No-Nonsense Buddhism for Beginners: Clear Answers to Burning Questions About Core Buddhist Teachings

by Noah Rasheta

We must continually seek wisdom to help us learn to see the world as it really is.

When our intentions stem from anger or hatred, they’re more likely to cause harm than if they stem from happiness or gratitude.

Right speech means communicating with others in a way that doesn’t cause harm.

Lying, gossiping, or insulting others is not right speech, but neither are compliments you don’t mean, promises you don’t intend to keep, or sucking up to someone you want to impress.

Right speech doesn’t always have to be pleasant, nor does it need to withhold ideas out of fear that someone might disagree, but it should be sincere and genuine.

Right action or conduct means doing what is proper and necessary for your situation.

Adhering to the moral code of another place and time may not be the wisest form of action for our place and time.

“Morality is doing what’s right regardless of what you’re told. Obedience is doing what you’re told regardless of what’s right.”

In order to learn a new skill—in music, sports, business, or anything else—we must apply effort. Without it, we usually make little to no progress.

Right effort is about dedicating the time and work required to become more mindful and aware of the nature of reality. Without that effort, there can be no awakening or enlightenment.

Right mindfulness is about paying attention, whether we’re meditating or just going about our daily tasks. Being mindful helps us stay anchored in the present moment, which keeps us in touch with reality as it is.

In this sense, mindfulness helps us become aware that at any given moment, we are capable of experiencing contentment.

Right, or wise, concentration is the practice of focusing the mind solely on one thing: whatever it is we’re doing at that moment.

but meditation can be much more than just sitting. We can practice meditation while washing the dishes, walking, or doing virtually any other activity.

Distraction prevents us from seeing life as it really is, from seeing the truth about ourselves and others.

How many things are waiting to be discovered or seen when we simply pay attention and stay aware?

Next time you eat a meal, whether it’s one of your favorite foods or something you think you hate, remind yourself that it’s not “you” who likes or dislikes certain things. It’s your sense organs, along with mental formations and everything else happening in your mind, that leave you with that perception. And perceptions, like a taste for mushrooms, can change.

According to Buddhist teachings, our “self” is a perspective—it is a product of our perception. Our sense of self is an event that occurs rather than a thing that exists.

Our selves are like the filmstrip: a collection of unique still frames that are generated in each moment-to-moment experience of being alive.

The precepts are not commandments; they’re better understood as recommendations for a way of living a more harmonious life. The end goal of the precepts is to practice a lifestyle that harmonizes our actions with reality as it is.

The discipline of following the precepts in your life is part of the path to enlightenment, because it is believed that a person who is enlightened would naturally be living by the precepts.

There is peace and joy in living a life of no remorse.

This precept goes beyond not telling lies, although that’s a part of it. It means speaking honestly and communicating in a way that is beneficial to others.

Correct speech arises naturally when we’re speaking without greed, hatred, or delusion.

cautious about the things that distract us from having a direct experience of life.

Some people drink as a form of escaping their reality rather than confronting it, understanding it, and accepting it.

One of the main objectives of Buddhist practice is to gain greater insight into the nature of one’s own mind,

and this task is nearly impossible when the mind is clouded. (It’s hard to do even when you’re totally sober!)

So Buddhism doesn’t necessarily consider drinking a moral issue per se, but clouding our minds or judgment with alcohol or drugs isn’t generally seen as moving closer to enlightenment. The question of whether to abstain entirely from alcohol or just drink in moderation is a person...

Buddhism is not a proselytizing religion, which means it’s not really focused on or interested in converting anyone to anything.

To seek safety in Buddhist teachings is to recognize that they can give us a new perspective and a profound understanding of ourselves and the nature of reality. It goes beyond just trusting or accepting the teachings. It’s about trusting that our practice of the teachings will indeed create a more peaceful and harmonious way of living.

The importance of practicing with others cannot be overestimated. A good friend helps us see the unskillful actions that we may not see in ourselves. Opening ourselves up to others and allowing them to support us while we simultaneously support them is a critical step to overcoming an ego-centered life.

mindfulness meditation. The goal of this technique is to learn to become an observer of the world and our own experiences.

Suddenly we’re not judging our anger as good or bad. We just notice that we’re experiencing an emotion and allow it to remain without resisting it or trying to fight it off. Before we know it, the emotion will dissipate or be replaced by another, just like the clouds in the sky.

The idea that meditation requires a blank mind is a common misconception. When we meditate, we’re simply trying to observe what’s there—thoughts, emotions, everything.

I have a thought, I find it unpleasant, and I try to forcibly remove that thought from my mind. But the thought of removing the unpleasant thought only reinforces it.

So the goal of meditation isn’t to control our thoughts; it’s to observe them and become more familiar with the inner workings of our minds.

“May I be happy, may I be at peace, and may I be free from suffering.”