Ethical conduct indispensable for attaining enlightenment or Buddhahood

[ajay0]

Ethical conduct in the form of right speech, right livelihood and right effort are considered to be vital practices leading to enlightenment in Buddhism or Buddhahood.

Noble Eightfold Path - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

The Three Trainings

studybuddhism.com

Ethical conduct is also emphasized in the religious philosophies of Hinduism, Jainism and Sufism for attaining enlightenment.

This itself is a refutation of the nihilist and existentialist premise that life is meaningless and all values and virtues are but abstract mental contrivances without any relevance of their own.

 

[Twilight Hue]

Ethical conduct in the form of right speech, right livelihood and right effort are considered to be vital practices leading to enlightenment in Buddhism or Buddhahood.

Noble Eightfold Path - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

The Three Trainings

studybuddhism.com

Ethical conduct is also emphasized in the religious philosophies of Hinduism, Jainism and Sufism for attaining enlightenment.

This itself is a refutation of the nihilist and existentialist premise that life is meaningless and all values and virtues are but abstract mental contrivances without any relevance of their own.

Um. No.

I'd suggest reading the Heart Sutra or just ring a bell.

 

[Nyingjé Tso]

From a Buddhist perspective, there is no flat "it's right / it's wrong" answer because it depends on which vehicle and lineage we're talking about.

For the vehicles/lineage centered on the Bodhisattva path (Mahayana, Vajrayana) a good ethical conduct is considered a vital practice, and even more where someone should begin the path. Hence the 5 refuge vows. They are taken so one can live a more ethical life and it's a first step toward learning about and cultivating Bodhicitta. Bodhicitta which is considered essential to enlightenment in those paths.

It is different from another Buddhist vehicle POV of course. Not speaking for all of Buddhism, just saying it is correct in the context of Mahayana and Vajrayana context. It might be not in, for exemple, a Zen, Tendai, or Pure land Buddhism context.

 

[ajay0]

From a Buddhist perspective, there is no flat "it's right / it's wrong" answer because it depends on which vehicle and lineage we're talking about.

For the vehicles/lineage centered on the Bodhisattva path (Mahayana, Vajrayana) a good ethical conduct is considered a vital practice, and even more where someone should begin the path. Hence the 5 refuge vows. They are taken so one can live a more ethical life and it's a first step toward learning about and cultivating Bodhicitta. Bodhicitta which is considered essential to enlightenment in those paths.

It is different from another Buddhist vehicle POV of course. Not speaking for all of Buddhism, just saying it is correct in the context of Mahayana and Vajrayana context. It might be not in, for exemple, a Zen, Tendai, or Pure land Buddhism context.

I am talking about the original Buddhism as taught by Gautama Buddha, not the various traditions that came up later on focusing on certain aspects of his teachings.

Dhammapada verses 360, 361,362,363,378 deals with right speech

Dhammapada verses 280 and 281 deals with right effort or energy.

Samyutta Nikaya 45.8, Anguttara Nikaya 5.177 deals with right livelihood.

 

[mangalavara]

Ethical conduct in the form of right speech, right livelihood and right effort are considered to be vital practices leading to enlightenment in Buddhism or Buddhahood.

Ethical conduct is also emphasized in the religious philosophies of Hinduism, Jainism and Sufism for attaining enlightenment.

This reminds me that in Theravāda, there are the Dasa Pāramī or Ten Perfections associated with enlightened beings. My intention is to cultivate them. The fifth (viriya), the ninth (mettā), and the tenth (upekkhā) are the ones that I am focused on the most, currently. By the way, in Indonesian Hinduism, there is a similar list that comes from Mahāyāna. So, wanting to cultivate the Dasa Pāramī in my spiritual journey was inspired by my personal study of Indonesian Hinduism.

 

[Heyo]

Ethical conduct in the form of right speech, right livelihood and right effort are considered to be vital practices leading to enlightenment in Buddhism or Buddhahood.

Interestingly those are also goals of the European Enlightenment, independently derived through the philosophy of that time.

 

[Valjean]

Ethical conduct in the form of right speech, right livelihood and right effort are considered to be vital practices leading to enlightenment in Buddhism or Buddhahood.

Noble Eightfold Path - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

The Three Trainings

studybuddhism.com

Ethical conduct is also emphasized in the religious philosophies of Hinduism, Jainism and Sufism for attaining enlightenment.

This itself is a refutation of the nihilist and existentialist premise that life is meaningless and all values and virtues are but abstract mental contrivances without any relevance of their own.

I agree that this yoga of ethical conduct is a common strategy, but those studying the phenomenon point out that this enlightenment/mystical experience is usually a sudden seizure event with no clear cause.

 

[libre]

existentialist premise that life is meaningless

I disagree with this view on Existentialism.

