Noble Eightfold Path - Right View & Right Intention

As my brain swirls with thoughts and I am enfolded the energy of the impending storm, I have decided to continue on in addressing the Noble Eightfold Path or Eight Limbs.  As I scanned the list I looked at Right View and Right Intention and felt some uncertainty.  How can I write about right view and right intention when I have no clue what those could be.  As I scanned other writings I was brought back to the Four Noble Truths that I wrote about in my first post of this series:

1.       There is the existence of suffering

2.       There is the making of suffering

3.       There is a way out of that suffering

4.       There is a specific path to restore well-being called

This teaching had significant impact on my life during the past two weeks.  My son had a health scare and our family had to wait for two weeks for the results of a lymph node biopsy.  It was during this time I had to evaluate what the Dharma teaches in regards to suffering and determine what my right view and intention were in this situation.

It was not easy.  I really wanted this problem to be taken away.  However, suffering is a part of life.  I worked on acceptance of that truth and reminded myself that I am not the only woman in the world who has experienced loss.  I asked for prayers but I did not ask for specific results of those prayers.  I knew that my Christian friends would ask for either healing (on many levels) or for God’s will.  I knew that others would be focused on sending love, light, and peaceful energy into the situation.  I do not believe in a deity that pays singular attention to the needs of one person.  I would never presume that a god would give me preferential treatment over another mother.  I did, however, believe that the energy that could be created through prayer, chanting, involving others in the intention of raising energy, would create a space in which peace could be created in the knowing that we are all connected in our suffering and acceptance of it. 

My son’s medical condition ended up being benign.  Some may say it was a miracle, a healing, a blessing.  Others may say that it was God’s will.  I accept that it is what it is and if it had been a different outcome, I would have endeavored to accept that, also.  This Zen Buddhist parable illustrates how acceptance is the key to right view and right intention.

Once upon the time there was an old farmer who had worked his crops for many years. One day his horse ran away. Upon hearing the news, his neighbors came to visit. “Such bad luck,” they said sympathetically.

“Maybe,” the farmer replied.

The next morning the horse returned, bringing with it three other wild horses. “How wonderful,” the neighbors exclaimed.

“Maybe,” replied the old man.

The following day, his son tried to ride one of the untamed horses, was thrown, and broke his leg. The neighbors again came to offer their sympathy on his misfortune.

“Maybe,” answered the farmer.

The day after, military officials came to the village to draft young men into the army. Seeing that the son’s leg was broken, they passed him by. The neighbors congratulated the farmer on how well things had turned out.

“Maybe,” said the farmer.

As the storm approaches and the wind begins to stir the leaves from the trees, I work to maintain the view that even when the world is in turmoil, there are still moments of peace to be found.