Buddhism

The Eightfold Path describes the way to end suffering. Siddhartha (Buddha) laid out the eightfold path after learning what suffering was. It is a guideline to mental and ethical development. To free people of attachments is one of its goals. The last of the four noble truths is the eightfold path, this in turn ends suffering. It is through practice that one can reach a higher level of existence. This allows a person to finally reach nirvana. Following the eightfold path only to reach nirvana will not work because you can't have that as your only goal. The eightfold path is not a sequence of single steps, instead the principles are seen with a relationship with each other. 

Steps to the Eightfold Path:

1. Right way to understanding (of the world) –four noble truths—understand the world this way

        Early- faith, confidence in the Buddha’s teaching

        You believe it because you have experience

       2. Right thought –don’t attach to them/give up thoughts of greed or desire

·            Give up anger

·            Give up malice

·            Think not lustful thoughts

·            Cultivate loving kindness

·            Cultivate compassion

3.     Right speech

4.     Right action

5.     Right livelihood

6.     Right effort—try to eliminate unwholesome thought

7.     Right mindfulness

8.     Right concentration—meditation (like raja yoga-control of the mind)

I really enjoyed the field trip that we took the other day as a class. I enjoyed trying to meditate and watching how meditation is done. It was interesting listening to our host talk about Buddhism and the different ways to practice. Before going on the field trip i didn't know about standing after meditating and walking around the room for a period of five or ten minutes.

Siddhartha

We started by reading about Siddhartha being born already walking. He is born into a pleasure palace and lives their for the early part of his life. In class we discussed what it would be like to live in a pleasure palace. Personally I wouldn't like it because that would mean I wouldn't know anything but pleasure. When Siddhartha left the palace he started to see what real life was like. I don't think he over reacted to what he was seeing, sick people, death, elderly people. This is something he had never seen before and he wanted to try and make all of these terrible things go away. 

Karma Yoga

To me karma yoga means, work done for work sake only. Work that is done without rewards. Work that is done for Brahman. Karma yoga is done without worrying about success of failure. All actions are performed sacramentally, and be free from all attachments. To do your duty but without any kind of attachment. To do work without anxiety. Performing all your work with you heart fixed on the Supreme. To be even tempered in both failure and success. Its not that you can't have success of be wealthy, but I couldn't do work to gain wealth of success. If I did karma yoga I would try to help others.

To me jnana yoga means, the path of knowledge.