The Path of a Buddhist

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The Path of a Buddhist

Buddhism is a religion and philosophy based on the teachings of the Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama. Today, Buddhism has an estimated seven hundred million followers, known as Buddhists. Most practicing Buddhists believe in ideas such as karma, dharma, samsara and nirvana. In addition to these, Buddhists base their lives and actions on the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path. Taught by Gautama, the Noble Eightfold path is a theory, that when put into action, serves as a way to end suffering (The Noble Eightfold Path). In Buddhism, the belief is that life is suffering. Through out his life, Gautama, searched endlessly for a means of liberation from this suffering. The Noble Eightfold Path is a series of principles that serve as guidelines to ethical and mental development which ideally lead to understanding the truth about all things. These principles are also intended to teach discipline and proper ways to interact in relationships with others (Bodhi).

In order to follow the Noble Eightfold Path one must not only know about each path but also put it in to action. The Noble Eightfold Path can be divided into three sections; wisdom, ethical conduct or virtue, and mental development or concentration. Each section contains a different number of principles. The category of wisdom includes Right Understanding or Right View and Right Thought or Right Intention. Right Speech, Right Action, and Right Livelihood can be found in the category of Virtue and finally Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration fall under Mental Development.

Right View means to see and to understand things as they really are and to realize the Four Noble Truths. It is a teaching used to help one veer away from th...

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...hat is right and wrong and see how one's thoughts and actions can have such a great impact on one's happiness and the good of the community.

In conclusion, I have come to realize that the Noble Eightfold Path is rooted in a belief very similar to that of my own faith which is in order to find peace and wholeness it is important for one to lead a moral life which begins with one's perception and is continued with one's actions. Whether one is trying to reach heaven or nirvana, it is the responsibility and duty of every individual to be a good person; a person of faith and a person who cares for others and cares for themselves.

Works Cited

Bodhi, Bhikkhu. "The Noble Eightfold Path." 04 Jan. 2006. The Buddhist Publication Society. 15 Feb. 2006 .

"Noble Eightfold Path." Wikipedia.org. 15 Feb. 2006 .

"The Noble Eightfold Path." thebigview.com. 15 Feb. 2006 .

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