Buddhism 101: The Eightfold Path
Buddhism 101: The Eightfold Path
Buddhism is a world religion as well as a way of living and thinking about reality that has been studied for centuries by Buddhist thinkers, starting with Gautama Buddha around 500 B.C.E. While the different schools of Buddhism differ somewhat in their approach, the basic philosophy is consistent.
The Four Noble Truths are principles observed and affirmed by Buddhist thinkers over the centuries.
An important detail to note is that "suffering" in the Buddhist context does not necessarily refer to physical pain, or even extreme emotional distress. "Dissatisfaction" may be a more accurate term. Suffering/dissatisfaction may take a concrete form: preoccupation with events from the past, worries about the future, a wish for things to be different in the present moment, etc. Or, suffering/dissatisfaction may be experienced as a general feeling of restlessness about life--the sense that something "just isn't right." Suffering can take many forms.
We spend a good portion of our lives either desiring or chasing after what we want, wishing that the happy times in our lives would never end. We also spend a good portion of our lives trying to avoid discomfort and difficulty or agonizing over it, even when it is unavoidable. We fail to recognize that life is in a constant state of flux. As much as we want happy times to last forever, they always end. As much as we try to avoid discomfort and difficulty, at some time it will come. We contribute greatly to our own "suffering" (or discomfort) by our emotional responses to the changes and the pain in life.
A not easily attributable quote that none the less sums up the Buddhist view of suffering: "Pain is inevitable; suffering is not." A simple example could be my reaction to a headache. When I get a headache, I might be annoyed and anxious, thinking, "Not another one! How long is this one going to last? How bad is it going to get? What should I take, and will it even work?!?!" While I may not be able to change the headache, I can choose how I react. I can get emotionally worked up (and physically tense) in response, thus causing myself suffering...and perhaps even making the physical pain worse. Or I can choose to stay calm and relaxed, knowing that causing myself emotional stress won't help the situation. In the more complicated situations in life, this can be easier said than done, but it is worth practicing. We can gain skills to help us navigate everyday life with patience, satisfaction, and compassion for others and ourselves. And when life truly takes a difficult turn, these skills can be invaluable.
Non-attachment (lack of desire and aversion; awareness of the constantly changing nature of life) is a main theme in Buddhism. In the Diamond Sutra, the Buddha goes so far as to say that we need to let go of even the Dharma (teachings).
People sometimes have the impression that Buddhists are pessimists, always focusing on suffering. But ultimately, Buddhism is a philosophy of realism and even optimism, seeking to reduce suffering. If we can become more comfortable with the fact that life changes, we will not be so surprised when it does! And, Buddhism gives us a method for alleviating suffering...
The Eightfold Path
1. Right/skillful View or understanding
2. Right/skillful Thoughts or intention
3. Right/skillful Speech
4. Right/skillful Action
5. Right/skillful Livelihood (refers to occupation)
6. Right/skillful Effort
7. Right/skillful Mindfulness
8. Right/skillful Concentration
It can be noted that "right" in this context may be regarded as "that which works," or "that which does not cause suffering" rather than "good vs. bad." The Buddha always encouraged his followers to try out his ideas and judge for themselves. The elements of Eightfold Path are sometimes divided into three categories:
Wisdom (view, intention)
An understanding of "things as they actually are," often in terms of the Four Noble Truths (i.e. an understanding of suffering and the causes of suffering)
An intention to think and act in a way that reduces the suffering that we sometimes cause ourselves and others.
Ethical conduct (speech, action, livelihood)
Similar to other religious traditions, Buddhism includes a code of moral conduct.
We speak kindly, truthfully, and with purpose. Sometimes rather forceful speech may be needed to address injustices, for example, but such speech should be conducted mindfully with an end goal in mind, not out of anger.
We do our best to behave in a helpful manner and avoid behaving in a hurtful manner.
We seek an honest living, working in an ethical fashion and avoid having an occupation that hurts others by its very nature.
