Transcript Lecture 6 Chapter 5A What the Buddha Taught

-1What the Buddha Taught
A series of lecture-discussions sponsored by
Oxford Soto Zen
Suggested by Les Kaye
Led by Jimmyle Listenbee
Based on What the Buddha Taught by Walpola Rahula
-2Lecture 6
Chapter 5-A (pp. 45 - 47:
The Four Noble Truths
The 4th Noble Truth:
MAGGA: “The Path”
-3The Four Noble Truths
I.
II.
III.
IV.
Dukkha
Samudaya, the arising or origin of dukkha
Nirodha, the cessation of dukkha
Magga, the way leading to the cessation of
dukkha
-4The 4th Noble Truth:
The Way
Leading to the Cessation of Dukkha
AKA: “The Noble Eightfold Path”
“The Middle Way”
-5The Middle Path
Avoids two extremes:
• The search for happiness through the
Pleasures of the Senses (“low, common,
unprofitable, the way of ordinary [ignorant]
people”)
• The search for happiness through selfmortification (“painful, unworthy,
unprofitable, the way of the ascetics”)
-6The Noble Eightfold Path
(a composite - not linear - list)
1.
2.
3.
4.
Right Understanding
Right Thought
Right Speech
Right Action
5.
6.
7.
8.
Right Livelihood
Right Effort
Right Mindfulness
Right Concentration
-7-
Buddha’s Essential Practice
Practical Guide for all Buddhist Practice
The 8 divisions of the path are not “stepping
stones”, but are to be practiced and
developed simultaneously, as far as possible,
according to the capacity of the individual.
They are all linked together, and each helps the
cultivation of the others.
-8The Three Essentials
of Buddhist Training & Discipline
a) Ethical Conduct (Sila)
b) Mental Discipline (Samadhi)
c) Wisdom (Pañña)
The Eightfold Path aims at perfecting and
promoting these.
The Eight Divisions of the Path can be grouped
under these three headings.
-9Three Headings
 Wisdom
① Right Understanding
② Right Thought
 Ethical Conduct
③ Right Speech
④ Right Action
⑤ Right Livelihood
 Mental Discipline
⑥ Right Effort
⑦ Right Mindfulness
⑧ Right Concentration
--- We’ll start with Ethical
Conduct
-10Buddhist “Perfection”
There are two qualities to be developed:
Wisdom and Compassion
Read p. 46 “Here compassion represents
love…inseparably linked together, as we shall
see later.”
-11Ethical Conduct [is]
Based on Compassion
③ Right Speech = Abstention from
1 Lying
2 Backbiting, etc.
3 Harsh, malicious language, etc.
4 Idle gossip, etc.
5 Careless, thoughtless utterances
(p. 47)
DISCUSSION
-12(3) Right Speech (Positive Qualities)
1
2
3
4
Speaking truth
Friendly, benevolent language
Pleasant, gentle words
Meaningful and useful information
(p. 47)
DISCUSSION
-13-
(4) Right Action
Promotes moral, honorable, peaceful
conduct – for self, and to help others to
lead peaceful, honorable lives.
Abstain from:
1 Killing
3 Dishonest Dealing
2 Stealing
4 Illegitimate Sex
DISCUSSION
-14-
(5) Right Livelihood
Abstain from making one’s living through a
profession that brings harm to others
Such as:
1 Dealing in weapons, alcohol, drugs, poisons;
2 Otherwise bringing harm to living creatures.
One should live by a blameless profession.
DISCUSSION
-15Individual & Society
• Buddhist ethical and moral conduct aims
to promote a happy, healthy, harmonious
life for the individual & society.
• Is strongly opposed to war [& to animal
and environmental abuse].
-16Ethical Conduct is the Foundation of
Buddhist Practice
This moral conduct is considered as the
indispensable foundation for all higher spiritual
attainments.
No spiritual development is possible without this
moral basis.