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3.6: Teachings from Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha

  • Page ID
    15291
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    Teachings from Buddhism

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    “A few years ago, journalist Pankaj Mishra pursued the social relevance of the Buddha’s thought across India and Europe, Afghanistan and America. He emerged with a startling critique of Western political economy that is even more resonant today as he pursued the social relevance of the Buddha’s core questions: Do desiring and acquiring make us happy? Does large-scale political change really address human suffering?”

    These are the questions addressed in this interview with Pankaj Mishra[1] in

    The Buddha in the World

    Quote from the Pali Canon Burmese-Pali_Manuscript._Wellcome_L0026547.jpg

    Four Noble Truths Astasahasrika_Prajnaparamita_Dharmacakra_Discourse-300x186.jpeg

    1. Life is suffering
    2. The cause of suffering is attachment and craving
    3. The end of suffering is possible
    4. The path to the end of suffering is to follow the Eightfold Path

    In order to eliminate suffering from one’s life, and to achieve nirvana, one should use the teachings of the Eightfold Path. If one walks through these steps, one will cease craving, cease attachment, and find oneself able to move toward bliss. Following are the eight things that one must work through in order to move in that direction.

    A simple introduction to this is found in:

    The Eightfold Path from Princeton University.

    The Noble Eightfold Path 800px-Gandhara_Buddha_tnm-181x300.jpeg

    1. Right Understanding
    2. Right Resolve
    3. Right Speech
    4. Right Conduct
    5. Right Livelihood
    6. Right Effort
    7. Right Mindfulness
    8. Right Concentration
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    1. Indian journalist and author of several books, including An End to Suffering: The Buddha in the World. He is also a regular contributor to the New York Times and the British newspaper The Guardian.

    This page titled 3.6: Teachings from Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Jody Ondich.

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