Although they reject the idea of moral absolutes and universalizing judgments about right conduct, existentialism should not be dismissed for promoting moral nihilism. For the existentialist, a moral or praiseworthy life is possible. It is one where we acknowledge and own up to our freedom, take full responsibility for our choices, and act in such a way as to help others realize their freedom.[Source]

 

[ajay0]

Interestingly those are also goals of the European Enlightenment, independently derived through the philosophy of that time.

The European enlightenment is an intellectual movement that came up in Europe in the eighteenth century emphasizing reason and science over superstition and blind faith.

However it had no answer for scientific materialism, nihilism, utilitarianism and exploitative colonialism that lead to the destructive world wars originating in europe.

Viktor Frankl, holocaust survivor, psychiatrist and philosopher had to say this with respect to nihilism...

“If we present a man with a concept of man which is not true, we may well corrupt him. When we present man as an automaton of reflexes, as a mind-machine, as a bundle of instincts, as a pawn of drives and reactions, as a mere product of instinct, heredity and environment, we feed the nihilism to which modern man is, in any case, prone.

I became acquainted with the last stage of that corruption in my second concentration camp, Auschwitz. The gas chambers of Auschwitz were the ultimate consequence of the theory that man is nothing but the product of heredity and environment; or as the Nazi liked to say, ‘of Blood and Soil.’ I am absolutely convinced that the gas chambers of Auschwitz, Treblinka, and Maidanek were ultimately prepared not in some Ministry or other in Berlin, but rather at the desks and lecture halls of nihilistic scientists and philosophers.”- Viktor Frankl


In eastern philosophy on the other hand, moral values and virtues are considered to be valuable in expansion of consciousness (and destruction of karma) alongside meditation, awareness or total love and instrumental in attainment of enlightenment or Buddhahood.

 

[RamaRaksha]

Ethical conduct in the form of right speech, right livelihood and right effort are considered to be vital practices leading to enlightenment in Buddhism or Buddhahood.

Noble Eightfold Path - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

The Three Trainings

studybuddhism.com

Ethical conduct is also emphasized in the religious philosophies of Hinduism, Jainism and Sufism for attaining enlightenment.

This itself is a refutation of the nihilist and existentialist premise that life is meaningless and all values and virtues are but abstract mental contrivances without any relevance of their own.

Yes but Desires, Aspirations, having an open mind is also required
And this is where Buddhists have failed - their refusal to open their mind to any other religion except Buddhism
In the end, they seek not Enlightenment but release from pain & suffering and for that Buddhism will do

 

[RamaRaksha]

The European enlightenment is an intellectual movement that came up in Europe in the eighteenth century emphasizing reason and science over superstition and blind faith.

However it had no answer for scientific materialism, nihilism, utilitarianism and exploitative colonialism that lead to the destructive world wars originating in europe.

Viktor Frankl, holocaust survivor, psychiatrist and philosopher had to say this with respect to nihilism...

“If we present a man with a concept of man which is not true, we may well corrupt him. When we present man as an automaton of reflexes, as a mind-machine, as a bundle of instincts, as a pawn of drives and reactions, as a mere product of instinct, heredity and environment, we feed the nihilism to which modern man is, in any case, prone.

I became acquainted with the last stage of that corruption in my second concentration camp, Auschwitz. The gas chambers of Auschwitz were the ultimate consequence of the theory that man is nothing but the product of heredity and environment; or as the Nazi liked to say, ‘of Blood and Soil.’ I am absolutely convinced that the gas chambers of Auschwitz, Treblinka, and Maidanek were ultimately prepared not in some Ministry or other in Berlin, but rather at the desks and lecture halls of nihilistic scientists and philosophers.”- Viktor Frankl


In eastern philosophy on the other hand, moral values and virtues are considered to be valuable in expansion of consciousness (and destruction of karma) alongside meditation, awareness or total love and instrumental in attainment of enlightenment or Buddhahood.

The difference is in what we seek - 1 - Pleasures of the flesh CAN be given - poor guy wins the lottery, suddenly he can have all the pleasures of life that he wants
2 - Enlightenment, Knowledge, Buddhahood - these cannot be given, they have to be Earned! All the money in the world cannot buy us the ability to play a musical instrument - such things cannot be bought
.
Christians and Muslims seek Heaven - a life of ease & comfort - pleasures of the flesh
On earth, no one GIVES us anything, if we want a life of ease & comfort we have to work hard & EARN it
But certain people like yes men, sycophants, prostitutes, freeloaders have found that finding rich Sugar Daddies will result in the good life
They do his bidding, they sing his praises and are rewarded for it
These Religions say that is the way to Heaven - blindly obey, support, sing his praises and be rewarded
.
Personally I think they are shortchanging themselves
Lower life forms have what they seek - what pain does a tree have? a rock?
That is the danger that Hinduism warns about - that we come back as lower life forms
It was seen as a punishment, it was not - it is a choice