THIS BEGINNER'S CURRENT UNDERSTANDING OF BUDDHISM
The Eight Fold Path
Wisdom (Right Vision & Right Intention)
Right Vision is basically that suffering is caused by duality, which in turn, creates greed, hatred, and delusions. Eliminate duality and you eliminate suffering.
Right Intention is basically loving kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity. When these are --not just the major motivators -- but the only motivators, the Zen heart is opened and connectivity to the entire universe of "being in the now" is created and one becomes engaged ethically in continual moral actions, because it now cannot be otherwise.
This constitutes the Wisdom of Buddha.
2. Morality (Right Thought, Right Speech, & Right Livelihood)
Buddhist morality is not driven by a set of rules or ethical mandates.. With Buddha Wisdom as the foundation, the person's behavior is driven by loving kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity. Because duality has dropped out of the equation, judgement does not exist. Thus, virtuous thoughts, speech, and actions flow effortlessly, both towards self and well as towards others. The practitioner, thus, is an engaged Buddhist and not simply someone that sits back and observes with awareness the moral and ethical dilemmas of each moment.
This constitutes the Goodness of Buddha.
3. Meditation (Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Meditation)
Neither Wisdom nor Morality are attained, chained, claimed, or possessed. They are not grasped, controlled, or commanded. They are like the wind. They can breeze through the moment and be gone in a fraction of a second. Meditation, with its components of right effort, right mindfulness, and right meditation, sustain the Wisdom and Goodness of Buddha and without this vibrant, engaged, meditation practice, living consistently as an enlightened being would not be possible.
This constitutes the Enduring Nature of Buddha.
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