When I was a Christian, I found that people used the label to encompass everything from just vibing with the personality of the Christ, to believing in a series of historical claims like the resurrection of Jesus, the Virgin Birth, and other miracles, to following a certain series of moral teachings. There could be several different people that all used the label ‘Christian’ but didn’t really have any common beliefs at all. I decided to create a definition that included the overwhelming majority of self-described Christians but also had a specific and definite meaning. To read my earlier musings on this, click here.

Virtually all of the people that I encounter face-to-face in my everyday life are not Buddhists, and many don’t even have a good conception of what Buddhism really is. I want to start a series of blog posts that I can point people to for a fuller explanation of what Buddhism means to me. This will be the first blog post of many unpacking the basic understanding and principles of this philosophy of life.

In a nutshell, a Buddhist is anyone who accepts the 4 noble truths and seeks to follow the 8-fold path or circle. Here is my abbreviated formulation:

The 4 Noble Truths:

1. The Truth of Suffering – Pain is inevitable; suffering is optional.
2. The Truth of the Cause of Suffering – All suffering is caused by attachment.
3. The Truth of the Cessation of Suffering – Suffering can be managed gracefully and ultimately be eliminated.
4. The Truth of the Way Leading to the Cessation of Suffering – The path to end suffering is the eightfold circle.

The 8-fold circle:

1. Skillful Understanding: Recognize the 3 universal truths and the 3 marks of experience
2. Skillful Thought: Avoid the 3 poisons; master the art of living
3. Skillful Speech: Is what I am about to say an improvement over maintaining silence?
4. Skillful Action: Don’t cause pain (5 precepts); take every opportunity to alleviate pain
5. Skillful Livelihood: Ask 2 questions: What do I do? What does it do for me?
6. Skillful Effort: Nurture the 4 heavenly abodes; notice the 5 mind hindrances
7. Skillful Mindfulness: Purposeful, present, non-judgmental awareness
8. Skillful Concentration: Meditation practice (both passive and active)

I could easily spend several posts on each of these tenets to fully flesh them out. I intend on doing just this on and off over the course of the next year. However, if I wanted to get down to brass tacks, I would say the following:

• Everything is impermanent – I am not the same person today that I was 10 years ago, or 1 year ago, or 1 week ago, or even 1 minute ago. In fact, this is true with everything and everyone in the world around me.
• Because nothing lasts, becoming attached will always result in suffering – This just logically follows. The most obvious form of suffering due to attachment can be seen with addictions, but the same principle is true with any physical or emotional attachment. It even applies to being attached to our conception of the self.
• Curiosity and compassion allows us to recognize and start releasing attachments – I can’t ultimately free myself of attachments by just replacing them with different ones. I need to just start becoming aware and then releasing them, and this is best facilitated by blanketing our lives with curiosity and compassion.
• Utilize middle path – This is an ongoing process and it works best if we find a pace and expectations that are appropriate for the level of consciousness we are currently operating from. Embrace the mystery of the journey without getting fixated on a particular destination.

Traditional formulations of the eightfold path will use the word ‘right’ instead of ‘skillful.’ I will sometimes use this as well, but in the context of what is right or effective for me. I find very little use in rigid delineations of what is right and wrong or good and bad.

A better question: is the action, thought, belief, or behavior I am participating in skillful? Does it allow me deeper connections with myself and other people? Does it allow me to navigate life more efficiently? Does it promote wholeness, compassion, and equanimity? If so, whatever label someone wishes to put on it, that is what I want to do.

Namaste.