Actually, at the outset, I would like to tell you the fact that, the reason to flow my fingers on the key board was instilled by a television show I watched on this Poya day. I’m not a genius in Buddhism; nonetheless, this is what I learnt.
As we grow, ‘life experiences’ become one of the most central themes in shaping our behavior. This has been one of the conditions of the Noble Eightfold Path in Buddhism as well. These Noble Truths consists of a set of eight interconnected factors or conditions, that when developed together, lead to the cessation of dukkha. These eight factors are: Right View (or Right Understanding), Right Intention (or Right Thought), Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration.
Given this concise explanation, I would like to express the first view (right understanding) of the Noble Eightfold Path of Buddhism. I believe that this notion be firmly convinced by a simple example. As we know the tale of the Stonecutter has roots to Buddhism as well as Chinese influences. Anyway, let’s see that the tale depicts about the notion..
As we grow, ‘life experiences’ become one of the most central themes in shaping our behavior. This has been one of the conditions of the Noble Eightfold Path in Buddhism as well. These Noble Truths consists of a set of eight interconnected factors or conditions, that when developed together, lead to the cessation of dukkha. These eight factors are: Right View (or Right Understanding), Right Intention (or Right Thought), Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration.
Given this concise explanation, I would like to express the first view (right understanding) of the Noble Eightfold Path of Buddhism. I believe that this notion be firmly convinced by a simple example. As we know the tale of the Stonecutter has roots to Buddhism as well as Chinese influences. Anyway, let’s see that the tale depicts about the notion..
There was once a stonecutter, who was really dissatisfied with his position in life. Every day he went into the mountains to hew stones from the rocks. He had this aggravated life and he dreamed for a wonderful life to get rid of the routine that he had. Simply put he had a ‘thorough expectation’.
One day, he passed a wealthy merchant's house, and through the open gateway, saw many fine possessions and important visitors. "How powerful that merchant must be!" thought the stonecutter. He became very envious, and wished that he could be like the merchant. Then he would no longer have to live the life of a mere stonecutter.
To his great surprise, he suddenly became the merchant, enjoying more luxuries and power than he had ever dreamed of, envied and detested by those less wealthy than himself. But soon a high official passed by, carried in a sedan chair, accompanied by attendants, and escorted by soldiers beating gongs. Everyone, no matter how wealthy, had to bow low before the procession. "How powerful that official is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be a high official!"
Then he became the high official, carried everywhere in his embroidered sedan chair, feared and hated by the people all around, who had to bow down before him as he passed. It was a hot summer day, and the official felt very uncomfortable in the sticky sedan chair. He looked up at the sun. It shone proudly in the sky, unaffected by his presence. "How powerful the sun is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be the sun!"
One day, he passed a wealthy merchant's house, and through the open gateway, saw many fine possessions and important visitors. "How powerful that merchant must be!" thought the stonecutter. He became very envious, and wished that he could be like the merchant. Then he would no longer have to live the life of a mere stonecutter.
To his great surprise, he suddenly became the merchant, enjoying more luxuries and power than he had ever dreamed of, envied and detested by those less wealthy than himself. But soon a high official passed by, carried in a sedan chair, accompanied by attendants, and escorted by soldiers beating gongs. Everyone, no matter how wealthy, had to bow low before the procession. "How powerful that official is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be a high official!"
Then he became the high official, carried everywhere in his embroidered sedan chair, feared and hated by the people all around, who had to bow down before him as he passed. It was a hot summer day, and the official felt very uncomfortable in the sticky sedan chair. He looked up at the sun. It shone proudly in the sky, unaffected by his presence. "How powerful the sun is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be the sun!"
Then he became the sun, shining fiercely down on everyone, scorching the fields, cursed by the farmers and laborers. But a huge black cloud moved between him and the earth, so that his light could no longer shine on everything below. "How powerful that storm cloud is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be a cloud!"
Then he became the cloud, flooding the fields and villages, shouted at by everyone. But soon he found that he was being pushed away by some great force, and realized that it was the wind. "How powerful it is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be the wind!"
Then he became the cloud, flooding the fields and villages, shouted at by everyone. But soon he found that he was being pushed away by some great force, and realized that it was the wind. "How powerful it is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be the wind!"
Then he became the wind, blowing tiles off the roofs of houses, uprooting trees, hated and feared by all below him. But after a while, he ran up against something that would not move, no matter how forcefully he blew against it — a huge, towering stone. "How powerful that stone is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be a stone!" he thought. "I wish that I could be a stone!"
Then he became the stone, more powerful than anything else on earth. But as he stood there, he heard the sound of a hammer pounding a chisel into the solid rock, and felt himself being changed. "What could be more powerful than I, the stone?" he thought. He looked down and saw far below him the figure of a Stonecutter.
He said to him; ‘What?! That man is stronger than I am….!?’
So he turned back into a stonecutter who went into the mountains hewing stone, under the hot sun and in the pouring rain..
So that’s the end of the tail. What we can gain out of it??
I have titled this concise note as, “An Understanding”. Besides, this tale begins with a man who was really dissatisfied with his life. Tired being a stonecutter; he becomes many things in his quest for authority, each time finding that greater power lies elsewhere. Stonecutter is a story about the nature of ‘power’ and the VALUE of accepting who you are. Thus this brings an insight about the value of understanding you and your life…………….
So he turned back into a stonecutter who went into the mountains hewing stone, under the hot sun and in the pouring rain..
So that’s the end of the tail. What we can gain out of it??
I have titled this concise note as, “An Understanding”. Besides, this tale begins with a man who was really dissatisfied with his life. Tired being a stonecutter; he becomes many things in his quest for authority, each time finding that greater power lies elsewhere. Stonecutter is a story about the nature of ‘power’ and the VALUE of accepting who you are. Thus this brings an insight about the value of understanding you and your life…………….