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Path of Buddhism

hmmm..Budda eh? · 2012-06-14 23:18:26

Jeez its quite here,whats the craic with that? Is this some sort of Buddhist method of teaching that I have to figure things out for myself??:D:D:) In order to understand The Eightfold Path,I have to first understand The Four Noble Truths. Is this really so the first step of Buddhism?

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#32 25-06-2012 2:39pm
roosh

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moonage wrote: »

Tolle has nothing against formal meditation as such but he says it's no substitute for bringing presence/mindfulness to to all aspects of daily living.

If the aim of meditation is to bring you into the present moment, the use of methods and techniques can be a hindrance because they take time, and using time to try to take you into the timeless can be fruitless.

I would agree in theory, but in practice I think formal practice is pretty essential. Buddhism also teaches about integration, bringing presence and awareness into our daily lives, but because our minds are so habituated into being over active, this can be very difficult. Formal practice actually cultivates this awareness that we can then bring, more easily, to our daily activities.

I personally believe, from my own experience, that there is something about formal sitting practice, just sitting and observing the mind, or rather just being present with the mind, that allows you to notice the subtleties of mind more clearly.

EDIT: it's probably worth stating that there is no substitute for your own experience.

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