Theravada Buddhism offers the goal of NIBBANA.
(Liberation from Craving (Tanha) The total cessation of craving is
called NIBBANA.) to those who need it, and is not forced on
any.
"Come and see", advises "The Buddha" when you have
all the wealth, power and status that you could ever want, are you
necessarily happy? Without the base of Dhamma (The Doctrine taught by The
Buddha) all money and all the success in business will be an empty
accomplishment.
Today, there is an ever increasing population in all the
world who has taken an interest in the teaching of "The Buddha."
Buddha's Dhamma actually base on "The Noble Eightfold Path"
and "The Four Ariya (Noble Truths)". Meditation is going to be a
real help for all human beings.
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No one saves us but ourselves.
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No one can and no one may.
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We ourselves must walk the path.
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But Buddhas clearly show the way.
Buddha
The Fully - Enlightened; Knower of "The Four Ariya
Truths" (Four Noble Truths) who can make others understand them as
he himself has understood.
He was born in Kapilavatthu in 623 B.C. His parents were
King Suddhodana and Queen Maha Maya of Sakyan clan. At the age of sixteen,
he married Bhaddakancaa Yasodhara of Devladaha City and took the royal
throne. At the age of twenty-nine, he got a son and named him Rahula. On
the day his son was born, he renounced the world and wandered about in
Uruvela grove, searching for the Ultimate Truth from various teachers. For
six long years he practiced the Dukkaracariya, the difficult practice
which no ordinary person can undertake. At the Age of thirty-five, he
attained full Enlightenment at the foot of the Bodhi Tree near the town of
Gaya. He taught the Dhamma for forty-five years of Buddhahood and at the
age of eighty, he realized Parinibbana (pass away) at Kusinara.
"For the Welfare of all living beings", "The Buddha"
appeared in this world.
"The Teaching of the Buddha"
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Not to do all evils.
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To cultivate good.
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To purify one's mind
BUDDHA'S TEACHINGS still help all human beings.
BUDDHISM
The
name Buddhism comes from the word " Buddha " which means "to wake up" and
thus "Buddhism" is the philosophy of awakening. This philosophy has its
origins in the experience of the man Siddhata Gotama, known as "The
Buddha, " who was himself awakened at the age of 35. Buddhism is now over
2500 years old and has about over 500 million followers world wide. Until
a hundred years ago Buddhism was mainly an Asian philosophy but
increasingly it is gaining adherents in Europe and
America.
Meditation
Buddha had discovered "Satipatthana Vipassana"
Meditation more than 2500 years ago. It has become a popular spiritual
practice for those followers who wish to clean up, and purify their minds.
Vipassana means "Seeing things as they really are and
insight-awareness meditation, based on instructions in "The Maha
Satipatthana Sutta" of the Theravada Buddhist cannon. It is the
process of self-purification by self-observation. The Buddha's teaching,
particularly his way of "Meditation" aims at producing a state of
perfect mental health, equilibrium and tranquility. "The Meditation" is
mentioned, one thinks of an escape from the daily activities of life;
assuming a particular posture, like a statue in some cave or cell in a
monastery, in some remote place cut off from society; and musing on, or
being absorbed in, some kind of mystic or mysterious thought or trance.
One of the most well-known popular and practical examples of
"Meditation" connected with the body is called "The Mindfullness
or Awareness of in-and-out breathing."
Insight Vipassana
Contemplating with insight to perceive the truth of the
three characteristics of impermanence, unsatisfactories and uncontrollable
nature of the corporeal and mental aggregates of existence.
Repeatedly contemplating with insight the impermanence, the
unsatisfactories and the uncontrollable and non-self nature of the five
aggregates is vipasana bhavana, i.e., development of clear sight on
wisdom.
Noble Eightfold Path - Atthangikamagga
The eight constituents of The Ariya Path, the middle way are
:
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Right Understanding or view,
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Right Thinking,
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Right Speech,
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Right Action,
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Right Livelihood,
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Right Effort,
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Right Mindfulness, and
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Right Concentration
The Ariya Path is the practice that leads to the end
of suffering, DUKKHA.
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Right Understanding, view
Right View means a
firm belief in KAMMA, ie, ones actions and the result thereof. It also
means comprehending the four Ariya Truths.
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Right Thinking
Right Thinking means thinking
about renouncing the world, and thoughts free from ill will and cruelty.
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Right Speech
Right Speech consists in refraining
from the four kinds of evil speech.
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Right Action
Right Conduct
Right
action consists of abstaining from the three demeritorious bodily
actions, i.e., killing living beings, taking that which is not given,
and sexual misconduct.
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Right Livelihood
Right Livelihood means earning
a living that is no way harms anybody, and in ways that are free from
the three kinds of physical misdeed and the four kinds of evil speech.
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Right Effort
Right Endeavour
Right effort
consists in striving to discard whatever demerit that has accrued to
oneself and to stave off whatever demerit that has not arisen in
oneself, as well as in striving to earn whatever merit that has not
accrued to oneself and to enhance whatever merit that has already arisen
in oneself.
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Right Mindfulness
Right mindfulness means being
never forgetful about doing good things that are meritorious.
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Right Concentration
Right Concentration consists
of concentration of one's thought on a single object.
Four Ariya Truths (Catusacca)
The Four Noble
Truths
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The Ariya Turth of Dukkha Sacca
The five aggregates,
Khandhas are indeed dukkha. Birth, ageing, and death, and also grief,
lamentation, pain, distress and despair are called the truth of Dukkha.
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The Ariya Truth of The Origin of Dukkha, Samudaya
sacca
The craving for the aggregates is the origin of Dukkha and is
called Samudaya Sacca.
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The Ariya Truth of the cessation of Dukkha, Nirodha
Sacca
The extinction of craving is the extinction of Dukkha and is
called Nirodha Sacca.
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The Ariya Truth of the Practice leading to the cessation
of Dukkha, Magga Sacca
Insight knowledge, Magga Nana, which
eradicates all suffering, Dukkha is known as Magga Sacca.
