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I'm wondering how long it will take for people to finally recognise that the "eightfold path" isn't the "onefold path" (i.e. limited to McMindfulness, and notably exclu…
February 6th, 2018
I'm wondering how long it will take for people to finally recognise that the "eightfold path" isn't the "onefold path" (i.e. limited to McMindfulness, and notably excluding the renunciation of wrong views, the cultivation of right views, the ethical side of the practice —in speech, body and thoughts!).

Guidance is available! Just stop believing that a regular meditative practice is enough to get "most benefits"… it's not. There are psychological aspects, there are ethical aspects, there are philosophical aspects to the path which work well in combination with meditation (both supporting a meditative practice and benefitting from it), but they need to be discussed, studied, engaged with, etc. The learning doesn't fall from sky!
Oh, and yes, sorry, generosity is the first pāramī(ta), the first perfectable quality… Meditating without e.g. cultivating generosity (towards its unconditioned form) will not spontaneously make you a better person! And no, you won't suddenly become more generous "later", when you "awaken": giving (money, time, skills, efforts, second chances…) is part of cultivating, understanding and embodying a constructive view on inter-dependence, a key aspect of causality and of the nature of reality. [And giving is so effective toward awakening that, if spiritual materialism is still affecting you then you can quite reliably see whatever you give as an "investment" in fact!]
But guidance is available! You do not have to re-invent the wheel, you don't have to meditate only to later get disheartened because it doesn't lead where you first believed it would lead to, you can get support to be on a constructive path early, you don't have to let the ego assume that you can sort it all out by yourself, that you don't need anyone else, bla bla… as if, for some reason, this study of the nature of reality that is the Dharma was different from all other studies, as if learning couldn't benefit from role models, guidance, feedback, exercises of progressive difficulty, etc.
There are many teachers, who embody various characteristics (more or less constructive, so apply wise discernment, keep your eyes open and stay safe!) and who cater for people in different circumstances.
Maybe I can help? http://en.dharma.house/samsara.htm

#Buddhism #meditation #Dharma