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Where on the 8-fold path are you "stuck"?
Sabre
Veteran
Hi all friends! 
If we follow the 8-fold path, we will get enlightened. That's basically all you need to know to be a Buddhist. But I guess most here aren't enlightened
So why aren't you enlightened? On what acpect of the path are you "stuck"? Where do you need to invest more?
A quick recap: http://www.thebigview.com/buddhism/eightfoldpath.html
I'm obviously stuck on Right Effort right now. Need more time on the meditation cushion.. :om: But stupid me.. don't want to.
Sabre :vimp:
If we follow the 8-fold path, we will get enlightened. That's basically all you need to know to be a Buddhist. But I guess most here aren't enlightened
So why aren't you enlightened? On what acpect of the path are you "stuck"? Where do you need to invest more?A quick recap: http://www.thebigview.com/buddhism/eightfoldpath.html
I'm obviously stuck on Right Effort right now. Need more time on the meditation cushion.. :om: But stupid me.. don't want to.
Sabre :vimp:
0
Comments
I am still working on all eight factors.
Metta,
Guy
Also, see below attachment. If you follow these daily practices (at a minimum) my Tibetan Lama teacher says you'll reach enlightenment in this lifetime (of course E. shouldn't be a goal for it's own sake).
BTW, I've gathered that meditation is apparently not as important as _service_.
If your Lama's list works for him, that's fine, maybe it works for you too, that's great. But...why do people feel the need to add on to the already perfect Teachings of the Buddha? Granted, many of the things on the list are examples of what might happen if we are practicing the Noble Eightfold Path, but what's wrong with just the Noble Eightfold Path, why look any further?
Metta,
Guy
I think the intent is to impress students enough to have them consider integrating Buddhism into their every breath, over the long term, if they "want" (quasi-desire? make themselves available?) to happen upon Enlightenment.
Would be nice to be a totally Buddhist practitioner and a member of social landscape and neighborhood that surrounds him/her. Active service to others. Not a "textbook" reader and theoretical recluse and meditator. I don't know, I'm just guessing. I'm just a beginner. Seriously, I'm not sure.
There is a fine line, imo, between being too rigid and unadaptive on the one hand and neglecting the original Teachings on the other hand.
I believe it is skilful to relate to modern audiences in a way that they feel they can apply the Teachings to their (usually very busy) life but we shouldn't claim that we can practice a "Sevenfold Path" or that meditation is not very important - this does not appear to be in line with the Teachings of the Buddha.
I am not claiming that this is your Lama's intention (how would i know what his intentions are), but I did notice that his list did not make any specific mention of Samma-Samadhi. Also "praying to Buddha 108 times" strikes me as a little odd. I appreciate the role that devotion plays in spiritual life, but what are we praying to Buddha for? Why specifically 108 times?...I wonder if you could explain what this means?
Metta,
Guy
Here's a link: http://www.dzogchenlineage.org/
Right Speech and Right Action are pretty snaggy too.
But to be fair, the 8 in total seem elusive....
"And how does faith leap forward?" — "When the yogin sees that the hearts of others have been set free, he leaps forward, by way of aspiration, to the various fruits of the holy life, and he makes efforts to attain the yet unattained, to find the yet unfound, to realize the yet unrealized."
By faith the flood is crossed,
By wakefulness the sea;
By vigor ill is passed;
By wisdom cleansed is he."
It seems to me that faith is necessary in order to eventually realize, for oneself, right view.
Right effort I find to be the most challenging.
Compare it with a math teacher saying: 1+x=3, so x=2. If you see this for the first time, a good buddhist would think: hmm.. ok, that may be right. So you start to examine it. 1+x=3 -> x = 3-1=2!! Yes it is true! (for those who know maths) If you blindly accept your teacher when he accidentally said: 1+x=3, so x=6 you'll never learn maths.
Same with the 8-fold path. But then it is not intellectual wisdom, but knowing wisdom. Holding on to views that oppose the dhamma holds you back. Investigating things that are told by the Buddha and other teachers is what trains right view.
And you can't learn to solve integral analysis in maths witouth the basics, so you'll have to start at the right point. Trying to figure out things like emptiness may be the wrong thing to focus on at a particular stage of your development.
Supposedly where those who got enlightened mainly driven by faith, it can be a strong weapon when aimed at the right place.
Does this clarify it a bit?
I think when you understand what's to be done (8-fold-path-wise) and know what you are doing and if those two things mesh better and better: you feel good doing it!
The endorphins come into play. It's a self-motivating system.
P
I've got this feeling down deep in my soul that I just can't lose
Guess I'm on my way
Needed a friend
And the way I feel now I guess I'll be with me 'til the end
Guess I'm on my way
Mighty glad I stayed
http://www.lyricsfreak.com/l/lionel+richie/stuck+on+you_20083882.html
Sorry could not resist.
It is really a good thing to keep these 8 fold path in mind daily, but I do not think it is such a corner stone that it alone will encourage enlightenment. The precepts are not integrated into the 8 fold path for one example. But it is a major corner stone and great starting and finishing point for anybodies journey
Personally, though, other than my teacher outlining the "Right View" associated with my intended meditation, that was only time where I defined my practise with the noble path. So in that respects Right View was the only part of the noble path that I deliberately incorporated. Note that view and meditation are related, some forms of meditation only work with the corresponding correct view, and sometimes you actually need a different view to practise different types of meditation. Its good not to be too attached to the Right View so that it can be changed on demand to aid progress.
Cheers, WK
With metta,
Todd
P
Buddhism doesn't have to be boring. And I think it shouldn't be if it wants to survive in the West.