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Samyak - Complete
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Many societies and even individuals, that
perpetuate and build those societies, tend to think of the Eight Fold Noble
Path, as Buddha's wanting all to follow and know the Right Path.
But the word, Samyak actually means complete. Which is a profound translation to the meaning, especially in the
Western Worlds. Our western minds tend to think of every thing as having Right and Wrong, Left and Right, Dark
and Light, His and Her's, yours and mind.
The fundamentals of Buddhism, based on the Four Noble Truths (the Chatvari Arya Satyani), really attempt to
teach the adapt student to look at things from all sides. And, by looking from all sides, we can then see that
those sides are themselves positive and negative within. The adapt student
learns that the opposite of right
is not wrong, but not right. That the opposite of Love is not hate, by Non-Love. These thoughts and views
develop into cubes within cubes that reside inside of globes. And that those globes themselves also reside
within other collections of globes.
The Four Noble Truths, are on the surface, in western terms, very literal.
The first truth (1) The Truth of Suffering: Suffering (dukha) as the central fact of life is central to the
fact of life, but it does not literally mean suffering, as in good and bad. It has a deeper meaning in regards
to the suffering from the many causes and colors of desire. And, the many faces and definitions of what is
needed to sustain life.
(2) The Truth of Origin (Samudaya) of Suffering: The cause of suffering is desires (ichcha), craving (tanha)
or thirst (tishna) for sensual being, for existence and experience, for the worldly. This craving binds one to
rebirth (samsara). Becuase it is something created from the outside in. At birth we are what we are, and after
death we are what we were before birth. Inbetween, only a complete view of all that is can make the journey
from the first state to the last, can make this journey a peaceful one.
(3) The Truth of Cessation (Nirodha) of Suffering: Suffering can cease only by complete cessation of desires.
(4) The Truth of the Path (Marga) To Ending Suffering: Suffering can be overcome by following the Eight Fold
Path (Arya Ashtanga Marga), which consists of complete belief (Samyak Dristi),
complete thought (Samyak Smrti), complete speech
(Samyak Vak), complete action (Samyak Karmanta),
complete livelihood (Samyak Ajiva), complete
effort (Samyak Vyayama), complete resolve (Samyak Sankalpa) and
complete meditation (Samyak Samadhi).
HAKUIN ZENJI - SONG OF ZAZEN
(Hakuin Ekaku [1685-1768])
All beings by nature are Buddha, as ice
by nature is water;
apart from water there is no ice, apart from beings no Buddha.
How sad that people ignore the near and search for truth afar,
like someone in the midst of water crying out in thirst,
like a child of a wealthy home wandering among the poor.
Buddhism is based on the principle or the law of impermanence.
Beyond what was here when we came, and what will be here after we are
gone, everything is subject to change, although some things may last
longer than others. Because we only know us, as being subject to birth and
death, we also think of all as being and having conception.
The Buddha believed in the theory of karma
and rebirth but holds that atman
(individual spirit) does not transmigrate from one birth to another. The
Buddha advocated the Middle Path, in which he offered a balanced,
harmonious way of life, steering between two extremes of self-indulgence
and total abstinence.
The Buddha preached good moral conduct, meditation and contemplation
and discourages superstitious beliefs, and ritualisms. He believed that a
person can begin to move in the right direction by believing in the
teachings, his teachings and his monastic order and by adopting five
fundamental moral precepts: not to deprive a living thing of life, not to
take what is not given to you, not to engage in illicit conduct, not to
lie, and not to continuously consume intoxicating drinks.
To prevent suffering one has to understand craving and desire and this
understanding will lead to the attainment of Nirvana
(Complete Enlightenment,
Complete Letting Go).
The Wheel of Law or dharmachakra,
is the most important symbol of Buddhism. According to the Buddha, dharma
is the law that ensures the welfare of the greatest number of people if
practiced faithfully.
The Buddhist place of worship is called a vihara
or gompa, which usually houses
one or more statues of the Buddha. The five great events in Buddha's life
are represented by symbols as :
- Birth by Lotus and Bull
- Great Renunciation by
Horse
- Nirvana by Bodhi Tree
- First Sermon by Dharmachakra
or Wheel
- Parinirvana or death by
the stupa.
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