Eightfold path to the only way to liberation – 30 may 2008

By Bhante Kassapa

I hope I get Bhante's talk correctly:

The heart of the Buddha's teaching lies in teh Four Noble Truths which he expounderd in his first sermon to the five ascetics, at Isipatana Near Benares.

4 Noble Truths:
1) Dukkha - Suffering
All compounded things are subject to Dukkha and it is universal. Birth, decay, sick and death.
2) The arising of Dukkha
From craving springs grief, froom craving springs fear, For hm who is wholly free from craving , there is no grief, whence fear?
3) The End of Dukkha
Eliminate it at its root, namely, craving (Tanha)
4) The Path Leading to the END of Dukkha
Noble Eightfold path - the MIDDLE Path

What is the Noble Eightfold Path?

The path to Nibbana is like taking a train to KLIA.

The KLIA (Nibbana) was not built because we are taking the train but it is built because we need to arrive KLIA to get out (of suffering). The Train is like the Eightfold Path. This train has 8 compartments, each link with mindfulness. We are sitting in this train, "driving" the train to the destination. This is a one way train, no return. Who wanna return to Suffering ?!

Mindfulness is like an action of unveil the curtain (confusion / ignorance ) of your mind to see the right or wrong of matter. Mindfulness do not decide the action but your mind (thoughts) does.

1) Right Understanding (Panna - Wisdom)
What is right view and wrong view?
Wrong understand of 4 noble truth, 3 charactor of life and dependant of origination will lead us further from Nibbana.
Overcome from wrong views. Going through all noble truth to experience and exam to gain perfect understanding.

2) Right Thought (Panna - Wisdom)
What is the wrong thoughts? Indulged in the sensual pleasures the is wrong thoughts.
The right right way is to renounce from sensual pleasure.
What is Right view?
Anger view is wrong view. Loving –kindness is the good view – right thought. Unkindly – violent way is also wrong thinking. Hatred can be over come by Loving -kindness.

3) Right Speech (Sila - Morality)
The word has much power. If not use it in proper way, it will harm people.

4) Right Action (Sila - Morality)
Psychological disaster is an attachment to sensual desire. Wrong view is inwardly developed by thought and outwardly become disaster. Inwardly developed compassion and outwardly be come loving action.

5) Right Livelihood (Sila - Morality)
5 percepts is a management system to manage your word and action. Observing this SILA – moral discipline is like having flower in the present and your heart became sweet and light.

6) Right Effort (Samadhi - concentration
Essential factor. When unwholesome thoughts is arise, you need the right effort to manage it. And right effort to maintain the wholesome thoughts. Caltivate the Effort to arouse wholesome thoughts.

7) Right Mindfulness (Samadhi - concentration)
Pretending we are mindful is wrong mindfulness. What is right mindfulness? To present your mind to mindfulness; Mindfulness is wholesome thought. It guard to your mind. Any thought it comes and mindfulness reminds you what is there before it occurs. Mindfulness don’t tell you what is right or wrong but it reminds you .

8) Right Concentration (Samadhi - concentration)
To bring the mind to tranquility. To be focus.

Cultivate the Samadhi to gain Panna (Wisdom). But Sila is to ensure Samadhi to be cultivated.

This is a very inspiring talk . To end the suffering, we need number of different effort,

To avoid evil - 5 precepts
To do Good - DANA , caltivate good karma
To purify your mind - Meditation

If "train" break down, you will never reach "KLIA"