In addition to being motivated out of compassion for ourselves and others, ethical conduct is necessary in order to progress in wisdom and mental cultivation. While no one is perfect, those who engage in seriously unethical behavior often find it difficult to practice meditation and to honestly face reality, including themselves as they truly are.
Mental cultivation (effort, mindfulness, concentration)
Meditation is a method of cultivating the mind so that we strengthen our ability to concentrate and to observe the present moment as it is (mindfulness), rather than as it might appear through our habitual lenses and stories that we typically attach to our experiences. Remembering to maintain a sense of "curiosity," or "not-knowing" is useful here.
We seek to carry the skills of mindfulness and concentration into our daily activities, beyond the time spent in formal meditation.
A consistent meditation practice lends insight about ourselves, others, and the world at large. This requires effort, commitment.
Rather than being followed one after the other, the eight elements of the Eightfold Path are sometimes envisioned as spokes on a wheel. Cultivating all spokes is necessary for the wheel to remain sound.
Buddha is not a god. The man commonly regarded as the Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, lived in India approximately 500 years BCE. While born a prince and slated to become a king, Gautama was not satisfied with his life of plenty. He became consumed with the suffering of others less fortunate than himself and with the observation that everyone ages and eventually dies. After finding the life of an ascetic to be unsatisfying and, in fact, almost fatal (due to self-starvation), Gautama accepted nourishment. His subsequent time in meditation led him to enlightenment, or "awakening." He came to an understanding of suffering, the causes of suffering, and how to alleviate suffering.
The Buddha spent the rest of his life writing and teaching others. His teachings became known as the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. He is revered for his insight, attainment of enlightenment, and his selflessness in sharing his knowledge with others. Buddhists commonly study writings directly from the Buddha in addition to writings from other scholars who have contributed knowledge throughout history and even during the modern day.
Buddhist philosophy does not require belief in god/gods; in fact, some scholars maintain that the idea of god(s) was not promoted in the Buddha's original writings (see analysis by Stephen T. Asma). The issue is complicated by the fact that some Buddhists do, in fact, maintain a concept of the divine. As Buddhism spread to various cultures, those cultures which chose to maintain a concept of god(s) or saints developed rituals for worshiping the Buddha and/or Bodhisattvas referred to in Buddhist literature (note that a Bodhisattva is an individual who postpones complete enlightenment by choosing to spend time teaching others).
Especially as Buddhism has become popular in the West, some authors and teachers have noted that practitioners of other religions are welcome. A Christian, for example, could practice Buddhism as long as his/her belief in God or the afterlife did not become a strong distraction from being mindful of the present moment.
Some Buddhists do believe in reincarnation. The Buddha lived at a time when Indian scholars were concerned with finding a way to escape the endless cycle of death and rebirth (see The Great Courses: Buddhism). Rather than seeing reincarnation as a positive, as people in the West sometimes do, these scholars saw reincarnation as a great burden. They believed that we had all lived countless lives, some of which were wonderful and some of which were horrific. Scholars are not in perfect agreement about how the Buddha dealt with this issue. Some state that through the concepts of impermanence and no-self, he denied the existence of a "soul" which would be reincarnated. Others disagree, stating that the Buddha believed in reincarnation and that following the Eightfold Path to attain enlightenment was the way to escape the cycle.
Some scholars read from Buddhist literature that, ultimately, we do not know what happens after death and shouldn't put too much energy into worrying about it. Preoccupation with death and the afterlife can interfere with our mindfulness of the present moment. Buddhist values of a contemplative and compassionate life are relevant regardless of whether they help us to achieve a more pleasant, subsequent life. Enlightenment remains a relevant concept whether we are here for only one life or for many. People who choose not to believe in reincarnation tend to interpret Buddhist writings about "other lives" as referring to our transitions from one moment to the next--as though we are constantly dying in one moment and being reborn the next. There is not perfect agreement on this issue, but this is not a particular problem for Buddhists. Buddhist scholars, especially contemporary individuals writing for Western audiences, tend to emphasize that no one is required to believe everything that they read. People are encouraged to test ideas for themselves and make up their own minds.
