#Eightfold Path

[importantratings]

Chainsaw Man Characters Ranked By How Far Along They Are On The Eightfold Path

Denji: Right View. Denji knows his actions have consequences, that death is not the end (easy when you're Hybrid) and that beliefs have consequences after death. But his refusal to strive toward non-violence holds him back and his conduct is still too vulgar to give him the right kind of resolve.

Aki: Right Conduct. By the end of his arc, Aki is ahead by four entire steps which is impressive considering his profession. He does not kill, take what is not given, display sexual misconduct or show materials desires. If he just dropped the meat and the liquor, he would be ahead of most of his population.

Power: Off the path entirely. It's like she's not even trying.

Himeno: Right View. Himeno is more than aware of actions having consequences, that death is not the end (Ghost Devil and her desire to be mourned by someone after death). But she makes no real effort to curb her violent tendencies or her vulgar conduct, leaving her stuck at the first step.

Arai: Right Resolve. I'll give Arai the benefit of the doubt and assume that outside of work, he strives for non-violence. However, his behavior in the Eternity Devil arc implies he lies to others about his true intentions so he's stuck at the second step.

Violence Devil/Galagli: Right Conduct. Violence has the potential to make it to the eighth step...but unfortunately, his mask feeds him poison so he can't qualify for the fifth step.

Kobeni: Right Speech. Kobeni is surprisingly observant despite her anxiety but her propensity for killing leaves her at the third step. She must curb her rage if she wishes to reach enlightenment.

Kurose: Right Resolve. Kurose displays too much propensity idle chatter to qualify for the third step. I assume he's not too violent out of work.

Tendo: Right Samadhi. Having shown no evidence of the previous steps in canon, Michiko Tendo is ripe for enlightenment. Good for her.

Quanxi: Right View. Despite her age, Quanxi is stuck at the same step as Denji due to her violent responses to issues. Shame on her.

Asa: Right Resolve. Asa, despite her attitude problem, isn't particularly violent but her abusive speech disqualifies her from the third step. She needs to work on how she talks to others.

Yuko: Right View. Due to her contract with the "Justice Devil", we'll never know how far Yuko's violent tendencies go. But she displayed enough to disqualify her from the second step.

Makima: Right View. She is killing understanding the consequences of her actions...but her plans involve too much violence. You think such a powerful woman would know better...

Kishibe: Right View. All these old people being so violent...a bad example for the younger generation.

Yoshida: Right View. Too casual with killing. Stop killing with tentacles if you want to get to the second step.

Reze: Right View. Can't stop killing. Too bad, a bomb would perfect for facilitating bojjhaṅgā.

Angel Devil: Right Effort. His death touch prevents unwholesome states of mind, making him a perfect candidate for bojjhaṅgā. But his rather weak willpower prevents him from reaching sati. He needs to work on that.

[renegade-hierophant]

The First Noble Truth that the Buddha taught is often mistranslated into modern languages.

It is not that life is suffering, but that life is unsatisfactory. Nothing you ever do will ever be satisfying. Suffering is just a consequence of that.

The Second Noble Truth is the cause of unsatisfactoriness, and that is desire. Because you desire to be happy, you will inevitably end up unsatisfied. No matter what you achieve, it won’t be enough. Might be for a while, but it won’t be for way longer afterwards.

The Buddha taught the Third Noble Truth, and that is that there is a way out of unsatisfactoriness.

Which is the Fourth Noble Truth, the Eightfold Noble Path, hence the symbol of Buddhism: ☸.

The eight folds are: right view, right aspiration, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration.

All lead down to one outcome: compassion, which brings end to all unsatisfactoriness.

[tmarshconnors]

"Nothing can harm you as much as your own thoughts unguarded"

Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia, during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism.

Founder of Buddhism: Siddhartha Gautama, also known as the Buddha, founded Buddhism, one of the world's major religions, based on his teachings about overcoming suffering and achieving enlightenment.

Born as a Prince: He was born in Lumbini (modern-day Nepal) as a prince of the Shakya clan around the 5th to 6th century BCE, shielded from the hardships of the world.

