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Most important bit of dharma?

DairyLamaDairyLama Veteran Veteran
edited July 2010 in Philosophy
If you had to pick just one bit of dharma, what would it be? And why?

RULES:
You can only pick one of the 4 Noble Truths;
You can only pick one aspect of the 8-fold path or the perfections;
Generally you can only pick one item from the various lists.

I think for me it would have to be the 2nd Noble Truth - understanding how suffering arises seems to me crucial in dealing with it.
I might change my mind later.:)

P

Comments

  • seeker242seeker242 Zen Florida, USA Veteran
    edited July 2010
    You can only pick one of the 4 Noble Truths;
    Ok, The entire 8-fold path, since it it just 1 item from the first list. :D
  • DeshyDeshy Veteran
    edited July 2010
    The 1st noble truth. Dukkha :lol:

    Yea.... I'm just kidding
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    edited July 2010
    Dhammapada - The pairs - 1st pair.
  • mugzymugzy Veteran
    edited July 2010
    If I had to choose one and only one bit of dharma (and what a sad state that would be), I suppose it would be the first of the five precepts:
    - Refrain from taking life

    Thankfully we don't have to limit ourselves in such a way! I can't imagine abandoning everything else :)
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    edited July 2010
    It's not Refrain from taking Life. It is to refrain from doing harm to any living sentient being.
    That includes ourselves, and basically, also encapsulates the other four following precepts.
  • DairyLamaDairyLama Veteran Veteran
    edited July 2010
    seeker242 wrote: »
    Ok, The entire 8-fold path, since it it just 1 item from the first list. :D

    That's cheating.:p
    Which element of the 8-fold path would you choose?

    P
  • NamelessRiverNamelessRiver Veteran
    edited July 2010
    Perfection of Effort.
  • shenpennangwashenpennangwa
    edited July 2010
    kindness.
  • DairyLamaDairyLama Veteran Veteran
    edited July 2010
    Some fascinating responses here.:)

    P
  • seeker242seeker242 Zen Florida, USA Veteran
    edited July 2010
    porpoise wrote: »
    That's cheating.:p
    Which element of the 8-fold path would you choose?

    P

    Ok, Right Mindfulness. :) Because:
    "And what is right mindfulness? There is the case where a monk remains focused on the body in & of itself — ardent, alert, & mindful — putting aside greed & distress with reference to the world. He remains focused on feelings in & of themselves... the mind in & of itself... mental qualities in & of themselves — ardent, alert, & mindful — putting aside greed & distress with reference to the world. This is called right mindfulness...

    "This is the direct path for the purification of beings, for the overcoming of sorrow & lamentation, for the disappearance of pain & distress, for the attainment of the right method, & for the realization of Unbinding — in other words, the four frames of reference."
    There is the case where a monk remains focused (the practice of right concentration)

    There is the case where a monk remains...ardent (the practice of right effort)

    AND because right mindfulness, if I understand correctly, requires right effort and right concentration, if one can keep right mindfulness, that would mean right effort and right concentration are already being practiced.

    Right mindfulness also means to correctly follow and remain in the other elements:
    "One is mindful to abandon wrong view & to enter & remain in right view: This is one's right mindfulness...
    "One is mindful to abandon wrong resolve & to enter & remain in right resolve: This is one's right mindfulness...
    "One is mindful to abandon wrong speech & to enter & remain in right speech: This is one's right mindfulness...
    "One is mindful to abandon wrong action & to enter & remain in right action: This is one's right mindfulness...
    "One is mindful to abandon wrong livelihood & to enter & remain in right livelihood: This is one's right mindfulness..."
    So, I still pick the entire 8FP, just by picking right mindfulness alone. :)
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