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.
Tricycle Meditation Month 2026 Awakening with Zen Koans with Haemin Sunim
Start the new year exploring your true nature through Zen koan meditation with Tricycle’s free 31-day Meditation Month. When you sign up, you’ll get weekly video teachings, daily meditation prompts, and access to an online sangha for community support. Join today to start from day one.
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: that is, right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right living, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration. (MN 9)
It happens that a fully awakened Buddha arises in the world, endowed with wisdom and impeccable behavior. Having realized awakening himself, he teaches the Dhamma, lovely in the beginning, middle, and end, and demonstrates a purified spiritual life. The Dhamma taught by the Buddha is heard by people, who gain trust in the Buddha and his teaching. (DN 2)
Reflection
After the first three noble truths have pointed out the existence of suffering, identified its cause as craving, and attested that craving can be ended, the fourth noble truth focuses on the treatment plan to follow in order to cure suffering. The eightfold path is an integrated path of gradually purifying behavior in the world, developing the mind through meditation, and understanding the nature of things more clearly.
Daily Practice
This path is a call to adventure, an invitation to undertake the process of gradual transformation that will carry anyone from a condition of affliction, moderate or grave, to one of greater happiness and well-being. It starts with hearing the teachings and having just enough trust to take your first steps and begin putting those teachings into practice. The path calls for many small steps taken carefully and mindfully.
Tomorrow: Cultivating Equanimity One week from today: Understanding the Noble Truth of Suffering
Share your thoughts and join the conversation on social media #DhammaWheel
Today’s contemplation is to recognize how much is unknown. As you encounter people and ideas, notice the subtle pull to appear as “the expert,” even when it comes to Buddhism. Can you soften the need to know and let life stay open and limitless?
Wisdom is easier to access when the mind is humble. Rest in the understanding that reality is far bigger than any viewpoint. Humility is not a lack of knowledge but a willingness to meet what is, freshly.
