8 Fold

Dear Visitor,
Thank you for coming. This site began as a blog in 2008, in South Korea, when the blogosphere became easier to access and use for website design. I was a teacher in South Korea who wanted to share my writing, art and photos like I never could before. The site had many names since then and countless designs. Still, it is a combination of blog, portfolio, resource for those interested in Zen, English lessons, hiring me, and a link-bed. Thank you for looking into 8-Fold and my work. Scroll down to learn more.
– Carl Atteniese AKA Mando

Here is an Old Story, to Help Us understand:
A long time ago, passing each other on a road, two passersby spoke to one another.
This exchange began because one passerby was surprised by the appearance and energy apparent in the other passerby, whom he though looked special:

One Passerby: “Are you a god or a man?“
. . .
The Other Passerby: “I am neither; I am awake.“

The passerby who said he was awake was the prescriber of the Eight Fold Path.
Isn’t a prescription something we get from the doctor? Yes, it is… but are we going to the doctor? Sort of! Remember that a prescription is a set of steps given as advice. The doctor tells his patients, who are sick, what to take as medicine, when and how much to take. The Eight Fold Path is a prescription which was made by one of the most famous and influential historical figures in human history—and one of the kindest and most wise philosophers. That philosopher, that passerby on the road, was Siddhartha Gautama. Maybe you know or remember that he has commonly been known as the Buddha. But you can be a buddha, too… by following his prescription. A buddha is one who is awake. This is kind of what he meant by denying he was a god and more than a man, by saying so!

As with other great men and women of history, many people misinterpret what and whom The Buddha was—and what he was truly saying—including Buddhists, sometimes—even high-ranking monks. Now, so you know: Siddhartha was also called “the doctor”.

Who needs a prescription from ancient people? Didn’t they get a lot wrong?
Yes–but they got a lot right, too. We’re still here, aren’t we? This might suggest much more good about them, than it does about people running things today…. And remember, as the saying goes: ‘No one is perfect’.

Allow us to digress a bit, to make useful point:
In a many ways, it is debatable that the concept of perfection points to anything real or more than subjective in the first place!; so let us remember that though Aristarchus was the first ancient person we know of to propose that the sun was the center of the solar system, at that time, he thought it was the center of the universe, which was, as we know, now, wrong. And let us also remember that he thought that the sun was just another star, as Anaxagoras had thought–which is correct and amazing for people of the time. One more: Plato gave us the idea of the eternal soul, but also a fear of democracy due ignorance in the electorate, and he also gave us the dialogs of Socrates (called the Dialogs of Plato)—and he gave us The Republic and he started the first Academy, from which education institutions and universities began!

Siddhartha was not perfect, either (don’t curse me, practicing brothers and sisters)—but his advice was almost completely so; however, because of the time in which he gave it, as in the times of Aristarchus and Anaxagoras, there were words he spoke which where, perhaps, perfect for that day and age, but unnecessary and probably incorrect (to many of us)–today. I don’t highlight those–and the good thing about them is, they are not necessary to understanding or utilizing his prescription of the Eight-fold Path, and not in it, either (one could see those ‘incorrect’ ideas as metaphorical, anyway; that’s what I do).

As with all others and us, today, Siddhartha was born in an age of very different general understandings about the world–some right, some wrong, and many–well, completely ridiculous. But while Ptolemy’s complex model of planetary orbits was wrong, there was much right with its logic, and it was advanced through concepts of physics–however based on the incorrect assumptions; it was, nevertheless, logical and intuitive.

In the case of spirituality, rebirth, then, was as solid and accepted an idea in the time of Siddhartha as Ptolemy’s geocentric and eccentric model of the orbits was, until Copernicus came along–as important to his people as gods were to the people of his culture, like with the Greeks, Romans, Jews, Christians and Muslims.

No matter; if you would like to add some great ideas for a better life, to your constitution, the Eight Fold Path may not be an easy one for some, but in my humble opinion, you cannot reach for perfection in a better way. In the very least – following it, or some semblance of it, will reduce your suffering and that of those around you. And if you have non-pathological issues–issues you would dispense with, understand better or would like to diminish, The Eight Fold Path could ‘straighten them out’ quickly–or art least allow you to approach them with clarity of mind. However, as alluded to above, you may have to tweak the precepts of The Eight Fold Path, a little, in order to make it livable in this day and age.…

What Kind of Prescription is The Eight Fold Path?
In a way similar to how the great Stoic Philosophers gave us particular points of advice for dealing with specific situations, the advice Siddhartha Gautama offered us is particular, but more in the form of steps–for how to cultivate our minds in a general way—and to transform our behavior—for all situations.

