Beginning Buddhism - Introduction. -  Eight fold path, four noble truths, Buddha, Dharma, Enlightenment


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Buddhism is the practise of the Dharma (or "Dhamma" if you like) of the Buddha Sakyamuni -  Siddhartha Gotama  - Dharmathai Buddhist Portal is dedicated to the propagation of all Buddhist Lineages and Teachings
for the Sake of all Beings everywhere in Samsara and the three worlds and Times; Beginners and Newcomers to Buddhism should brwose this page first to get aquainted with the basic concepts applied to Buddhist practise.

The Noble Eightfold Path

The Four Noble Truths

5 assorted  teachings

 Buddha Sakyamuni's Teachings
  1. Right view (samma-ditthi),
  2. Right resolve (samma-sankappa),
  3. Right speech (samma-vaca),
  4. Right action (samma-kammanta),
  5. Right livelihood (samma-ajiva),
  6. Right effort (samma-vayama).
  7. Right mindfulness (samma-sati),
  8. Right concentration (samma-samadhi)


The Wheel of Dharma

Dharma Wheel
The Eight sided Yantra (Bpaed Tidt)
  1. Suffering is universal
  2. The origin of suffering is attachment
  3. The cessation of suffering is attainable
  4. The Path to the cessation of suffering is
  5. detachment


Buddhism is the practise of the "Dharma" or "Dhamma"
The Dharma is derived from the word "Dhamma" in Pali, meaning "Nature", or, "the way things really are".
The study of the Dharma consist of the renunciation of the causes of suffering and rebirth in illusory existences and realm, in order to escape the sufferingthat is inherent in all incarnate lifeforms by not havng to ever return. This is acehived by attaining what has come to be known as "Enlightenment", or "Sainthood".
On the basis of contemplation, renunciation and devotional practise whilst maintaining the precepts (either 5, 8, or 227), and applying one's life to the Eightfold Path as taught by the Buddha Sakyamuni     
  1. "Suffering pursues the Evil-Doer as the Cartwheel unfailingly follows the ox". (Dhammapada)
  2. From attachment, grief and fear arise Without it, no grief or fear
  3. Hatred never ceases through hatred in this world; through love alone does it cease.
    This is an eternal law.
  4. As upon a heap of rubbish thrown by the road, a fragrant and lovely lotus may grow, even so, among worthless beings, a disciple of the Fully Enlightened One outshines the blind worldlings in wisdom.
  5. "He abused me, he beat me, he defeated me, he robbed me," - In those who harbour such thoughts hatred will never cease.. (Dhammapada)

Buddha Teaching
A cheeky Hermit Ruesi Sage is brought down to size by a Celestial Demon (Yaksa), and the Buddha teaches the Hermit that
he should accept his wrongdoing and give in to the Celestial Demon.


Buddhism (Dharma) consists of both Inner, and Outer practise. There are three main levels on which must be worked on saimultaneously - the breat/speech, Mind/thought/intention, and, the body/ physical action.
This reflects how we can be affected by or influence the outside world in three ways/worlds.
In Thai we use the words "manoegamm, Wajeegamm and Gaiagam" to classify the three levels of partaking of karmik action (creating causes and effects). Manoe means mind, Wajee means speech, and Gaay/Gaaya means body. Gamm means karma - which we in the west seem to imagine as some kined of Cosmic retribution process to punish our ill deeds and reward our good deeds.
In fact, the word karma, or "Gamm" in Thai, means "Action/reaction" - any kind of action is a kind of gamm/karma the cause of a future result, and also the result of a previous cause. This is the law of cause and effect in motion, and the root of our endless wandering through Eternity as unenlightened beings in Samsaric existence - which is suffering and illusion.

The Law of Interdependent Origination

The Law of Interdependant origination is another essential aspect of the inner meditative/analytical practise of a Buddhist.
To gove a basic explanation of what this law means, let us consider any thing around us in our enviroment which we can interact with. Let's take a bottle of lemonade, for example.
If there was no bottle in existence then the lemonade would not be able to served to you (at least not in a bottle), if you didnt exist as a customer, the bottle wouldnt be produced at all either! If there were no factories, workers, monetary system, sand on the beach (to make the glass for the bottle), then none of these things would have been able to exist.. the chain of interdependant factors allowing us all to exist in this Universe is endless and interwopven to include evry single individual molecule and entity in existence. Everything that is, is inter-related and inter-connected. We could not exist without each other! - trepeatede long term consideration of this and the other basic concepts of Bhuddhist thought (Dharma), are the keys to liberation form suffering (through cutting the roots to the causes of suffering) and the path to Enlightenment and Nirvana.


Trilakkana


Nirvana

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