Right from the start in this life we are bound by relationships. First our relationship to world then to our relationship to others who eventually find there way into the fabric of our lives. Relationships are tricky business and require true skill to navigate through the mirky waters, to weather the storms and survive should the ship sink. Many of us love and hurt and love and hurt over and over again until we are lucky enough to find a way to navigate through the boundaries of relationships. I like many have issues with attachment.
Buddhist teachings from 2,500 years ago say that Buddha (Siddharta Gautama) victoriously overcame the suffering of his own mind. One aspect of that spiritual revolution puts forth that the cause of all our sufferings, confusion and delusions lies in our inability to remain unattached. Unattached to experiences both of pleasure and pain as well as from eachother in both the material and unmaterial worlds.
Buddhist teachings from 2,500 years ago say that Buddha (Siddharta Gautama) victoriously overcame the suffering of his own mind. One aspect of that spiritual revolution puts forth that the cause of all our sufferings, confusion and delusions lies in our inability to remain unattached. Unattached to experiences both of pleasure and pain as well as from eachother in both the material and unmaterial worlds.
By remaining unattached it is said we can find true enlightment to serve the truth through generosity, kindness, appreciation. Achieving this state of non-attachment is created through meditation, prayer and by living the 4 noble truths, and the eightfold path to enlightment.
The First Truth:
Life by it's very nature is unsatisfactory, some level of difficuly exists for all unenlightened beings in creation. We face sickness, old age, and death; the sense of pleasures we do experience don't last; and physical and perhaps emotional pain is a given in life.
The two levels to this truth, the first, the pain we can do nothing about and the second is the suffering and unhappiness we create for ourselves due to our lack of wisdom and in attempts to control the uncontrollable. Change is constant. Everything is dyeing. Our need to become attached to impermanent experiences is what causes us sorrow, lamentation and grief because eventually we are separated from everything and everyone we love.
Buddha's teaching say it is our lack of acceptance and understanding of these facts that make life unsatisfactory. Hence pain is unavoidable and suffering is self-created.
The Second Truth
The cause for all our dissatisfaction and suffering is our craving for life to be filled exclusively with pleasure. This truth is seen as a lack of acceptance, our unwillingness to accept the pleasure and pains as they are, clinging to the experiences we like and trying to get rid of the one's we don't. Desires are natural, but craving - which brings pain - is the extreme of desire.
The Third Truth
Freedom from suffering is possible. There are ways to relate to all experiences that are in harmony with the reality of constant change. When we can let go of greed, hatred and delusion, a state of peace and happiness are all that remains. This state of freedom from suffering is referred to as Nirvana.
The Fourth Truth
The path to freedom consists of eight factors (the eightfold path). These eight important areas of comprehension and practice, can be broken down into three sections:
Wisdom
1.Understanding
2.Intention
Conduct
3.Speech
4.Action
5.Livelihood
Meditation
6.Effort
7.Mindfulness
8.Concentration
Studying and contemplating on these eight factors, is said to bring about enlightment and freedom.
Buddha's journey to enlightment was not done without what some of us would call a cost, as this he believed was his destiny. On a quest to put an end to human pain and suffering, this is a man who left his wife, child, family and existance as it was known to go off on his own personal journey, through his journey he found freedom through non-attachment and enlightment. He found Nirvana.
The question being if these steps are required to find true enlightment and if non-attachment is absolutely necessary to find freedom and bliss? How can we as Mother's, Wife's, Husband's, Father's, Sister's, Brother's, Friend's, Human beings within our own live's as well as within our earthly relationships obtain and live in true freedom?
Buddha's belief that our attachment to what was in any relationship and our inability to accept change, especially if that change is painful or unwanted is truly a cause for suffering for many of us. We see it with our partners, our children, our parents. Love changes, children grow and loved ones pass on.
If I was to say that like Buddha I had come to enlightment regarding non-attachment and life at this point, I would be deluding myself. My life is as wrapped up as ever in the fabric of my existance with those whom I live and love on a daily basis. I look within to find answers and I work daily to work toward peace and harmony within myself and my life and my relationships. The question for me remains, how do we as human beings continue to live with passion, faith, love and hope if we release ourselves from the attachment to those who are so intricatly bound within the fabric of our bodies, minds and souls? I will continue to search, my hope is one day I will have an answer and maybe even...Nirvana.
NamasteFor more information on Buddha and his teachings go to www.aboutbuddha.org
The First Truth:
Life by it's very nature is unsatisfactory, some level of difficuly exists for all unenlightened beings in creation. We face sickness, old age, and death; the sense of pleasures we do experience don't last; and physical and perhaps emotional pain is a given in life.
The two levels to this truth, the first, the pain we can do nothing about and the second is the suffering and unhappiness we create for ourselves due to our lack of wisdom and in attempts to control the uncontrollable. Change is constant. Everything is dyeing. Our need to become attached to impermanent experiences is what causes us sorrow, lamentation and grief because eventually we are separated from everything and everyone we love.
Buddha's teaching say it is our lack of acceptance and understanding of these facts that make life unsatisfactory. Hence pain is unavoidable and suffering is self-created.
The Second Truth
The cause for all our dissatisfaction and suffering is our craving for life to be filled exclusively with pleasure. This truth is seen as a lack of acceptance, our unwillingness to accept the pleasure and pains as they are, clinging to the experiences we like and trying to get rid of the one's we don't. Desires are natural, but craving - which brings pain - is the extreme of desire.
The Third Truth
Freedom from suffering is possible. There are ways to relate to all experiences that are in harmony with the reality of constant change. When we can let go of greed, hatred and delusion, a state of peace and happiness are all that remains. This state of freedom from suffering is referred to as Nirvana.
The Fourth Truth
The path to freedom consists of eight factors (the eightfold path). These eight important areas of comprehension and practice, can be broken down into three sections:
Wisdom
1.Understanding
2.Intention
Conduct
3.Speech
4.Action
5.Livelihood
Meditation
6.Effort
7.Mindfulness
8.Concentration
Studying and contemplating on these eight factors, is said to bring about enlightment and freedom.
Buddha's journey to enlightment was not done without what some of us would call a cost, as this he believed was his destiny. On a quest to put an end to human pain and suffering, this is a man who left his wife, child, family and existance as it was known to go off on his own personal journey, through his journey he found freedom through non-attachment and enlightment. He found Nirvana.
The question being if these steps are required to find true enlightment and if non-attachment is absolutely necessary to find freedom and bliss? How can we as Mother's, Wife's, Husband's, Father's, Sister's, Brother's, Friend's, Human beings within our own live's as well as within our earthly relationships obtain and live in true freedom?
Buddha's belief that our attachment to what was in any relationship and our inability to accept change, especially if that change is painful or unwanted is truly a cause for suffering for many of us. We see it with our partners, our children, our parents. Love changes, children grow and loved ones pass on.
If I was to say that like Buddha I had come to enlightment regarding non-attachment and life at this point, I would be deluding myself. My life is as wrapped up as ever in the fabric of my existance with those whom I live and love on a daily basis. I look within to find answers and I work daily to work toward peace and harmony within myself and my life and my relationships. The question for me remains, how do we as human beings continue to live with passion, faith, love and hope if we release ourselves from the attachment to those who are so intricatly bound within the fabric of our bodies, minds and souls? I will continue to search, my hope is one day I will have an answer and maybe even...Nirvana.
NamasteFor more information on Buddha and his teachings go to www.aboutbuddha.org