The Eight Fold Path is a recipe for an orientation–more than a list of remedies for particular problems already experienced; indeed–like in the philosophy of Socrates and those of many others, it is more about how to think—and not particularly what to think, as a matter of fact. It is a set of observances and recommendations designed to establish a mindset enabling us to avoid common pitfalls in the first place.

Of course, in the Dammapada, the compilation of the words Siddhartha spoke, written down by others, there are particular examples, aphorisms and hypotheticals, much like in the Analects of Confucius, but the Eight Fold Path is not that. It’s a list of guideposts, or guardrails—and not commandants, either. The wisdom to follow them is up to the practitioner. In observing them (or tweaked ones like them), in keeping them— especially accompanied by meditation—one finds oneself on a path of right ownership and use of one’s mind (and body) itself… healthier, physically, too—and with a prescribed point of view, clearer, kinder, more sensible types of thought… and action, occupation, lifestyle – not remedies, and a simpler way unfolds.

But—Ah…. We Need to Learn Four More Things to Get on The Eight Fold Path
Indeed – the Precepts in the Eight Fold Path are a call to create a state of mind, a demeanor of comportment, consciousness experience—mindfulness…. enabling one to avoid foolishness, because it is “right” in the first place. And one could adopt them straight away—but why should we? Some philosophical paths assume the reasons for living wisely. This one does not. Read on, tired friend!

Siddhartha actually Reminds us of a very obvious, unavoidable and uncomfortable fact, in the first of the next four things we must accept—which we will face time and again in life… even in the course of every hour (you may be experiencing this fact, right now, because I am being verbose); but then he tells us of four other facts, which many people may occasionally accept, but do not incorporate into practice. These four points are The Four Noble Truths, which—preceding the understanding and acceptance of the Eight Fold Path, make it possible to engage them decidedly and which make the Eight Fold Path worth adopting—because the Four Noble Truths make them worthwhile. The Four Noble Truths present the conditions of our life, the acceptance of which provide the inspiration, or key—the knowledge of ‘why’, necessary for opening the gate, as it were, to the Eight Fold Path—and they are:

I. Dukkha: Life is full of unsatisfactoriness, or “suffering”
II. Samudaya: The causes of unsatisfactoriness, or “suffering”
III. Nirodha: The end of unsatisfactoriness, or “suffering”
IV. Marga: The path to the end of unsatisfactoriness, or “suffering”

On a personal note, I often wonder why number 3 is not number 4, and number 4 is not number 3—but then I realize, this list is stating the existence of these conditions—as in, ‘yes, these things are true, real, extant—so first, Siddhartha is saying (in number 3): “suffering does end”, and then, anticipating everyone then asking “Oh yeah? How”—he gives the smart ass ‘with number 4, you wise guys!’ answer.

You see—because had he said, ‘and then there is number 3: the end of suffering—‘ some smart ass would likely have said (or thought), ‘wait a minute—what road to the end of suffering; who said anything about the end of suffering!?’ So—he tells us first that suffering ends, and he tells us after that, that it ends with a path, a practice, a prescription; and here it is: The Eight Fold Path:

It will seem strict in some places, at first glance, and it is for most monks—but keep in mind, it is interpreted more adaptively by lay people—and in my experience, we did not compel, or even talk, about such severity in my Sangha meetings in Korea, but I think many, like myself, tended toward a more ethical lifestyle anyway—as Buddhism, I think (like all religions), tends to serve as validation and improvement of the nature already inherent in those drawn to it—but I am not against surviving well or having fun—just not at the expense of others:

I. Right View
(Actions have consequences.)
Originally, Traditionally, and today—probably still—to serious adherents and monks—this means, even after death, actions have consequences. (Now, pardon my saying that for many—including myself—this doesn’t work, as I don’t think it is true that the consciousness survives death, so I take it to mean: ‘my actions have consequences’—and I feel that is serious enough; that is peace or suffering enough—meaning that awareness should have enough good affect on this life—for me and others.

