THE NOBLE EIGHTFOLD PATH

When the Buddha gave his first sermon in the Deer Park, he began the ‘Turning of the Dharma Wheel’. He chose the eautiful symbol of the wheel with its eight spokes to represent the Noble Eightfold Path. The Buddha’s teaching goes round and round like a great wheel that never stops, leading to the central point of the wheel, the only point which is fixed, Nirvana. The eight spokes on the wheel represent the eight parts of the Noble Eightfold Path. Just as every spoke is needed for the wheel to keep turning, we need to follow each step of the path.

1. Right View: The right way to think about life is to see the world through eyes of the Buddha—with wisdom and compassion.
2. Right Thought: We are what we think. Clear and kind thoughts build good, strong characters.
3. Right Speech: By speaking kind and helpful words, we are respected and trusted by everyone.
4. Right Conduct: No matter what we say, others know us from the way we behave.  Before we criticize others, we should first see what we do ourselves.
5. Right Livelihood: This means choosing a job that does not hurt others. The Buddha said, “Do not earn your living by harming others. Do not seek happiness by making others unhappy.”
6. Right Effort: A worthwhile life means doing our best at all times and having good will towards others. This also means not wasting effort on things that harm ourselves and others.
7. Right Mindfulness: This means being aware of our thoughts, words, and deeds.
8. Right Concentration: Focus on one thought or object at a time. By doing this, we can be quiet and attain true peace of mind.

Following the Noble Eightfold Path can be compared to cultivating a garden, but in Buddhism one cultivates one’s wisdom. The mind is the ground and thoughts are seeds. Deeds are ways one cares for the garden. Our faults are weeds. Pulling them out is like weeding a garden. The harvest is real and lasting happiness.

Pretty sure I screamed like a little girl when I saw Vikter Duplaix RT me.

See you in 2011, Cambodia.

Just a friendly reminder to each and every one of you, just in case you forgot. I think I’m gonna start making one of these every other day.

I got a special surprise delivery from Washington today. Words cannot express how happy and thankful I am for the Tulips (My fave!) & note. It really did brighten up my day! You’re the best, Jonathon.

Who else is going? Paid Dues - 5th Annual Indie Hip Hop show on Saturday, April 5th at Nos Event Center San Bernardino!

I took a lot of really awesome photos in Colorado, but this one is probably my favorite.. focused only on the foam. This was at Odell Brewing Company in Fort Collins.

My second attempt at making a panoramic shot. This was at the Horse Tooth Reservoir in Colorado. It was all frozen! Just a little detour we took while heading to Fort Collins.

(click on photo for larger image)