Buddhism in a Nutshell

Generally speaking, Buddhism is concerned not with the typical dogmas of religion but instead on the nature of living and the daily choices we make. From just a few principles, it moves us from being awash in a confusing world to being in observance of the world of action and reaction.

To start, consider the three marks of existence:

• Pain
• Impermanence
• Egolessness

Pain has to do with the disappointment and frustration we feel when our actions and lives don't meet the expectations that have been built in our minds. We hope that we can solidify the future and hold it right where we want it. The problem is that the "world out there" is constantly changing, everything is impermanent and only change itself is constant. Egolessness is the answer, it is only when we completely abandon clinging that we feel any relief.

The Four Noble Truths

The first sermon that the Buddha preached after his enlightenment was about the four noble truths. The first noble truth is that life is frustrating and painful. Not just our own disappointments in relationship and material acquisition, or in the fact that we are destined to become old and ill, but in the bigger world where we see hunger, disease, terrorism, hatred, wars, intolerance, torture, injustice and on and on.

The second noble truth is that suffering has a cause. The cause is essentially our desire for something different than what we find in daily living.

The third noble truth is that the cause of suffering can be ended. We do this by abandoning our expectations about how we think things should be.

This is the fourth noble truth: the way, or path to end the cause of suffering. We can take action to separate ourselves from the pain and disappointment. The central theme of this way is meditation. Meditation, the practice of mindfulness/awareness, shamata/vipashyana in Sanskrit. We practice being mindful of all things and staying always in the moment we currently face.

The Eightfold Path

A roadmap is provided to free ourselves from suffering and impermanence and it is called the eightfold path. These are the eight elements:

Right view, the right way to view the world. Wrong view occurs when we impose our expectations onto things; expectations about how we hope things will be, or about how we are afraid things might be. Right view occurs when we see things simply, as they are. It is an open and accommodating attitude. We abandon hope and fear and take joy in a simple straight-forward approach to life.

Right intention. Right intention can also be translated as "right thought", "right resolve", or "right aspiration" or "the exertion of our own will to change". To follow right intention we constantly aspire to rid of whatever qualities we know are wrong and immoral. It means the renunciation of worldly things and a greater commitment to the spiritual path; good will; and non-violence towards other living things.

Right speech. The Pali Canon or Buddhism says "And what is right speech? Abstaining from lying, from divisive speech, from abusive speech, & from idle chatter: This is called right speech."

Right Action or Right Conduct. We give up our tendency to complicate issues. We practice simplicity. We abstain from the baser instincts of human existence, for example, violence, dishonesty, cruelty, and manipulation.

Right livelihood. We may need to earn a living, but not at any cost. Practitioners do not engage in trades or occupations which, either directly or indirectly, result in harm for other living beings.

Right mindfulness, the seventh step, involves precision and clarity. We are mindful of the tiniest details of our experience. We are mindful of the way we talk, the way we perform our jobs, our posture, our attitude toward our friends and family, every detail.

Right concentration is the eighth point of the path. We are typically absorbed by wandering thoughts, speculations, or outside entertainments. Right concentration means that we are completely absorbed in nowness, in things as they are. This can only happen if we have some sort of discipline, such as sitting meditation.

The Goal

The goal is reaching nirvana. This should not be confused with the Christian idea of Heaven or Muslim idea of Paradise. Nirvana simply means cessation. It is the cessation of passion, aggression, and ignorance; the cessation of the struggle to prove our existence to the world. Nirvana is the perfect peace reached by the mind that is free from craving, anger and other afflictive states.