thanks to fran for getting that song stuck in my head fran talked about the circle of life in her last post about talking with her mom about letting go of her past life- her home- and how her mom had done that for her grandma. as you can see- it got me thinking. i do that often these days- there is much to think about and try and process. and i have been trying to find some inner peace because part of me is a fighter- and stubborn at that (yes, really) and the other part of me isn’t- and there’s inner conflict. my rational self usually comes out on top- but not always. and so- here i am. life has a way of coming around full circle too. fran talks about the turnabout of caring for a mother who was always so independent and took care of them- and i have a similar situation with my mom. there are so many adjustments to make and emotions to work through- and the circle turns.

i feel kind of the same way about global events. not that we don’t have control over some of them- but that if humans go extinct- perhaps that’s part of the circle. we are born- we live- we die. now, the religious among us believe that we end up in either heaven, hell or purgatory (i can’t remember but i think the pope may have done away with that on some level)- and so our soul lives forever. perhaps. there’s really only one way to find out- and then we can’t share ;) i am not a buddhist but i do try to find peace in the buddhist tenets- and i have to say that out of any religion i have looked at- the buddhists have something here. in full disclosure- i am a recovering christian.

you can judge for yourself- i will share some of them here- and any buddhists feel free to jump in and set me straight or add on or both.

the four noble truths:

1. Life means suffering.

To live means to suffer, because the human nature is not perfect and neither is the world we live in. During our lifetime, we inevitably have to endure physical suffering such as pain, sickness, injury, tiredness, old age, and eventually death; and we have to endure psychological suffering like sadness, fear, frustration, disappointment, and depression. Although there are different degrees of suffering and there are also positive experiences in life that we perceive as the opposite of suffering, such as ease, comfort and happiness, life in its totality is imperfect and incomplete, because our world is subject to impermanence. This means we are never able to keep permanently what we strive for, and just as happy moments pass by, we ourselves and our loved ones will pass away one day, too.

2. The origin of suffering is attachment.

The origin of suffering is attachment to transient things and the ignorance thereof. Transient things do not only include the physical objects that surround us, but also ideas, and -in a greater sense- all objects of our perception. Ignorance is the lack of understanding of how our mind is attached to impermanent things. The reasons for suffering are desire, passion, ardour, pursuit of wealth and prestige, striving for fame and popularity, or in short: craving and clinging. Because the objects of our attachment are transient, their loss is inevitable, thus suffering will necessarily follow. Objects of attachment also include the idea of a “self” which is a delusion, because there is no abiding self. What we call “self” is just an imagined entity, and we are merely a part of the ceaseless becoming of the universe.

3. The cessation of suffering is attainable.

The cessation of suffering can be attained through nirodha. Nirodha means the unmaking of sensual craving and conceptual attachment. The third noble truth expresses the idea that suffering can be ended by attaining dispassion. Nirodha extinguishes all forms of clinging and attachment. This means that suffering can be overcome through human activity, simply by removing the cause of suffering. Attaining and perfecting dispassion is a process of many levels that ultimately results in the state of Nirvana. Nirvana means freedom from all worries, troubles, complexes, fabrications and ideas. Nirvana is not comprehensible for those who have not attained it.

4. The path to the cessation of suffering.

There is a path to the end of suffering - a gradual path of self-improvement, which is described more detailed in the Eightfold Path. It is the middle way between the two extremes of excessive self-indulgence (hedonism) and excessive self-mortification (asceticism); and it leads to the end of the cycle of rebirth. The latter quality discerns it from other paths which are merely “wandering on the wheel of becoming”, because these do not have a final object. The path to the end of suffering can extend over many lifetimes, throughout which every individual rebirth is subject to karmic conditioning. Craving, ignorance, delusions, and its effects will disappear gradually, as progress is made on the path.

the picture above represents the eightfold path- the darmachakra

“The Noble Eightfold Path describes the way to the end of suffering, as it was laid out by Siddhartha Gautama. It is a practical guideline to ethical and mental development with the goal of freeing the individual from attachments and delusions; and it finally leads to understanding the truth about all things. Together with the Four Noble Truths it constitutes the gist of Buddhism. Great emphasis is put on the practical aspect, because it is only through practice that one can attain a higher level of existence and finally reach Nirvana. The eight aspects of the path are not to be understood as a sequence of single steps, instead they are highly interdependent principles that have to be seen in relationship with each other.”

anyway- i have found that reading and meditating and trying to live according to these tenets- has brought me a measure of peace- when i stick to them. the times when i don’t- i tend to reflect that in my writings. i don’t believe that this planet has a whole lot of time left- perhaps not even the length of the rest of my life- but is not as upsetting to me as it was at first. we can only control what we can control- and influence what we can influence. that isn’t advocating idleness- i mean the buddhist monks in tibet and burma are on the forefront of fighting for freedom and peace for their people- but it is more of a working with the nature of things instead of against them. anyhoo- thought i would throw in my two cents and some support for fran. hugs.

Share This