Nothing could be further from the truth! The whole point of meditation is to fully experience the moment: to be mindful of exactly what we are doing, feeling, thinking, and experiencing in the moment. We start by sitting in a quiet place because it is easier to concentrate in an environment relatively free from distraction. But practicing Buddhists generally take the concentration and mindfulness learned in sitting meditation and extend it to other activities: first, perhaps, in walking meditation and then in relatively "mindless" activities like washing the dishes. Eventually, one would work toward being mindful at all times. This does not mean withdrawing from life or from other people; on the contrary, it means being fully engaged. There are many examples that could be cited, but here are some common experiences:
Fully listening to others when they speak
Feeling deep compassion when we hear of the suffering of others, and responding constructively
Deeply and actively enjoying the time that we spend with significant others, family, friends, pets, and in nature
Being mindful does not mean that we never feel strong emotions. On the contrary, we are fully aware of our emotions, and we use the knowledge of ourselves that we gain through meditation to decide on an appropriate response: speech, action, etc. Response does not have to be passive, but it is more likely to be thoughtful if crafted in this way.
Buddhism often emphasizes meditation. What does meditation have to do with the Eightfold Path and the end of suffering?
In meditation, we first focus our attention on our breathing. The breathing is an ideal object for meditation because it is always available, and it is always changing, just like the of rest ourselves and the rest of life. Over time, we allow our focus to become a "light attention" on the breathing. It can be helpful to bring a gentle quality to our attention; meditation can be counterproductive if we become judgmental of our wandering mind. When the mind wanders, we gently notice and then bring our attention back to the breath. It is worth noting that the mind may not stop thinking, but we can choose not to become caught up in the thoughts--rather, to observe what the mind is doing without emotional investment or judgment. Over time, the mind may become quieter, or the volume may seem lower. This may or may not happen, or it may happen on some days but not others. No problem!
We may also scan our body and notice areas that are tense. We can bring a gentle attention to those areas, allowing them to relax. Many meditators find that the body and mind relax or become tense in tandem.
Meditation helps us to cultivate mindfulness and concentration. Over time, we become better able to keep our minds focused on our daily tasks. We find ourselves noticing more of the details in life and appreciating the time that we have. As we apply mindfulness more and more to our daily activities, we learn to accept the present moment as it is, without judgment. Then, if we *do* need to make changes in our lives, we can make those changes wisely and with compassion, knowing that we aren't just responding from "the grass is always greener syndrome."
Meditation gives us the opportunity to get to know ourselves better. How do we respond emotionally when faced with situations in life? The very practice of trying to observe one's own thoughts and emotions more objectively can be therapeutic. We may still become angry or sad, for example, but taking a moment to step back and observe can take the sting out of our emotions just a bit and give us time to choose a skillful response rather than responding in the heat of the moment. In addition, observation gives us the opportunity to identify patterns that are perhaps contributing to our suffering.
As we understand our own responses, we gain more understanding of the responses of other people as well; in this way we experience a sense of connectedness and, hopefully, compassion. All beings want to be happy, and all beings at times act in ways that are counterproductive to happiness.
Compassion for oneself and others being a key theme in Buddhism, there are meditation practices specifically designed to cultivate compassion.
In Tonglen practice, we recognize that the suffering of one is the suffering of all. As we breathe in, we imagine that we are taking in the suffering of another. As we breathe out, we imagine that we are breathing out wishes for peace and freedom from suffering.
Lovingkindness meditation asks us to cultivate a positive intention toward ourselves and others. We repeat phrases like "May I be well, happy, and peaceful." Or, from Madeline Ko-I Bastis: "May I be free from inner and outer harm. May I be happy and peaceful. May I be strong and healthy. May I take care of myself with joy." We repeat the phrases for those closest to us, for "neutral" people, and eventually for difficult people and even enemies.
As our skills in concentration and mindfulness develop, we may find that we can allow our attention on the breath to become lighter and begin to include other aspects of "reality" into our awareness
Zen Buddhism includes a practice called shikantaza meditation, in which the object of meditation becomes everything that is experienced, without attachment.
