How to Practice
Chapter One: Three Ways to Practice
Buddha's Enlightenment as a Model
According to some Buddhist schools, Shakyamuni Buddha first became enlightened in India in the sixth century b.c., through practice of the path. Others, however, believe that Shakyamuni Buddha had achieved enlightenment long before and that in his sixth century b.c. incarnation the Buddha was merely demonstrating the path. In Tibet, we take the latter view, and followers learn from his example how to practice in order to achieve enlightenment themselves.
In either case, we need to notice that:
- Shakyamuni Buddha was born into a life of pleasure as a prince in an Indian royal family. At age twenty-nine, upon seeing the suffering of the world, he gave up his royal position, cut his own hair, left his family, and took on the morality of a monastic, adopting a system of ethical behavior.
- For the next six years he engaged in ascetic meditation for the sake of achieving concentrated meditation.
- Then, under the Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya, he practiced special techniques for developing wisdom, and ach ... read full excerpt from: How to Practice: The Way to a Meaningful Life ebook