The Four Sights: At age 29, he left his palace and encountered "The Four Sights"—an old man, a sick man, a corpse, and a wandering ascetic—which inspired him to seek answers to life's suffering.

Attained Enlightenment: After years of ascetic practices, he meditated under the Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya and achieved enlightenment, becoming "the Buddha," or "the Awakened One.

"Teachings of the Middle Way: Buddha advocated the "Middle Way," avoiding extremes of indulgence and self-denial, and shared the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path as the foundation of his teachings.

[julie09tarot]

Ask AI: Which tarot card best represents each of the practices of the eightfold path (Buddhism)?

The Eightfold Path in Buddhism consists of eight interconnected practices that lead to wisdom, ethical living, and mental discipline. Here’s how each step aligns with a tarot card:

1. Right View (Seeing Reality Clearly) → The Hanged Man

Why? The Hanged Man represents a shift in perspective, seeing beyond illusions, and surrendering to truth.

Right View means understanding things as they are—not as we wish them to be. Like The Hanged Man, it requires letting go of old assumptions and embracing clarity, even if it’s uncomfortable.

2. Right Intention (Aligning Your Heart with Wisdom) → The Star

Why? The Star represents hope, purpose, and aligning with a greater truth.

Right Intention is about committing to kindness, compassion, and non-harm—just as The Star guides us toward healing and a higher path.

3. Right Speech (Truthful, Kind, and Thoughtful Words) → The High Priestess

Why? The High Priestess represents silence, wisdom, and speaking only when necessary.

Right Speech isn’t just about avoiding lies—it’s about speaking with awareness and knowing when to stay silent. The High Priestess embodies this restraint and thoughtfulness.

4. Right Action (Ethical Conduct in Daily Life) → Justice

Why? Justice represents fairness, integrity, and accountability for one’s actions.

Right Action is about choosing ethical behaviors—honesty, non-violence, and respect for all beings. Justice perfectly aligns with this principle.

5. Right Livelihood (A Job That Supports, Not Harms) → Six of Pentacles

Why? The Six of Pentacles represents fairness in resources, ethical giving, and work that benefits others.

Right Livelihood means choosing work that does not exploit or harm—just like the Six of Pentacles symbolizes balanced, ethical exchanges.

6. Right Effort (Avoiding Negativity, Cultivating Goodness) → Strength

Why? Strength represents inner discipline, patience, and overcoming destructive impulses.

Right Effort means actively shifting away from harmful thoughts and behaviors while cultivating kindness and focus—just as Strength teaches us to channel our energy wisely.

7. Right Mindfulness (Present-Moment Awareness) → The Temperance

Why? Temperance represents balance, harmony, and being fully present.

Right Mindfulness is about staying aware of our thoughts, emotions, and actions without reacting impulsively. Temperance reflects this centered awareness.

8. Right Concentration (Deep Meditation & Focus) → The Hermit

Why? The Hermit represents inner stillness, deep contemplation, and the pursuit of wisdom.

Right Concentration means cultivating deep meditative focus, training the mind to remain steady and clear. The Hermit embodies this journey inward.

Final Thoughts

These cards show that the Eightfold Path is not just a set of rules—it’s a lived experience. Each step has its own challenges and rewards, and tarot offers a visual, intuitive way to reflect on them.

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[brettesims]

The Eightfold Fence

“From the time we are small it is something we are taught to build within ourselves; an impenetrable wall, which we can retreat whenever we need. You must train yourself to listen without hearing; for instance you can listen to the sound of a blossom falling, the rocks growing…

If you really listen your present circumstance vanishes. Do not be fooled by our politeness, our bows, our maze of rituals… beneath it all we could be a great distance away. Safe. And alone.”

