereby ending worldly urge and trouble...
One dwells considering all phenomena only as always shifting mental states,
alert
, clearly comprehending & aware, thereby ending worldly urge & trouble...
This is called Right Awareness...
And what, Bhikkhus and friends, is Right Concentration?
Secluded from sensual desires, protected from any detrimental mental state,
one
enters & dwells in the 1st jhāna; full of Joy & pleasure born of solitude,
joined with directed and sustained thought.
Again, with the stilling of directed & sustained thought, one enters & dwells
in
the 2nd jhāna, calmed and assured unification of mind, in joy & pleasure
now born of a concentration, which is empty of all thought and thinking!
Again, friends, with the fading away of joy, one dwells in equanimity, just
aware & clearly comprehending, still feeling bodily pleasure, one enters
upon & remains in the 3rd jhāna, regarding which the Noble Ones declare:
'In aware Equanimity one dwells in Happiness!'... 
Again, friends, with the leaving behind of both pleasure and pain, & with
the prior fading away of both joy & sorrow, one enters & dwells in the 4th
jhāna; a serene mental state of still, open and clear awareness, purified by
the Equanimity of neither-pain-nor-pleasure! This is Right Concentration...
That, Bhikkhus, is called the Way leading to the Ceasing of all Suffering...
Source (edited extract):
The Long Speeches of the Buddha. Digha Nikāya. Book II [306-314] 
Thread: The Foundations of Awareness. Mahāsatipatthāna Sutta 22.
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=251033
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/digha/index.html
Have a nice & noble day!
 
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samāhita _/\_ ]
http://What-Buddha-Said.net

The Noble Way!

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