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To understand Buddha is to think in the present; to castaway shadows of doubt towards oneself, to seek to be awakened; to strive for enlightenment.

To awake, one must seek to understand the Four Noble Truths (Samsara):
1. Suffering
2. The Cause of the Suffering
3. The End of Suffering
4. And How to Stop the Suffering

These ways were discovered by Buddha after his enlightenment. These teachings are for those ready for the truths.

In order to gain enlightenment and understanding these 4 Noble Truths one must be willing to follow the Noble Eightfold Path.

Sila (physical actions)
1. Right Speech
2. Right Actions
3. Right livelihood
Basically, not causing harm to others.

Samadhi (meditation)
1. Right Effort
2. Right Awareness
3. Right Concentration
Basically, the willingness to improve ones actions, mindfulness, and to be in the present.

Prajna (spiritual awareness)
1. Right Thoughts
2. Right Understanding
It is the desire to changes ones way of thinking and to understand reality as it really is.

You can think of the Noble Eightfold Path as progressive stages that leads a person to wisdom, virtuous behavior, and concentration.

If these paths are followed then what can happens is a person will have reached Bodhi. Bodhi which means "awakened" that person has discovered the true nature of reality. After Bodhi, then that person would have been freed of Samsara (birth, suffering, death, and rebirth).

I have just broken down these terms so that a novice to Buddhism may better understand the concepts. And what it means to follow the teaching of Buddha.

Learn more about this author, Kristen Franks.
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