~ Show: Shogun, (Hulu)

[raffaellopalandri]

The Cost of Inaction: A Moral Imperative to Speak and Act

Throughout history, individuals and societies have faced moments when moral choices demanded action. Photo by Sora Shimazaki on Pexels.com In these moments, the cost of inaction often proves far greater than the perceived risks of speaking out or taking a stand. Whether in the face of oppression, injustice, or ethical decay, failing to act creates a vacuum where suffering festers, wrongdoing…

[beeden96]

Coraline as a Buddhist parable

Last night while I was writing down the Four Noble Truths with a brush pen in my sketchbook (I do stuff like that sometimes), my roommate put on the movie Coraline. This was entirely coincidental but I was struck by how much the themes of the movie relate to everything I've been learning recently about the core teachings of Buddhism.

There is a concept in Buddhism called "right view." It is the first practice in the Eightfold Path. I think of this as referring to a person's understanding and perception of reality. When a person does not see the true nature of reality, they are vulnerable to illusions and delusions, which cause cravings and excessive attachments.

The Other Mother in Coraline has buttons for eyes, and she sews buttons into the eyes of other people who she lures into her illusory reality. She literally lacks "right view," and she tries to force other people to share her distorted view. She craves, and clings, and she wants other people to cling to her, so she offers them the things they crave. She controls others because she is so attached to them.

The moment when all of this hit me was at the end of the movie, when the Other Mother screams, "Don't leave me! Don't leave me! I'll die without you!"

The reason it hit me is because I suddenly saw myself in her. I think a lot of people live like this without realizing it. I am one of those people, or at least I have been. This "I'll die without you!" sentiment can be applied to any kind of addiction. The "You" could be food, it could be alcohol, it could be sex, it could be attention from others, etc. The sentiment behind the Other Mother's words can be related to any pattern of compulsive thought or behavior. But in this movie, and in my own life, that theme most often plays out in relationships with other people. Codependence is a key word to describe the pattern, at least the way I understand it.

I'm trying to develop the inner strength and acceptance of reality, to move beyond that way of existing. It is really painful to live like that. And I found myself feeling sad for the Other Mother, who is trapped in a world (resulting at least in part from her lack of "right view") where she never has enough, is never satisfied, and is never happy. Things change, and everything is impermanent, so clinging and controlling is only ever going to end in heartbreak.

There is a concept in Buddhism of the hungry ghost. They are ghosts who are stuck in a state of constant craving and dissatisfaction, and they can be extremely destructive as a result. I think that the Other Mother is a perfect, almost textbook example of a hungry ghost. I mean, she would literally consume children because she was craving their love so much.

The word "love" here is interesting to me. The cat in Coraline says that the Other Mother loves Coraline and wants to be loved in return. But the word love in this context indicates an unhealthy, all-consuming obsession, rather than mutual respect and care. A really helpful and succinct explanation is actually right in the book (which the movie is based on). Neil Gaiman writes: "It was true. The other mother loved her. But she loved Coraline as a miser loves money, or a dragon loves its gold."

Now, turning my attention to Coraline herself: I see this movie as a story about how Coraline developed "right view" after undergoing a process of reckoning with her previous approach to life. She was unable to accept reality as it was. She was unhappy, and craved a different life with different parents and different friends and different material possessions. She wanted more. And in this way, she was very like the Other Mother.

As a storytelling device, the Other Mother is useful. Characters are useful for illustrating dynamics of growth and change over the course of a narrative. But I think that ultimately, the Other Mother was inside of Coraline, and a part of her. Just as she had been a part of all the other people living in that house who were dissatisfied with their lives. She is a symbol of the attachments and cravings that all people have, taken to their extreme but logical conclusion.

In the first part of the movie, Coraline resists change. She has just moved to a new place, and she has not accepted her new reality. She has trouble connecting with the people around her, who are either overworked and exhausted (her parents), or who she barely knows at all. Because her material and social conditions are not acceptable to her, and she does not yet have "right view," she develops cravings. She lives out those cravings in the fantasy world inhabited by the Other Mother.

Sometime in the early to middle part of the movie, Coraline goes to a shop with her Mom and asks for some colorful knitted gloves. She wants them because nobody else will have them and she thinks they look pretty and interesting. Her Mom says no. This makes Coraline angry, and causes her to go even deeper into the world inhabited by the Other Mother, because that is a world in which she believes her desires can be fulfilled.

