Sand Dancer
Currently catless
Hi! Really interested in Buddhism, so in what ways are we to follow the Eightfold Path? I need suggestions on what types of behavior are good to follow. Thanks!
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Eightfold Path
- Thread starter Sand Dancer
- Start date
Nicholas
Bodhicitta
Hopefully you will find a temple and a monastic to teach you directly soon. Also, if you are serious you need to Take Refuge in the Triple Jewel at some point.
This little teaching by Bhikkhu Bodhi will be a good guide until then.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/wheel282.html
This little teaching by Bhikkhu Bodhi will be a good guide until then.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/wheel282.html
Sand Dancer
Currently catless
Thank you!!
The essence of it is IMO to be honest with yourself and to nurture the desire to act wisely and correctly, learning whatever life has to offer you along the way.
Sand Dancer
Currently catless
Sounds good to me.
Nicholas
Bodhicitta
The only doorway to the buddhadharma, to becoming a Buddhist, is through taking refuge in the Buddha, Dharma & Sangha - the Triple Jewel. One can be in sympathy and profess to be a 'Buddhist', but not until a genuine, heartfelt Refuge is taken will it be so.
An exception is made for going through the ceremony with a monastic, if the temple is too far away, but even then, at some future time the formal event should take place.
An exception is made for going through the ceremony with a monastic, if the temple is too far away, but even then, at some future time the formal event should take place.
Just as a clarification for readers: While this sounds a lot like Christians saying 'You must accept Christ in your heart' etc, it is quite different.
Taking refuge just means accepting the wisdom of the Buddha as being applicable to you, taking your place in and engaging with the community of Buddhists and applying yourself to live by Buddhist principles.
As I take it.
Taking refuge just means accepting the wisdom of the Buddha as being applicable to you, taking your place in and engaging with the community of Buddhists and applying yourself to live by Buddhist principles.
As I take it.
Nicholas
Bodhicitta
There are deeper meanings and intent in the Triple Jewel, so taking refuge also has profound depths. But what it does have in common with the Christian profession is the necessity of it.
Here is how Bhikkhu Bodhi starts his teaching in the link I gave above:
"The Buddha's teaching can be thought of as a kind of building with its own distinct foundation, stories, stairs, and roof. Like any other building the teaching also has a door, and in order to enter it we have to enter through this door. The door of entrance to the teaching of the Buddha is the going for refuge to the Triple Gem — that is, to the Buddha as the fully enlightened teacher, to the Dhamma as the truth taught by him, and to the Sangha as the community of his noble disciples. From ancient times to the present the going for refuge has functioned as the entranceway to the dispensation of the Buddha, giving admission to the rest of the teaching from its lowermost story to its top. All those who embrace the Buddha's teaching do so by passing through the door of taking refuge, while those already committed regularly reaffirm their conviction by making the same threefold profession:
Buddham saranam gacchami
I go for refuge to the Buddha;
Dhammam saranam gacchami
I go for refuge to the Dhamma;
Sangham saranam gacchami
I go for refuge to the Sangha.
As slight and commonplace as this step might seem, especially in comparison with the lofty achievements lying beyond, its importance should never be underestimated, as it is this act which imparts direction and forward momentum to the entire practice of the Buddhist path. Since the going for refuge plays such a crucial role it is vital that the act be properly understood both in its own nature and in its implications for future development along the path. To open up the process of going for refuge to the eye of inner understanding, we here present an examination of the process in terms of its most significant aspects. These will be dealt with under the following eight headings: the reasons for taking refuge; the existence of a refuge; the identification of the refuge objects; the act of going for refuge; the function of going for refuge, methods of going for refuge; the corruption and breach of the going for refuge; and the similes for the refuges."
