The Noble Path

The eight precepts are self-imposed rules or disciplines for Buddhist lay persons wishing to practice more strictly than the usual five precepts. The eight precepts are usually observed on the uposatha days – that is: the full moon day, the new moon day, and the two half moon days of every month. While the five precepts focus solely on avoiding morally bad behavior, the eight precepts focus both on avoiding morally bad behavior and on leading a more ascetic lifestyle.:

I undertake the precept to refrain from destroying living creatures I undertake the precept to refrain from taking that which is not given I undertake the precept to refrain from sexual activity I undertake the precept to refrain from incorrect speech I undertake the precept to refrain from intoxicating drinks and drugs which lead to carelessness I undertake the precept to refrain from eating after noon I undertake the precept to refrain from dancing, singing, music, going to see entertainments, wearing garlands, using perfumes, and beautifying the body with cosmetics I undertake the precept to refrain from lying on a high or luxurious sleeping place Specifics of the eight precepts Abstention from killing living beings: To break this precept, there must be the knowledge of a living being and there must be the intention to deprive that being of life ... read more of What are the Eight Precepts? ...

The Five Moral Precepts are the backbone of Buddhist ethics and are designed to discipline and purify the three means of human action — body, speech, and mind. The precepts are recited on a daily basis by most Buddhists after reciting the formula for the threefold refuge in the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha. The observance of the five precepts forms the minimum foundation of a life governed by the Buddha's teachings. The precepts are as follows:

I undertake the precept to refrain from destroying living creatures I undertake the precept to refrain from taking that which is not given I undertake the precept to refrain from sexual misconduct I undertake the precept to refrain from incorrect speech I undertake the precept to refrain from intoxicating drinks and drugs which lead to carelessness

The abstention from killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct disciplines and purifies bodily actions ... read more of What are the Five Precepts? ...

The Triple Gems - or the Three Jewels - of Buddhism refer to the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha.

Buddha

The Buddha was born in 543 BC in what is now known as Nepal and was given the name Siddhattha Gotama. At the age of 29 he renounced the life as the son of a king and became a homeless ascetic. After six year's of practice and contemplation, Buddha attained Nibbana (Nirvana), and spent the next 45 years with tireless teaching until he died at the age of 80.

Dhamma

The Dhamma (Dharma) is the teachings of the Buddha, which has been handed down in the ancient Pali language, and preserved in three collections of hooks, called the Tipitaka (the three baskets) ... read more of What are the Triple Gems? ...

Considered as a system of practical training, the eight factors of The Noble Path is divided into three groups representing three stages of training:

Morality: right speech, right action, and right livelihood Concentration: right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration Wisdom: right understanding and right intention

For the practitioner, the path evolves naturally through these three stages, with moral discipline as the foundation for concentration, concentration the foundation for wisdom, and wisdom the direct instrument for reaching liberation ... read more of The Three Stages of Training ...

This post is not just a new post on the blog – it is the very first post on the blog. Therefore it is a proper place for outlining what kind of blog this one is supposed to be. As indicated by its name - “Live from Noble Path” – this blog is about the Noble Eightfold Path, a well known term to anyone familiar with Buddhism. As indicated by the term 'live' the topic is intended to be approached in a dynamic fashion.

The approach of this blog will be a non-scholarly one. This author is not a Buddhist scholar. My academic background is quantum physics – a topic that will only be peripherally touched upon in this blog ... read more of The First Step ...