Ethical conduct indispensable for attaining enlightenment or Buddhahood

[Ajay0]

Ethical conduct in the form of right speech, right livelihood and right effort are considered to be vital practices leading to enlightenment in Buddhism or Buddhahood.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path

 

https://studybuddhism.com/en/tibetan-buddhism/about-buddhism/buddha-s-basic-message/a-full-buddhist-life-the-eightfold-path/the-three-trainings

 

Ethical conduct is also emphasized in the religious philosophies of Hinduism, Jainism and Sufism for attaining enlightenment.

 

This itself is a refutation of the nihilist and existentialist premise that life is meaningless and all values and virtues are but abstract mental contrivances without any relevance of their own.
 

[silent thunder]

Lately, boundary areas between on and off the mat, praxis and daily life deliciously dissolve.

Several tenets resonate as constants throughout awareness, (wherever it abides).

 

Embody an unfoldingness in impeccability.  (particularly in the relating of witness to judge)

Radical authenticity in word, thought and action is imperative.  (This does not imply stuffiness, or seriousness.  Rather its opposite is required (for myself).   Nurture unflinchingly authentic, open playfulness.  Radical of release in unfolding presence.  Whole hearted, unabashed, acknowledged and accepted presence). 

 

Do not take any aspect of perceived reality personally.

While awareness may experience within Maya, our true nature is not of it.

 

Wholeness of awareness in presence.  Abide in Beingness.  Simplicity.

 

 

Release everything and what remains is true nature.

Edited September 27, 2023 by silent thunder

[old3bob]

On 9/23/2023 at 3:44 AM, Ajay0 said:

Ethical conduct in the form of right speech, right livelihood and right effort are considered to be vital practices leading to enlightenment in Buddhism or Buddhahood.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path

 

https://studybuddhism.com/en/tibetan-buddhism/about-buddhism/buddha-s-basic-message/a-full-buddhist-life-the-eightfold-path/the-three-trainings

 

Ethical conduct is also emphasized in the religious philosophies of Hinduism, Jainism and Sufism for attaining enlightenment.

 

This itself is a refutation of the nihilist and existentialist premise that life is meaningless and all values and virtues are but abstract mental contrivances without any relevance of their own.
 

 

preparations in a life of working with Dharma's is very important but is not a guarantee that it leads to enlightenment, if so it could be done by an ego's subtle design.  The Self chooses the Self (since Hinduism was brought up in your post) or Spirit chooses Spirit and sees through any of ego's designs.

Edited September 26, 2023 by old3bob

[stirling]

The Eightfold Path is interesting. It is sort of a "fake it till you make it" proposition, being that the only possible way to properly  express right view, right resolve, right speech, right conduct, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right samadhi is to actually BE enlightened. 

 

The point of the Eightfold Path, and the precepts is to slow as much as possible the accumulation of new karma until such time as the delusion of "self" is seen through completely (Arhat) and karma is no longer created. 

 

On 9/23/2023 at 1:52 PM, silent thunder said:

Embody an unfoldingness in impeccability.  (particularly in the relating of witness to judge)

Radical authenticity in word, thought and action is imperative.  (This does not imply stuffiness, or seriousness.  Rather its opposite is required.   Nurture unflinchingly authentic, open playfulness.  Radical of release in unfolding presence.  Whole hearted, unabashed, acknowledged and accepted presence). 

 

Do not take any aspect of perceived reality personally.

While awareness may experience within Maya, our true nature is not of it.

 

Wholeness of awareness in presence.  Abide in Beingness.  Simplicity.

 

 

Release everything and what remains is true nature.

 

This is great. Yes! I especially love your emphasis: 

 

Radical authenticity in word, thought and action.

 

I have found training (and teaching) the Tibetan "Lojong" teachings to be a great method for reducing self-cherishing, increasing bodhicitta and bringing forward those qualities above that are SO necessary to success. 

 

WIth any luck there will continue to be those that experience the subtle pop of understanding, and for whom the Eightfold Path is merely the experience of being.  

[iinatti]

...

 

 

Edited September 27, 2023 by iinatti

[Ajay0]

On 9/26/2023 at 5:49 AM, old3bob said:

 

preparations in a life of working with Dharma's is very important but is not a guarantee that it leads to enlightenment, if so it could be done by an ego's subtle design.  The Self chooses the Self (since Hinduism was brought up in your post) or Spirit chooses Spirit and sees through any of ego's designs.

 

Yes, but Virya or virile effort is also emphasized by the Buddha as well.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vīrya

 

Anyway, the theme of the op is that ethical or moral conduct has its relevance in the larger scheme of things and cannot be dismissed as mere abstractions.

[old3bob]

agreed...

[Ajay0]

^{Insightful article on Sila...}

 

https://www.serenecolombo.org/pali-word-of-the-day-sila/

 

Quote

When someone has good virtue, or sīla, they give up doing bad things and they only do good things. The Supreme Buddha taught that sīla is the foundation of all wholesome qualities. That means that if we develop good sīla, then it will be easy to develop other good qualities like samādhi (concentration) and paññā (wisdom).