A new translation of the Heart Sutra by Thich Nhat Hanh
the eightfold path
A lot of explanations of the eightfold path translate the word samma as “right” and while that makes for a nice, neat list, I feel like it has made the concepts harder for me to understand. I found a better (for me) explanation that gives alternate translations.
The Path
1. Samma-Ditthi — Complete or Perfect Vision, also translated as right view or understanding. Vision of the nature of reality and the path of transformation.
2. Samma-Sankappa — Perfected Emotion or Aspiration, also translated as right thought or attitude. Liberating emotional intelligence in your life and acting from love and compassion. An informed heart and feeling mind that are free to practice letting go.
3. Samma-Vaca — Perfected or whole Speech. Also called right speech. Clear, truthful, uplifting and non-harmful communication.
4. Samma-Kammanta — Integral Action. Also called right action. An ethical foundation for life based on the principle of non-exploitation of oneself and others. The five precepts.
5. Samma-Ajiva — Proper Livelihood. Also called right livelihood. This is a livelihood based on correct action the ethical principal of non-exploitation. The basis of an Ideal society.
6. Samma-Vayama — Complete or Full Effort, Energy or Vitality. Also called right effort or diligence. Consciously directing our life energy to the transformative path of creative and healing action that fosters wholeness. Conscious evolution.
7. Samma-Sati — Complete or Thorough Awareness. Also called “right mindfulness”. Developing awareness, “if you hold yourself dear watch yourself well”. Levels of Awareness and mindfulness – of things, oneself, feelings, thought, people and Reality.
8. Samma-Samadhi — Full, Integral or Holistic Samadhi. This is often translated as concentration, meditation, absorption or one-pointedness of mind. None of these translations is adequate. Samadhi literally means to be fixed, absorbed in or established at one point, thus the first level of meaning is concentration when the mind is fixed on a single object. The second level of meaning goes further and represents the establishment, not just of the mind, but also of the whole being in various levels or modes of consciousness and awareness. This is Samadhi in the sense of enlightenment or Buddhahood.
pest control
I have had to solve this problem twice now, and I know I’ll forget again unless I write it down. So this is just to save myself future frustration.
Sometimes WordPress (or maybe it’s just my theme) sticks in a “continue reading” link even though I didn’t put it there (that is, in posts where I don’t deliberately add a More tag). The link doesn’t appear in the post when I go to edit it out, and I can’t find a setting to stop WordPress from putting it there automatically.
However, it seems to only do it when the post is untitled, or has the same title as another post.
Solution: give each post a unique title. Unwanted and useless “continue reading” link goes away.
pirateborealis 