In insight meditation, common especially in the Vipassana tradition, the practitioner takes note of what kinds of thoughts arise and with them, what emotions, before letting them go. This technique lends insight into the functioning of the mind and the relationship between sensations, perceptions, emotions, and impulses. Understanding oneself, ideally, brings understanding of others and with it, patience and compassion.
Expectations are sometimes cited as a source of suffering. Through our expectations, we can set ourselves up for disappointment. An analysis based on the Four Noble Truths and Eightfold Path provide a logical construct for understanding why.
When we create expectations, we lack mindfulness: focusing on the future instead of living in the present moment.
When we enter a situation with strong expectations, we lack objectivity and openness toward the experience.
Sometimes our expectations of others may be unreasonable, showing a lack of compassion.
In addition, our expectations may be loaded with either desire or aversion.
Especially when experiencing pleasant times, we expect them to continue.
While it's natural to want to keep the good times going, if we cling too tightly, we can cause ourselves to suffer by worrying about when our good times will end or by failing to appreciate what we can learn from difficulties that do inevitably arise from time to time.
The attachment to expectations is an idea in Buddhism that we might find fairly easy to observe in our daily lives and try to gain a bit of perspective. For example, suppose that I expect my upcoming vacation to be wonderful in every way and spend much time imagining what it might be like. When I get to the airport, my flight is delayed by 30 minutes. I arrive at my destination to find rainy weather. It might not surprise anyone that I could be slightly disappointed by this turn of events. I could respond in a couple of ways.
I could realize that the inconveniences have been minor, overall, and take advantage of the rainy weather to enjoy some down-time before the whirlwind of sight-seeing to come.
Or, I could become consumed with disappointment over the failure of my vacation to start off perfectly. Perhaps I sulk and complain, snap at staff members at the hotel, or cause an argument with my husband.
If I had been mindful and caught myself forming such a strong attachment to my expectations for the perfect vacation, perhaps I could have stopped the cycle before it really started.
Whether explicit or not, we commonly operate as if we expect stability--for things to stay the same. Buddhist writers emphasize the concept of impermanence: events and people are constantly in flux.
We don't expect to lose our job, our house, our relationships, our loved ones, but sometimes these things happen. Everyone will experience loss at some point.
We forget that we are changing all the time and that eventually we will grow old and die. Grappling with the process of aging and death are a key undercurrent in Buddhism, as in many religions.
None of this is to minimize the pain that we feel when we experience a difficult change or loss in our lives. On the contrary, the Buddha was inspired to make it his life's work to help people navigate life's difficulties with grace. Instead of using techniques like meditation to shut off difficult emotions, bury them, or hide them from others, meditation (and along with it Buddhist philosophy and psychology) ask that we approach ourselves with compassion and patience as we seek to experience all facets of our lives fully, and that we share in the joys and difficulties of those around us--making meaningful connections and building community. The "vacation example" above simply illustrates how our expectations can prime us to react in ways that don't always make sense and cause us to suffer even in relatively minor, everyday situations. If we practice mindfulness and compassion on a daily basis when life isn't truly difficult, we may find the same skills to be valuable when faced with more serious challenges or loss.
Important in Buddhist philosophy is the idea that no one exists in isolation. We are all interconnected; the actions of one affect all. In addition, we are constantly changing.
Many analogies have been offered to explain this idea. One that may be appealing is the idea that in any given moment, we are all like bubbles forming on a stream's surface. We are all in contact with the same body of water, and we all return to the water. We are not the same person from one moment to the next--just as a bubble moves and changes, forms and pops (see Hardcore Zen, by Brad Warner). Analogies like this can help us to let go of our ego and contemplate our connection to all beings.
Spending some time contemplating the ideas of emptiness and no-self, as well as the implications of being interconnected, can help us to understand some of the writings in Buddhist philosophy that many people tend to find the most confusing at first. For example, the Buddha states in the Diamond Sutra that Boddhisattvas strive to save all sentient beings but at the same time recognize that there are no sentient beings to be saved. He doesn't literally mean that no beings exist, but instead that no independent, unchanging beings exist. This idea is often referred to as emptiness or no-self.