I don’t think so. I recently came across a post from a person whose views I respect, but don’t always agree with. He was reblogging a post on Buddha’s “Noble Eightfold Path” aka, the Buddha’s version of the Ten Commandments (only there’s just 8 for Buddha—he’s more economical, I guess). Anyway, so here they are:
- Right View: The right way to think about life is to see the world through eyes of the Buddha—with wisdom and compassion.
- Right Thought: We are what we think. Clear and kind thoughts build good, strong characters.
- Right Speech: By speaking kind and helpful words, we are respected and trusted by everyone.
- Right Conduct: No matter what we say, others know us from the way we behave. Before we criticize others, we should first see what we do ourselves.
- Right Livelihood: This means choosing a job that does not hurt others. The Buddha said, “Do not earn your living by harming others. Do not seek happiness by making others unhappy.”
- Right Effort: A worthwhile life means doing our best at all times and having good will towards others. This also means not wasting effort on things that harm ourselves and others.
- Right Mindfulness: This means being aware of our thoughts, words, and deeds.
- Right Concentration: Focus on one thought or object at a time. By doing this, we can be quiet and attain true peace of mind.
I see one general, but major flaw in these “Eight Commandments” and that is: What do you do when someone doesn’t want to let you? Each one of those points falls apart when you find yourself interacting with people who don’t play along with. What do you do then?
