I have been sitting at the coffe shop today reading a book about Zen Living. I was surprised how much it spoke to me and seemed to just jump out at me with things I already believe in.
It described Zen as: now
Really now is all any of us really have. There are no promises for a wonderful future or even a future at all, so living in the moment seems like a good thing. Really isn't it the only choice we all have anyway?
I found a lot of wisdom in the Four Noble Truths
1. Living means experiencing discontent, dissatisfaction, suffering, and fear. (dukkha)
2. Dukkha is caused by desire.
3. We can eliminate suffering.
4. By following the Eightfold Path you can eliminate dukkha.
The one thing that confused me was this...... Rule 1 states that to live you must have dukkha, so how can we completely eliminate dukkha?? Wouldn't we cease to live at that point? Or would we just cease to live on our current plane of existence.
Just silly wonderings...I still think they are right on with the general ideas of ways we can become more one with the world and our own lives.
Zen Buddhism also talks of "The Eightfold Path". It makes up the guidelines to living without suffering (dukkha).
Right Understanding - life is impermanent, suffering is linked to desire, and desire is linked to the notion that we are lacking something.
Right Thought - Refusing to engage in cruel, mean, covetous, or otherwise nasty thoughts.
Right Speech - Refusing to lie, talk meanly, gossip, command everyone's attention, or inflame people. Don't be a chatterbox (woops). Guess I'll have to get to work on that one right away!
Right Action - Refusal to kill purposefully, refusal to steal; control of the senses and appetites; talking sincerely and honestly; and refusal to alter the mind with intoxicants.
Right Livelihood - Choosing an occupation the is not harmful or unjust, but honest, upright, and furthering of love and compassion in the world.
Right Effort - Self discipline.
Right Mindfulness - Being aware of your feeling and surrounding and living a purpose driven life rather than going through the motions.
Right Concentration - achieving a one-pointed mind. If you are doing even a mundane task, concentrate fully on that task.
I like the path because they are guidelines for living, not commandments that you break when you mess up. They are a path to follow to try and make yourself a better person, which is a never ending process.
All of this wonderful and facinating information was brought to you through my interpretation on information found in.....
"The Complete IDIOTS GUIDE to Zen Living" by Gary McClain, Ph.D and Even Adamson, MFA."
It described Zen as: now
Really now is all any of us really have. There are no promises for a wonderful future or even a future at all, so living in the moment seems like a good thing. Really isn't it the only choice we all have anyway?
I found a lot of wisdom in the Four Noble Truths
1. Living means experiencing discontent, dissatisfaction, suffering, and fear. (dukkha)
2. Dukkha is caused by desire.
3. We can eliminate suffering.
4. By following the Eightfold Path you can eliminate dukkha.
The one thing that confused me was this...... Rule 1 states that to live you must have dukkha, so how can we completely eliminate dukkha?? Wouldn't we cease to live at that point? Or would we just cease to live on our current plane of existence.
Just silly wonderings...I still think they are right on with the general ideas of ways we can become more one with the world and our own lives.
Zen Buddhism also talks of "The Eightfold Path". It makes up the guidelines to living without suffering (dukkha).
Right Understanding - life is impermanent, suffering is linked to desire, and desire is linked to the notion that we are lacking something.
Right Thought - Refusing to engage in cruel, mean, covetous, or otherwise nasty thoughts.
Right Speech - Refusing to lie, talk meanly, gossip, command everyone's attention, or inflame people. Don't be a chatterbox (woops). Guess I'll have to get to work on that one right away!
Right Action - Refusal to kill purposefully, refusal to steal; control of the senses and appetites; talking sincerely and honestly; and refusal to alter the mind with intoxicants.
Right Livelihood - Choosing an occupation the is not harmful or unjust, but honest, upright, and furthering of love and compassion in the world.
Right Effort - Self discipline.
Right Mindfulness - Being aware of your feeling and surrounding and living a purpose driven life rather than going through the motions.
Right Concentration - achieving a one-pointed mind. If you are doing even a mundane task, concentrate fully on that task.
I like the path because they are guidelines for living, not commandments that you break when you mess up. They are a path to follow to try and make yourself a better person, which is a never ending process.
All of this wonderful and facinating information was brought to you through my interpretation on information found in.....
"The Complete IDIOTS GUIDE to Zen Living" by Gary McClain, Ph.D and Even Adamson, MFA."
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