4 Noble Truths
1. Life means to suffer. We are all in the process of getting older, we will all get sick, and we will all die. But we also suffer because of attachment and desires.
2. The origin of suffering is caused by our placement of attachment and desires.
3. The cessation of suffering can be attained.
4. The path to this cessation of suffering is the 8 fold path.
8 Fold Path
1. Right understanding. Recognizing life is impermanent, suffering is linked to desire, and desire is linked to the false notion that we are lacking something.
2. Right Thought. What I think is what I am or will become. Think kindly and refuse to engage in cruel, mean or nasty thoughts.
3. Right Speech. Speech should be wise, kind, and minimal. Refuse to lie, gossip, talk meanly, or purposefully irritate people.
4. Right Action. Abstaining from purposefully harming others. Abstaining from stealing, which includes stealing attention away from others. Abstaining from sexual misconduct. (you determine what "misconduct" means) and abstaining from intoxicants to the extent that it impairs judgement (again you decide what "impairment" of judgement means to you).
5. Right Livelihood. Choose a job that enriches your soul. Right livelihood is not telling other people they are doing it wrong, it is looking at ourselves.
6. Right Effort. Cultivate positive qualities, thoughts, actions and tendencies while eliminating negative thoughts, qualities, and tendencies. Self-dicipline.
7. Right Mindfulness or Attentiveness. Waking up and living rather than going through the motions as if asleep.
8. Right Concentration or Meditation. Learn to contemplate with the deep mind. Meditation. Living in the moment. Zen.
