Theravada Buddhism And The Eightfold Path

On October 4, 2017 myself along with two classmates visited the Wat Buddharangsi Temple located in Homestead, Florida. This beautiful and nurturing temple was a Theravada Buddhism temple. Theravada Buddhism is somewhat different to its parent group Buddhism. For instance, this kind of Buddhism is known for relying profoundly on religious texts unlike other forms of Buddhism. Nonetheless, their fundamental beliefs are relatively the same. This includes the religion following what they call the “Four Noble Truths” of the Buddha in what then leads to what is called the “Eightfold Path”. The Four Noble Truths begin with what is the “reality of dukkha, usually translated as pain and suffering” (Livingston, 2009). Human existence is built on suffering from birth

As we go on in life, humans suffer when we lose love ones or do not receive what we want. The Second Noble Truth is the Cause of Suffering or the “the cause of dukkha” (Livingston, 2009). Humans are prone to suffering because of the passion, greed, hatred, and craving we have for wanting things. Buddhism teaches that we need to abandon our attachments in order to not suffer. The Third Noble Truth is that there is “liberation from suffering through a cessation of craving” (Livingston, 2009). In other words, Buddhism teaches that Suffering can be disregarded if one would let go of passion and craving. The Fourth Noble Truth is “the truth of the Way leading to the cessation of suffering, of the Eightfold Path that leads to enlightenment and Nirvana” (Livingston, 2009). When one goes through practices such of those like meditation, it then leads to an end of Rebirth and to Enlightenment which is also called Nirvana. This also includes the Eightfold Path, which commences with “1. The right view is to see and know the truth. 2. The right intention is to refrain from practices that are immoral and to practice thinking in a good manner. 3.The right speech is to avoid false speech, profanity, and