The Way

'Why indeed must God' be a noun? Why not a verb, the most active and dynamic of all?' -- Mary Daly (b. 1928), U.S. educator, writer, theologian. Beyond God the Father, ch. 2 (1973).

'The existence of the worst evils is unimaginable unless God willed them.' -- Georges Bataille (1897-1962),

'What preoccupies us, then, is not God as a fact of nature, but as a fabrication useful for a God-fearing society. God himself becomes not a power but an image.' -- Daniel J. Boorstin (b. 1914), U.S. historian. The Image, ch. 5 (1961).

EL Camino de las Ocho Sendas
1. Right Knowledge is knowledge of what life is all about. Knowledge of the Four Noble Truths is basic to any further growth as a Buddhist.

2. Right Aspiration means a clear devotion to being on the Path toward Enlightenment.

3. Right Speech involves both clarity of what is said (taking care to say just what is meant) and speaking kindly, and without malice.

4. Right Behavior involves reflecting on one's behavior and the reasons for it. It also involves five basic laws of behavior for Buddhists: not to kill, steal, lie, drink intoxicants, or commit sexual offenses.

5. Right Livelihood involves choosing an occupation that keeps an individual on the Path. That is, a path that promotes life and well-being, rather than the accumulation of a lot of money.

6. Right Effort means training the will and curbing selfish passions and wants. It also means placing oneself along the Path toward Enlightenment.

7. Right Mindfulness implies continuing self-examination and awareness. The 'Dhammapada,' a basic Buddhist text, begins, "All we are is the result of what we have thought."

8. Right Concentration is the final step in being absorbed into a state of Nirvana.