3. Living

3. Living

1. The Four Noble Truths

   • 1. Dukkha: There is suffering 2. Tanha: There is a cause of suffering (craving) 3. Nibbana: There is a cure for suffering (enlightenment) 4. Magga: This is the way to end suffering (Noble Eightfold Path)
   • The Doctor Analogy
     • 1. Sickness: Dukkha 2. Diagnosis: Tanha 3. Identifying a Cure: Nibbana 4. Prescription: Noble Eightfold Path To speak of suffering as a sickness offers hope, and there is an implication that it can be cured
   • 1. Dukkha
     • Suffering which occurs because we expect pleasurable things to last, which only lead to further suffering (Tuffley)
     • The Buddha
       • "...birth is suffering; ageing is suffering; sickness is suffering; death is suffering..."
   • 2. Tanha
     • Attachment to any impermanence is certain to cause suffering (Tuffley)
     • The Buddha
       • "...the craving that makes for further becoming..."
     • Types of Craving
       • - Craving for Sense Objects (e.g. alcohol) - Craving for Existence (i.e. desire to live) - Craving for Non-Existence (i.e. non-desire to live) In each example, drinking will manifest in hangovers, a desire to live will result in suffering caused by dissatisfaction, and non-desire to live will result in further rebirth
     • As a Nidana
       • Symbolised by a person taking a drink from another This illustrates how craving leads to thirsts, which only has a negative effect on us
   • 3. Nibbana
     • One can end suffering by breaking down attachments to the egoic self (Tuffley)
     • The Buddha
       • "...the remainderless fading and cessation of craving..."
     • Nirodha
       • Refers to the 'cutting off' of attachments, and perfection of qualities for enlightenment
     • Nibbana-with-Remainder
       • Refers to how an enlightened being's material body is still subject to material decay and death
     • Parinibbana
       • Refers to a state of even greater happiness which is achieved when an enlightened being passes away
     • Nagasena
       • Told King Milinda that space and nibbana are not born of a cause Himalayas: It is not something that can be produced, e.g. a man could go to the Himalayas, but not bring the Himalayas to him The Wind: One can point the way to the realisation of nibbana like the wind, but one cannot show a cause for it because it is unconditioned
   • 4. Magga
     • Suffering can be ended by following the Noble Eightfold Path, and develop wisdom, morality, and mental capabilities
     • Noble Eightfold Path
       • Wisdom
         • Right View: Observing the Four Noble Truths in one's own life (Tuffley) Right Intent: Commitment to becoming a more conscious person, including renunciation, good will, and harmlessness (Tuffley)
       • Ethics
         • Right Speech: To refrain from lies, malicious language, offensive language, and gossip (Tuffley) Right Action: Refraining from going against the Five Precepts (Tuffley) Right Livelihood: Earning one's living in such a way that does no harm to others (Tuffley), such as not being a drug dealer or a butcher
       • Meditation
         • Right Effort: Preventing unwholesome states and cultivating and preserving wholesome states (Tuffley) Right Mindfulness: Means being conscious of how your mind has a tendency to distort meaning (Tuffley), allowing for more clear perceptions of the world Right Concentration: Means developing the capability to focus one's attention on a single object for an extended period (Tuffley)
       • As Inter-Reliant
         • Each stage must be practiced with the recognition that no stage is more important than another Instead, one must practice each stage in equal depth, which will increase over time
       • Acquired Stages
         • Right Insight: Proper understanding into the benefits of following the Eightfold Path, understanding that suffering is caused by clinging Right Release: A gradual process of becoming 'free' in more areas of one's life and becoming closer to enlightenment

2. Meditation

   • Aims to quash the Triple Fires of ignorance, greed and hatred The Five Hindrances are: 1. Sense Desire 2. Resistance to the Task 3. Laziness 4. Worry 5. Fear of Commitment
   • Samatha
     • Involves 'mindfulness of breathing' or some other object of focus to bring about calm and tranquility Breath is always present, so is always an accessible method of becoming relaxed
     • Goals
       • To develop greater concentration skills and progress through the jhanas through 'taming the monkey mind', which can later be used as a 'tool' to chip away at the wall of illusion It aims to calm and ready the mind for comprehension of the 'truth' during vipassana
     • Examples
       • Nurses have been known to tell patients to focus on a surrounding object while receiving a jab
   • Vipassana
     • Involves contemplation of the necessary skandhas
     • Goals
       • To gain insight and wisdom through using the concentration gained from samatha as a 'tool' to chip away at the wall of illusion
     • Examples
       • 'Doing Time, Doing Vipassana' (1997) was a film which demonstrated the application of vipassana meditation to prisoners in an exceptionally harsh Indian prison, which influenced a Seattle correctional facility to adopt the practice
   • The Role of Mindfulness
     • To Buddhists, mindfulness means being able to observe change without attaching themselves to emotions; they simply watch thoughts fade in and out
   • Personalised Practice
     • The Buddha demonstrated that enlightenment could only be achieved through personal practice, and also emphasised ehipassiko during his teachings Meditation is typically practiced alone with a straight back, legs crossed in the lotus position, with hands resting on the lap and eyes closed
   • As an Eightfold Path Stage
     • Much like the other stages of the Eightfold Path, meditation should not be assumed as the sole means of achieving enlightenment All stages must be observed simultaneously, which may be aided by meditation and concentration