A personal blog by a graying (mostly Anglo with light African-American roots) gay left leaning liberal progressive married college-educated Buddhist Baha'i BBC/NPR-listening Professor Emeritus now following the Dharma in Minas Gerais, Brasil.
Monday, May 6, 2024
Via Dhamma Wheel | Right View: Understanding the Noble Truth of the Way to the Cessation of Suffering
RIGHT VIEW Understanding the Noble Truth of the Way to the Cessation of Suffering
And what is the way leading
to the cessation of suffering? It is just this noble eightfold path:
right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right living,
right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration. (MN 9)
One perfects their ethical behavior by abandoning false speech. (DN 2)
Reflection
The traditional
path toward the cessation of suffering works on many fronts
simultaneously, integrating healthy modes of living with practices for
mental development and the slow but steady growth of understanding. In
this passage the importance of telling the truth is emphasized as a
crucial form of ethical behavior. Developing the wisdom of right view is
built on a foundation of truthfulness.
Daily Practice
Practice
telling the truth. Refrain from stretching it, bending it, obscuring it,
avoiding it, shading it, and all the other ways we have learned to
handle the truth that are other than entirely straightforward. You may
notice that this is actually quite difficult, since we regularly speak
falsely in little ways. Try being absolutely scrupulous about saying
what is accurate and not intended to mislead anyone in any way.
Tomorrow: Cultivating Equanimity One week from today: Understanding the Noble Truth of Suffering
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