Over time, she begins to understand that the Other Mother (this dissatisfied aspect of herself) is not a good person to hang around, and that her perspective on life is warped. She begins to see the dangers of living in delusion, and clinging to sense pleasures. She becomes a firsthand witness to the instability and violence this way of living can create.

So she lets go. She lets go of her expectations, she lets go of her cravings, and instead she decides to honor her love for her parents, which is based in mutual care, rather than obsession and excessive catering to desires. It is only once she lets go of any attachment to an outcome, that she begins to receive the things she originally wanted. Love, care, attention, and even some nice physical items. Her Mom gives her the gloves she wanted as a surprise gift. But now, she is wise enough to appreciate these things for what they are. She can be happy and present in the moment, appreciating the little things while they last.

[nevernoneart]

DAY 3: PATH - the purple lotus is a rare colour way sacred to the Buddhism. It represents the Noble Eightfold Path of Mysticism. This special lotus changes colour according to the light and temperature, so it represents transformation. When the bud is closed, it represents the path to enlightenment, before opening to show the treasure in the centre.

I was planning to attempt to do these figures in a more Feefal style, based on her plant work. However, thanks to doing Mochipanko’s Domestika course, I’m a bit too fond of drawing clothes and shoes. Expect more of this.

[r-e-edelstein]

[hkunlimited]

Buddhism and the Pursuit of Truth(s)

Absolute truth is a difficult subject. But right speech is easy: honesty and politeness, no trash talk, samma vaca. Most truths are relative at best, anyway, and that includes science, but it goes double for superstition. Because science acknowledges its limitations up front, and that’s the best that you can do. Buddhism is pretty good about that, also, at least in its earliest purest phase, when…

[tmarshconnors]

"Tune as the Sitar neither low nor high. And we will dance away the hearts of men"

Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia, during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism.

Founder of Buddhism: Siddhartha Gautama, also known as the Buddha, founded Buddhism, one of the world's major religions, based on his teachings about overcoming suffering and achieving enlightenment.

Born as a Prince: He was born in Lumbini (modern-day Nepal) as a prince of the Shakya clan around the 5th to 6th century BCE, shielded from the hardships of the world.

The Four Sights: At age 29, he left his palace and encountered "The Four Sights"—an old man, a sick man, a corpse, and a wandering ascetic—which inspired him to seek answers to life's suffering.

Attained Enlightenment: After years of ascetic practices, he meditated under the Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya and achieved enlightenment, becoming "the Buddha," or "the Awakened One.

"Teachings of the Middle Way: Buddha advocated the "Middle Way," avoiding extremes of indulgence and self-denial, and shared the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path as the foundation of his teachings.

[astrovedawisdom]

Understanding Buddhist Philosophy: The Core Teachings of Gautama Buddha

Introduction Among the greatest philosophers of India, Gautama Buddha stands out for his logical approach to truth. Unlike many traditions that relied on scriptures, faith, or speculation, Buddha emphasized rational inquiry and personal experience. His teachings challenged superstition, caste hierarchies, and ritualistic practices, offering a practical path to liberation from suffering. In this…

[brettesims]

The Eightfold Path

The eightfold path is the fourth Noble Truth, which is the path that the Buddha taught us leading to the cessation of suffering and the achievement of self-awakening.

Follow the path to your dreams!

~ B

[raffaellopalandri]

A Short Comparison: Shaolin Virtues vs. Confucian Principles

Both Shaolin virtues and Confucian principles are guiding lights for ethical conduct, but they stem from different philosophical backgrounds. Photo by Diana on Pexels.com Shaolin Temple, far from just a martial arts school, is steeped in the rich tapestry of Buddhist philosophy and is considered the cradle of Chan (Zen) Buddhism in China. This Buddhist foundation deeply influences and shapes…

[tribalephemeral]

Unitarian Panpsychist Prayer

Unitarian Panpsychist Prayer Universal Principle,Who goes by many names & all names & no names, who is all genders & no genders, who is eternal of eternities, who is infinity of infinites, who is all things & some things & no things & void, who is in any being at any time, who is present in all worlds, both real & imagined, help me this day to be my truest and most whole self, help me this day…