Here is how Bhikkhu Bodhi starts his teaching in the link I gave above:
"The Buddha's teaching can be thought of as a kind of building with its own distinct foundation, stories, stairs, and roof. Like any other building the teaching also has a door, and in order to enter it we have to enter through this door. The door of entrance to the teaching of the Buddha is the going for refuge to the Triple Gem — that is, to the Buddha as the fully enlightened teacher, to the Dhamma as the truth taught by him, and to the Sangha as the community of his noble disciples. From ancient times to the present the going for refuge has functioned as the entranceway to the dispensation of the Buddha, giving admission to the rest of the teaching from its lowermost story to its top. All those who embrace the Buddha's teaching do so by passing through the door of taking refuge, while those already committed regularly reaffirm their conviction by making the same threefold profession:
Buddham saranam gacchami
I go for refuge to the Buddha;
Dhammam saranam gacchami
I go for refuge to the Dhamma;
Sangham saranam gacchami
I go for refuge to the Sangha.
As slight and commonplace as this step might seem, especially in comparison with the lofty achievements lying beyond, its importance should never be underestimated, as it is this act which imparts direction and forward momentum to the entire practice of the Buddhist path. Since the going for refuge plays such a crucial role it is vital that the act be properly understood both in its own nature and in its implications for future development along the path. To open up the process of going for refuge to the eye of inner understanding, we here present an examination of the process in terms of its most significant aspects. These will be dealt with under the following eight headings: the reasons for taking refuge; the existence of a refuge; the identification of the refuge objects; the act of going for refuge; the function of going for refuge, methods of going for refuge; the corruption and breach of the going for refuge; and the similes for the refuges."
Rick O'Shez
Irishman bouncing off walls
This might be helpful: A Basic Buddhism Guide: The Eight-Fold Path
Is there a local Buddhist group or centre you could visit, maybe learn some meditation?
Sand Dancer
Currently catless
Thanks! Yes, there is. The temple I went to Sunday has meditation, but not classes on it.
Unveiled Artist
Veteran Member
What happe when one cant take refuge in the Sangha? I know the world.is technically a Sangha and that doesnt replace fellowship with like practioners.
Of course, that is one of several interpretations.
Nicholas
Bodhicitta
Of course opinions are many, but not authoritative. The standard Buddhist view, based on sutras or suttas and shastras is the Arya Sangha is part of the Triple Jewel of refuge.
As Thubten Chodren put it: "Remember when we’re taking refuge in the Sangha, it’s the Ārya Sangha, those beings who have direct perception of emptiness. Those are the real object of refuge—and a community of four or more fully ordained people is a representative of that. But our actual object of refuge is people who have the realization and particularly the true paths and true cessations in their mindstreams. That’s what we’re taking refuge in for the jewel of Sangha."
Of course, many of the most celebrated Buddhist sages did not much care about standard views. As is to be expected.
If there is such a thing as a standard view, I would not look for it on suttas and shastras. Those are, after all, just written aids.
If there is such a thing as a standard view, I would not look for it on suttas and shastras. Those are, after all, just written aids.
Rick O'Shez
Irishman bouncing off walls
Yes, that's technically correct, though I also think of sangha in the informal sense as spiritual community, fellow practitioners.
Nicholas
Bodhicitta
No, the scriptures are the teachings of Buddha, either directly or from his great disciples.
Give us a quotation from a Buddhist sage who teaches that the Arya Sangha is not the real refuge among the Three Jewels.
The quote above is from a monastic Bhikshuni Thubten Chodren who gives the 'standard' view of Buddha, not her opinion.
Twilight Hue
Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
That would be a nice traditional start.
Indeed. I am not disputing that.
All the same, they are still just writing aids.
Why should I? I am not defending that idea.
I do not acknowledge you - or that Bhikshuni - the right to proclaim what the standard view is. Even if I did, it would still be of dubious significance.
Try to convince me if you find that worth the trouble, or do not. As it suits you.
But until and unless I decide to take either of you as my Dharma teacher, you have no reason to expect me to accept your statements as representative of the standard. And even then it would be just my opinion; everyone else would simply be free to disagree.