Right view also embodies the effort of ridding oneself of delusions. Essential in Buddhism is the elimination of dualistic thinking: In my view, a notion, idea or point is either true or not true—a fact or not a fact (or it is an unknown, and that’s okay; it’s okay not to know something!); but it is in humanities propensity for existential and moral relativism that all the bad deeds in life are justified…. And more traditionally, dualism is in not realizing all is connected, nothing is in isolation, form is emptiness—emptiness, form; mind & body, humanity & environment, “you are what you eat”—that kind of thing. Think about it: What you do to the air and water over here affects people and other creatures over there, and so on. This is the right view.

. . .

III. Right Resolve
(or Right Thought, Aspiration or Motivation)
This aimed at the focus on a non-violent life. To monks, it also means (in many traditions) to leave the material life of desires, family and ambition and to follow the Buddhist path. For me it means non-violence.

. . .

IV. Right Speech
This involves abstinence from lying, abusive speech, divisive speech or idle chatter; the latter bit, about ‘chatter’, just means ‘no gossip’ to me, as I feel there is nothing wrong and a lot right with enjoying conversation, but I confess I specifically like useful conversation, even if only for the joy of humor and reverie.

. . .

V. Right Conduct
(Or action)
Reiterating the second precept, this involves no killing, or injuring, theft, sexual misconduct, material desires; again, here, some tweaking (we are not following a god): When I took my precepts, this was simplified to misconduct intentionally harming others, in terms of intimacy, via thoughtlessness, subterfuge or neglect. Theft was put into another precept—as these were written differently for lay practitioners such as myself and my Dharma Brothers.

. . .

VI. Right Livelihood
This bars trade in weaponry, meat, persons, liquor or meat; I had given up meat before becoming a Buddhist, and some sects are lax about this, understanding culture, resources, income and sustenance. I also gave up alcohol about three years ago for improved health, but continued to consume in moderation even after becoming a Buddhist until I had quit. In the precepts I took, we vowed to drink responsibly.

. . .

VII. Right Effort
Regarding the “sense doors”, this precept is intended to make one mindful and master of one’s desires for pleasure.

. . .

VII. Right Mindfulness
Care of the mind and observance of it allows for the strengthening of cultivation against improper thought, deed and word—weakening their tendency and creation.

. . .

VIII. Right Practice
(or, Meditation)
More complex (having four parts) in traditional Buddhism), this refers to a focus that enables a ‘pointedness’ of mind, enabling mindfulness and insight.
The most valuable reward of meditation is very much misunderstood in the modern world, or, there are different kinds with different purposes, but the form that can bring the greatest cognitive and emotional development, Vipassana, is that which quiets the mind and silences the ego.
Meditation is the pinnacle core in the cultivation of the mind—for any person in any philosophical or religious discipline, endeavor or attempt at growth, or it should be, because nothing else shows us our mind like meditation. And that’s important—because it’s all in your head (and.. elsewhere, actually, but only perceived in your head).

. . .

There are some translations of the name ‘Four Noble Truths’ below.

. . .

Sanskrit	चत्वार्यार्यसत्यानि (catvāryāryasatyāni)
Pali	caturāriyasaccāni
Bengali	চতুরার্য সত্য (chôturarjô sôtyô)
Burmese	သစ္စာလေးပါး (MLCTS: θɪʔsà lé bá)
Chinese	四聖諦 (T) / 四圣谛 (S) (Pinyin: sìshèngdì)
Indonesian	Empat Kebenaran Mulia
Japanese	四諦 [ja] (Rōmaji: shitai)
Khmer	អរិយសច្ចបួន [km] (areyasachak buon)
Korean	사성제 [ko] (四聖諦) (RR: Saseongje)
Mongolian	Хутагтын дөрвөн үнэн [mn] (Khutagtiin durvun unen) (ᠬᠤᠲᠤᠭᠲᠤ ᠢᠢᠨ ᠳᠥᠷᠪᠡᠨ ᠦᠨᠡᠨ)
Sinhala	චතුරාර්ය සත්‍යය [si] (Chaturarya Satya)
Tibetan	འཕགས་པའི་བདེན་པ་བཞི་ (Wylie: ‘phags pa’i bden pa bzhi THL: pakpé denpa shyi)
Tagalog	Ang mga Apat na Maharlikang Katotohanan
Thai	อริยสัจสี่ [th] (RTGS: ariyasat si)
Vietnamese	Tứ Diệu Đế [vi] (四妙諦)

The above chart is from Wikipedia.

* “The problem is, you think you have time.“

~ Siddhartha Gautama