gadlaw.com/ mygad.com
My personal site. Rants and musings about politics, law, war and life in general. Catholic by birth, Buddhist by choice, Law School Graduate by hard work. Welcome.
The Eightfold Path
The Eightfold Path is a way to learn how to detatch from cravings and desires. There is Wisdom, Morality and Effort. Mind, Spirit and Body.Using Wisdom we practice Right View and Right Thought. Under the efforts involving Morality are Right Action, Right Livelihood and Right Speech. And under Concentration we practice Right Effort, Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration.
1 · Right View
The Right View involves understanding the Four Noble Truths. If you read any of the books available by the Dalai Lama or any of the other teachers of Buddhism they point out that Buddhism isn't a matter of faith but of understanding. We must look to ourselves and our own efforts for a measure of redemption. As the Buddhist prayer says, "I take refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha."
2 · Right Thought
Right thought is thought that is free of lust, anger, cruelty, and lying. It is almost impossible to have your thoughts free of many of the negative emtions but by practicing Buddhism you learn to recognize those sort of thoughts as they apear and you can send them away. Meditation teaches you to empty your mind.
Death Penalty information. Statistics, inmates, victims. The Death Penalty debate.
Introduction to Buddhism
The Dalai Lama we know is the fourteenth incarnation of the Dalai Lama. He once said, in response to the situation where his nation of Tibet and his people are held in subjugation, that compassion would not be possible without the knowledge and realization of impermanence. To my mind this is the centering principle of Buddhism. Compassion in the face of the abuse and of the evil that surrounds us. Compassion combined with the realization of the impermanence of everything. To understand this it is a good idea to get an overview of Buddhism. Of the Four Noble Truths and of the Eightfold Path. Buddhism is many many things. It is a religion, it is a moral guide and it is a comcrete guide to life that provides principles of living which if followed will give you not only answers to life but also provide peace, tranquility and a way to deal with life. MORE
The Buddha
The Buddha was a historical figure named Guatama Sakayamuni also known as Siddartha. He lived 2,500 years ago and was born in 563 BC in what is now India. It was his search for understanding of the meaning of life and his quest for ultimate truths that led him from the life of a Prince with no cares or worries to the life of an ascetic. By prolonged Meditation he eventually became enlightened, discovering the Middle Way. Becoming a Buddha or 'Enlightened One' he never claimed to be a God or a spokesman for a God. MORE
The Four Noble Truths
Through deep meditation and self reflection under the Bodhi tree the Buddha gained enlightenment. He realized that there are Four Noble Truths of Life.
Life is Suffering
You are born, you live your life and you die. During your life you have pain and suffering without end.
Suffering Caused By Cravings
The desires of humans and our striving to fulfill those desires is an endless cycle and a never ending source of suffering for man. Goals are acheived, desires quenched and then at that moment of victory it passes. It is a transitory moment in time and it ends to be replaced by more desires and needs that cannot always be fulfilled. We want, we need, we desire in a never ending circle and those endless cravings create your suffering.
Liberation requires Detatchment
Liberation from suffering, Nirvana, is possible but it requires detatchment from cravings and desires.
The Eightfold Path
By following the Eightfold Path it is possible to achieve liberation. The Eightfold Path is a guide for training the mind in order to learn how to detach yourself from cravings and desires.
The Heart Sutra
Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, practicing deep prajna paramita (perfect wisdom)
Clearly saw that all five Skandhas (form, feelings/sensations, perceptions, intentionality/will, consciousness) are empty, transforming all suffering and distress.
Form is no other than emptiness, emptiness no other than form,
Form is exactly emptiness, emptiness exactly form,
sensation, thought, impulse, consciousnes are also like this.
All things are marked by emptiness - not born, not destroyed:
not stained, not pure; without gain, without loss.
Therefore, in emptiness there is no form,no sensation, thought, impulse, consciousness;
no eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind;
no color, sound, smell, taste, touch, object of thought;
no realm of sight to no realm of thought;
no ignorance and also no end of ignorance
to no old age and death and also no ending of old age and death;
no suffering, also no source of suffering, no annihilation, no path:
no wisdom, also no attainment. Having nothing to attain,
Bodhisattvas live prajna paramita (perfect wisdom)
with no hindrance in the mind. No hindrance, thus no fear.
For beyond delusive thinking, they attain complete Nirvana.
All Buddhas past, present, and future live prajna paramita and those attain perfect enlightenment.
Therefore, know that prajna paramita (perfect wisdom) is the great mantra, the wisdom mantra,
the unsurpassed mantra, the supreme mantra,
which completely removes all suffering.
This is truth, no deception.
Therefore, set forth the prajna paramita mantra,
set forth this mantra and say:
Gate, Gate, paragate, parasamgate, Bodhi Svaha.
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I'm playing around with the code of my site and everything isn't connected yet. Working at my own speed, I'm rebuilding, retooling and reworking my site to please me and to be as pleasing as possible. Excuse the mess and happy surfing through the internets. All graphics and pictures are my own. Generally speaking.