BUDDHISM AND LIFE
A QUICK VIEW WITH LINKS

It all is basic and simple, easy to understand and it only takes some practice.  It agrees with all current psychological/philosophical/religious philosophies, though, I think, it needs to be tweaked and trimmed.  Test yourself to see what you believe and which practices you follow or are willing to follow: Test..

The eradication of ignorance is the only path to the elimnation of suffering.  Read the pieces on this site, in the side bar.  Consider the selected videos in those pieces.




































































Ignorance is the source of all suffering, what allows us to continue suffering.  You must, asap, go about the process to eradicate that ignorance if you are to gain happiness.

THE THREE “JEWELS” (The Foundation Pillars)

1.  Buddha (We all have inside us “The
       Awakened” Buddha nature, highest spiritual
      potential)
2.  Dharma (The teachings, philosophy)
3.  Sangha (Need for community, support,
      common goals)


SOME OTHER KEY PRINCIPLES

The law of cause and effect (aka 'karma')
The Middle Way (avoid extremes, also Aristotle)


THE 4 NOBLE TRUTHS

1.  Life entails suffering.
2.  The source of suffering is attachment (resistance).
3.  We can end suffering.
4.  There is a path to use. (The 8 Fold Path)


THE EIGHT FOLD PATH: Develop for happiness

Wisdom

#1. The right view of life
     Know perception is not reality
     Wrong views
           Deny something exists
           Believe non-existent exists
#2.  Right thought/intention (Valid cognition,
      free from ill will)

Ethics

#3.  Right speech (healthy speech)       
#4.  Right actions (prevent unwholesome)
#5.  Right livelihood (and appreciating it)

Retrain the brain, guard it (And meditation)

#6.  Right effort
#7.  Right mindfulness (alert, clear perception)
#8.  Right concentration (directed thought,
      avoiding attention on lower levels of
      thinking)


THE PRESENT MOMENT IS WONDERFUL

Smile
Breathe







THE CARDINAL PRECEPTS

1.  Not killing or hurting person or animal
2.  Not stealing, taking away something not
    belonging to you.
3.  Not lying, not saying things to hurt people
4.  No intoxicants
5.  No sexual abuse, harming
(This is the minimal for basic moral conduct, but we carry it further and higher to no harm and only good at a much higher level.)


THE THREE DHARMA SEALS (marks
  of existence)

1.  Everything is impermanent (don’t
      believe otherwise; don't 'hold on')
2.  There is no separate self, really (but also
       an "I")
3.  Duhkha (“stuff”):  when clear of 
       duhka = nirvana


THE THREE POISONS (Sources of pain)

1.  Delusion, confusion (Ignorance of the
      truth, reality; resistance to reality) -->
2.  Attachment, greed (Pride, jealousy) -->
3.  Aversion, hate


THE FOUR QUALITY STATES (Sublime states)

                         Enemy    Enemy                                      Inside Us     Outside Us
Lovingkindness     Selfishness  Hatred
Compassion        Pity      Contempt
Sympathetic joy       Boredom Jealousy
Equanimity             Indifference      Aversion


THE FOUR BODHISATTVA VOWS

1.  To awaken as many beings as possible.
2.  To end the inexhaustible delusions.
3.  To learn and know the boundless
    Dharma.
4.  To follow the Buddha’s way.


THE EIGHT WORLDLY WINDS (INFLUENCES)

            Desire                   Aversion

          Pleasure                     Pain
            Gain                         Loss
           Praise                       Blame
           Fame                       Shame














Start here, then...

Buddhism - The Re-Write To Achieve Easy Application - This will lead you to a series of links and pieces that will "enlighten" you.

For referencing using understandable sites

Daily Buddhism 

Zen Buddhist Hsu Yun 

Summarie

Wikipedia - Buddhism