Dharma means Natural Law or Reality, and with respect
to its significance for spirituality and religion
might be considered the Way of the Higher Truths.
Dharma forms the basis for philosophies, beliefs and
practices originating in India. The oldest of these,
widely known as Hinduism, is Sanatana Dharma or Eternal
Dharma. Buddhism, Ayyavazhi, Jainism and Sikhism also
retain the centrality of Dharma. In these traditions,
beings that live in harmony with Dharma proceed more
quickly towards Moksha, Dharma Yukam, Nirvana, or
personal liberation.
Dharma also refers to the teachings and doctrines
of the various founders of the traditions, such as
Gautama Buddha in Buddhism and Mahavira in Jainism.
As the religious and moral doctrine of the rights
and duties of each individual, Dharma can refer generally
to religious duty, and also mean social order, right
conduct, or simply virtue.
Buddha
Realm 1
Buddha
Realm 2
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Buddha
Buddha
(Pali and Sanskrit) means ‘one who is awake’
or Bodhi ‘one who knows.'
A Buddha is a human being who has, through his or her
own efforts and wisdom, awoken to the Truth (Dharma)
behind appearance, having abandoned and overcome anger,
desire and ignorance; attained liberation (moksa) from
all suffering (a state of bliss and inner peace called
Nirvana or enlightenment), and who possesses far reaching
wisdom into the nature of sentient existence. In the
sense of ‘one who knows,' the word Buddha is closely
related to the word buddhi a faculty of mind that may
be translated as ‘intuitive discernment.' It is
through the operation of this faculty that one is able
to awaken and recover one’s own innate Buddhahood.
In its most common usage the word Buddha refers to Siddhartha
Gautama (c. Sixth Century BCE), a Ksatriya prince of
the Sakyans (a people of Northern India and Nepal),
who gave up a life of luxury and power to become a wandering
mendicant. While walking through the streets of his
family's kingdom, he encountered an old person, a sick
person, and someone who had died. From this, he realized
that suffering pervades all existence and that everything
is impermanent. With this motivation, the young prince
left the palace to search for something that would give
him lasting happiness. At the age of 35, through deep
meditation, Siddhartha realized the true nature of mind,
thus becoming a Buddha. During the 45 years following
his enlightenment, the Buddha gave advice and taught
various methods of working with mind and its perfect
qualities (fearlessness, joy, and active compassion)
to people from all walks of life according to their
needs and understanding. These teachings aimed at the
development and freedom of body, speech, and mind, and
the Buddha is seen as a mirror of this potential in
all.
Of those who sought to put the Buddha's teaching into
practise, many left their lives as householders to become
members of a community (sangha) of disciples (bhikkhus)
bound by a common code of discipline (the pattimokkha)
designed by the Buddha to create the most conducive
conditions for mind-body transformation. A great many
of these followers became fully enlightened arhats.
The
Middle Path
The
Middle Way or Middle Path is the Buddhist philosophy
expounded by Gautama Buddha. Sometimes summarised as
the practice of non-extremism; a path of moderation
away from the extremes of self-indulgence and opposing
self-mortification. It however would be more accurate
to see it as another name for the Noble Eightfold Path.
"The middle way discovered by a Perfect One avoids
both these extremes; it gives vision, it gives knowledge,
and it leads to peace, to direct acquaintance, to discovery,
to nibbana. And what is that middle way? It is simply
the noble eightfold path, that is to say, right view,
right intention; right speech, right action, right livelihood;
right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration.
That is the middle way discovered by a Perfect One,
which gives vision, which gives knowledge, and which
leads to peace, to direct acquaintance, to discovery,
to nibbana."
- Gautama Buddha from the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta.-
THE
NOBLE EIGHTFOLD PATH
When the Buddha gave his first sermon in the Deer
Park, he began the 'Turning of the Dharma Wheel'.
He chose the beautiful symbol of the wheel with its
eight spokes to represent the Noble Eightfold Path.
The Buddha's teaching goes round and round like a
great wheel that never stops, leading to the central
point of the wheel, the only point which is fixed,
Nirvana. The eight spokes on the wheel represent the
eight parts of the Noble Eightfold Path. Just as every
spoke is needed for the wheel to keep turning, we
need to follow each step of the path.
1. Right View. The
right way to think about life is to see the world
through the eyes of the Buddha--with wisdom and compassion.
2.
Right Thought. We
are what we think. Clear and kind thoughts build good,
strong characters.
3. Right Speech. By
speaking kind and helpful words, we are respected
and trusted by everyone.
4. Right Conduct. No
matter what we say, others know us from the way we
behave. Before we criticize others, we should first
see what we do ourselves.
5. Right Livelihood.
This means choosing a job that does
not hurt others. The Buddha said, "Do not earn
your living by harming others. Do not seek happiness
by making others unhappy."
6. Right Effort. A
worthwhile life means doing our best at all times
and having good will toward others. This also means
not wasting effort on things that harm ourselves and
others.
7. Right Mindfulness.
This means being aware of our
thoughts, words, and deeds.
8. Right Concentration.
Focus on one thought or object at a
time. By doing this, we can be quiet and attain true
peace of mind.
Following the Noble Eightfold Path can be compared
to cultivating a garden, but in Buddhism one cultivates
one's wisdom. The mind is the ground and thoughts
are seeds. Deeds are ways one cares for the garden.
Our faults are weeds. Pulling them out is like weeding
a garden. The harvest is real and lasting happiness.
The
Four Noble Truths
1. There is Suffering Suffering is common to all.
2. Cause of Suffering We are the cause of our suffering.
3. End of Suffering Stop doing what causes suffering.
4. Path to end Suffering Everyone can be enlightened.
