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A sage once said:

"The value of words lie in their reliability."

The Buddha was a human being who, in a world of unavoidable pain and suffering, found a serenity that he taught others to find also.

When the Buddha gave his first sermon in the Deer Park, he began the 'Turning of the Dharma Wheel', by teaching the Four Noble Truths:

1. the truth of suffering,
2. the truth of its origin,
3. the truth of cessation and
4. the path leading to cessation.

The Buddha chose the beautiful symbol of the wheel with its eight spokes to represent the Noble Eightfold Path . The Buddha's teaching goes round and round like a great wheel that never stops, leading to the central point of the wheel, the only point which is fixed, Nirvana. The eight spokes on the wheel represent the eight parts of the Noble Eightfold Path. Just as every spoke is needed for the wheel to keep turning, we need to follow each step of the path.

1. Right View. The right way to think about life is to see the world through the eyes of the Buddha ... with wisdom and compassion.

2. Right Thought. We are what we think. Clear and kind thoughts build good, strong characters.

3. Right Speech. By speaking kind and helpful words, we are respected and trusted by everyone.

4. Right Conduct. No matter what we say, others know us from the way we behave. Before we criticize others, we should first see what we do ourselves.

5. Right Livelihood. This means choosing a job that does not hurt others. The Buddha said, "Do not earn your living by harming others. Do not seek happiness by making others unhappy."

6. Right Effort. A worthwhile life means doing our best at all times and having good will toward others. This also means not wasting effort on things that harm ourselves and others.

7. Right Mindfulness. This means being aware of our thoughts, words, and deeds.

8. Right Concentration. Focus on one thought or object at a time. By doing this, we can be quiet and attain true peace of mind.

Following the Noble Eightfold Path can be compared to cultivating a garden, but in Buddhism one cultivates one's wisdom. The mind is the ground and thoughts are seeds. Deeds are ways one cares for the garden. Our faults are weeds. Pulling them out is like weeding a garden. The harvest is real and lasting happiness.

The Buddhist Ideal:

        - Eschew all evil.
        - Cherish good.
        - Cleanse your inner most   thoughts; this is the teaching       of Buddha. (Dhammapada)

"I am the owner of my karma .
I inherit my karma.
I am born of my karma.
I am related to my karma.
I live supported by my karma.
Whatever karma I create, whether good or evil, that I shall inherit."
The Buddha ~

(In Sanskrit, karma means cause and effect.)

Confucian Virtues:

Confucius taught these virtues which a person should practice every day to live a healthy, harmonious life:

Ren i s the virtue of benevolence, charity, and humanity;

Yi , of honesty and uprightness; Yì may be broken down into zhong, doing one's best, conscientiousness, loyalty;

Shu , reciprocity, altruism, consideration of others, and Confucius' early version of the Golden Rule: " What you don't want yourself, don't do to others."

Zhi , knowledge;

Xin , the virtue of faithfulness and integrity.

Li , correct behavior or propriety, good manners, politeness, ceremony, & worship.

Ten Buddhist Virtues :

- preserving life,

- alms giving,

- a "pure and virtuous life",

- peaceful words,

- yielding words,

- truthful words,

- plain unadorned words,

- abstinence from quarreling,

- mercy,

- being influenced by good

causes.

Om Mani Pedme Hum

The mantra Om Mani Pädme Hum is easy to say yet quite powerful, because it contains the essence of the entire teaching.

When you say the first syllable Om it is blessed to help you achieve perfection in the practice of generosity , Ma helps perfect the practice of pure ethics , and Ni helps achieve perfection in the practice of tolerance and patience . Päd , the fourth syllable, helps to achieve perfection of perseverance , Me helps achieve perfection in the practice of concentration , and the final sixth syllable Hum helps achieve perfection in the practice of wisdom .

So in this way recitation of the mantra helps achieve perfection in the six practices from generosity to wisdom.

Pronounced: Ohm - Ma Nee -     Pod May - Hum

      This chant brings you joy
         & peaceful vibrations.

Listen to the brief chant here

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