ONE FAMILY PLAN
Noble Truths
"I shall not be eager to reach enlightenment in the quickest way, but shall stay behind till the very end for the sake of a single being." (Verse 29 from Atisha's Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment)
"...will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off?" (Matthew 18:12)
Four Noble Truths
"Suffering, origin of suffering and getting over suffering, and the noble Path of eight elements that brings one to the cessation of sufferings ... one is liberation from all sufferings."
(Dhammapada, chpt 14,
verses 13 & 14)
Suffering exists
"I have suffered much..." (Psalm 119:107) "...I have become like broken pottery." (Psalm 31:12) "Look upon my affliction and my distress and take away all my sins." (Psalm 25:18)
Suffering arises from attachment to desires
"But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." (James 1:14-15) "...anyone who does not love remains in death." (1 John 3:14)
Suffering ceases when attachment to desire ceases
"...the desire of the wicked shall perish." (Psalm 112:10) "Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness." (Rom 6:18) "Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?" (Rom 6:16)
Freedom from suffering possible by practicing the Eightfold Path
"For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love."
(2 Peter 1:5-7 NIV)
The Eightfold Path
Three Qualities:
Wisdom (panna)
a. Right View
"...fulfill my joy by being LIKE-MINDED, having THE SAME LOVE, being OF ONE ACCORD, of ONE MIND." (Philippians 2:1-2) "Comparing oneself to others in such terms as 'Just as I am so are they, just as they are so am I,' he should neither kill nor cause others to kill."(Sutta Nipata 705)
b. Right Thought
"...Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."
(Philippians 4:8)
"Anyone who withdraws into meditation on compassion can see Brahma with his own eyes, talk to him face to face and consult with him." (Digha Nikaya 19.43)
Morality (sila)
a. Right Speech
"'No one ever spoke the way this man does,' the guards replied." (John 7:46) "Neither have I seen, nor has anyone heard of such a sweet-tongued master coming down from heaven to the midst of the many." (Sutta Nipata 955)
b. Right Action
"Do to others as you would have them do to you." (Luke 6:31) "Consider others as yourself." (Dhammapada 10.1)
c. Right Livelihood
"And what is right livelihood? Where a follower of the noble one, has left unethical livelihoods, he keeps his life going with right livelihood: This is called right livelihood." (The Buddha, Magga-vibhanga Sutta: An Analysis of the Path, Samyutta Nikaya) "...you shall not deal falsely..." (Lev 19:11)
Meditation (samadhi)
a. Right Effort
"...with the strings tuned in the middle how is the sound? 'Just right, Lord.'" (The Buddha, Anguttara Nikaya, Sixes 6.55) "And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things..." (1 Cor 9:25)
b. Right Mindfulness
"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."(John 14:27) "May fear and dread not conquer me." (Majjhima Nikaya 6.8)
c. Right Contemplation or concentration or meditation
"A monk who is skilled in concentration can cut the Himalayas in two."(Anguttara Nikaya 6.24) "...If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you." (Matthew 17:20)
Three Jewels
Buddha
I go for refuge in the Buddha
"The body of the Buddha is born of love, patience, gentleness, and truth."(Vimalakirtinirdesha Sutra 2) "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I AM GENTLE AND HUMBLE IN HEART, and you will find rest for your souls." (Matthew 11:29)
DharmaÂ
I go for refuge in the Dharma
"Teach the dharma which is lovely at the beginning, lovely in the middle, lovely at the end. Explain with the spirit and the letter in the fashion of Brahma. In this way you will be completely fulfilled and wholly pure."(Vinaya, Mahavagga 1.11.1) "The letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." (2 Corinthians 3:6)
Sangha
I go for refuge in the Sangha
"The bodhisattvas, guardians of the city of Dharma, uphold the true doctrine, and their great teachings resound like the lion's roar..." (Buddhism, Holy Teaching of Vimalakirti 1) "The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life..." (Proverbs 10:11) "The lips of the righteous feed many..." (Prov 10:21) "...the root of the righteous shall not be moved." (Prov 12:3)
