The Four Noble Truths and Noble Eightfold Path

Before Buddha entered parinirvana, Buddha reminded the monks and laypeople to practise the Noble Eightfold Path that leads to the end of suffering. Most importantly to observe the precepts. He reminded them not to believe everything they read or listen , even if they were from the Buddha.  Buddha advised us to use our knowledge and wisdom to think and investigate. Only if it investigated to be true by our experience and investigation, then we accept the teaching even if it supposedly said by the Buddha.

A monk asked what he should do if he meet the Buddha in his spiritual path. Buddha reminded him not to deviate from the right path even he met his relative. I think Buddha was trying to remind him not to be deluded by form illusions as other beings could manifest in any forms and deluded the practitioner but to remember Buddha's teaching on the Noble Eightfold path which leads to the end of suffering. The Noble Eightfold path in essence covers Precepts, Meditation and Wisdom (戒定慧）.

The Four Noble Truth

1) Suffering exists in everyone's life. ( aging, sickness, death, unpleasant sensation due to 5 aggregates. ) 

2) The causes of suffering are greed, anger and ignorance.

3) Nirvana, the extinction of suffering is achievable

4) The end of suffering is by following the Noble Eightfold path

The Noble Eightfold Path are as follows.

1. Right View

2. Right Thought

3. Right Speech

4. Right Action

5. Right Livelihood- 

6. Right Effort

7. Right Mindfulness

8. Right Concentration

Recently I read the book, The Boy Who Saw Truth which is based on a Victorian boy's diary. The humorous boy had the ability to see people's aura and also spirits. Initially he didn't know what the different aura colour meant but slowly he realised the meaning. In his past life, he was an advanced soul thus he had this ability to communicate with the spirits including his past life teacher who was part of the Elderly Brothers. I find it interesting as it reminds me of Buddha's teaching about craving and desires which are fetters that bind one to earth and to avoid evil so as to incur no debts to be paid off in future incantation as there is karma or Cause and effect. You can read an excerpt of this book below. That is why Buddha taught the Noble Truth and the Noble Eightfold path for 45 years which lead to end of suffering from samsara rebirth. 

From The Boy Who Saw Truth

Karma and the Golden Rule

I like to share this book, Messages from the Masters by Dr Brian Weiss, a Jewish American who served as a chairman of the Department of Psychiatry at Mount Sinai Medical Centre in Miami Beach, Florida. Initially he didn't believe in reincarnation until he met a patient, Catherine who inexplicably recalled her many past-life memories.  

Some people could recall their past lives through past-life regression, near-death experiences (for example Duane here) or deep meditation. 

In the book, he shared about karma and lessons. Karma is not just Buddhism concept. It is the universal law of the universe taught by great spiritual teachers like Buddha  on karma and rebirth and Jesus Christ who taught, "You reap what you sow". You can read more on Karma and Lessons and the Golden Rule as shown below.

I hope all world leaders can read this book so that there be no war. We are all spiritual beings on human journey to develop our spirituality and hopefully graduate from this earth school. If we could treat all fellow human beings as family, there will be no war. If your relatives were in the building, would you still drop the bomb on the building? Only love, understanding and empathy can resolve conflict and differences in opinions. Technology should not be used to hurt people. 

  

A friend asked me why I chose to follow Buddha's Teaching. As more people from the western countries recalled their past lives from past life regression and near death experiences, they verified what I read from the Buddhism books that there is a reason to the cause to your current life. It connected the dots to all the knowledge I acquired since young. Thus now I believe in karma and rebirth and there is a path to extinguish suffering. Don't just believe, you can go investigate and check whether it is true. These are the books on reincarnation here.

May there be peace on earth soon. 

Website: https://www.nderf.org/Experiences/1duane_s_nde.html

Feedback On The Five Skandhas

I felt happy when I finally understand some verses from the Heart sutra and Diamond sutra after some personal experiences and shared the previous post on Five Skandhas here with five of my Buddhist friends. I also have many Christian friends and relatives but don't think it's appropriate to share with them. I received only one feedback from a wise friend and I am grateful that she shared her perspective. Another of my friend who is following Theravada path (traditional) said that he will refrain from commenting on Mahayana sutras as he follows Theravada teaching. To me I read both Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism sutras if they focus on the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold path which leads to cessation of samsara.

All living beings are made of the five skandhas of form, feeling sensation, perception, volition and consciousness （色受想行识）which accumulate to form the body and they are known as the five aggregates of clinging. The five aggregates arise through causes and conditions, therefore they are illusory and not permanent. I asked my friend if she is okay with me sharing her post here and she agreed. I am grateful to my wise and kind friend H.

The following in blue is my friend's sharing and purple my reflection. 

H: "To me, the most important is to recognise that you are feeling hot, or cold, and the choice you make after that. That choice is made based on your wisdom, your understanding of the fire and the ice's nature. So if it is too hot or too cold, you distant yourself, but you don't blame yourself for feeling hot or cold. We human are energetic linked to each other, and no matter how much you practice, you will still be affected at energetic level. Just like when you stand near fire, you can't help feeling hot. When you stand near ice, you can't help feeling cold."

S: True. For the physical sensation, we can easily move away from the source of discomfort. The most important thing is to observe our feeling and react appropriately. After rereading the Heart Sutra and Diamond sutra, I'm no longer clinging to others' words or action for long after seeing the aggregates empty of self. For example, someone recently made a funny face at me. Instead of being angry, I find it funny when I saw the distorted funny face as an amalgamation of particles moving and twisting. One you see the person as impermanent form made up of five aggregates, you don't cling to anger. We have the freedom to choose our reaction. I just move away from people I'm uncomfortable with.    

H: "Slowly with practice and observe your own reactions to external event, you will be less affected by it. Every emotional reaction is telling you that there is something within you that is still disturbing. So nowadays, when I get affected by external people, I look within myself and try to understand what disturbs me from inside. If I cannot find out, I will pray to Buddha for guidance. Fortunately, his guidance is very simple, wise and visual. I can't understand and appreciate the contemporary Buddhist teachings which appears very complicated haha."

S: Now I am more mindful of why I feel certain way and react in calm way. Perceiving the five skandhas as empty, I don't feel so upset as all existence is impermanent and is made up of the five aggregates. To be honest, I also find some Mahayana sutra complex so I just focus on the shortest sutra, Heart Sutra and some verses from Diamond sutra. However this requires daily practice of meditating and reading the sutras to remind oneself to be mindful. 

H: "To me, if there is a goal, there is desire and attachment. Isn't Buddhist teaching about non-attachment and free of desire?"

S: Yes that is why Buddha said that his teaching is like the raft. Once you have crossed the shore, you don't have to carry the raft with you. 

H: "I don't quite subscribe to this " right" concept, rather, I am more towards the Zen philosophy " Everything happens is the right things that need to happen". So I no longer differentiate between right and wrong. Even darkness has its meaning and reason for existence, so are the wrongs."

S: When I read the above, image of Yin Yang symbol appeared in my mind. There is no right or wrong situation but there is right action. Generally most people do agree that it is right not to take other people's thing as that is stealing. In Yin Yang symbol, it implies duality. There is a small circle or difference from the main white half. half. Ultimately, we must be mindful of our action. We don't do things to others that we don't like. There is karma, cause and effect, the universal law of the universe.

Yin Yang symbol

Thank you for reading. 

May all sentient beings be well and happy.