As a Buddhist, one has to practice Buddhist doctrine throughout one’s life and most importantly, one has to live a life like a Buddhist, which means
being less selfish and more caring towards others. People pursue different paths of Buddhism to achieve liberation. There are those who follow the eight-fold path to accomplish total freedom from suffering and others who like to practice loving-kindness and non-violence to have a more pleasant life. Being a Buddhist, one should at least embrace four parts of the eight-fold path of Buddhism in order to temporarily obtain relief from pain and ultimately to realize the ultimate truth which is timeless. These four parts are right view, right intention, right livelihood, and right mindfulness.
In Buddhism, when people begin to follow the Buddhist doctrine such as the practices of loving-kindness and non-violence, without upholding right view, even though one may practice diligently, if one lacks an understanding of the law of karma, impermanence, and selflessness, then one is missing a fundamental component of Buddhist doctrine. Therefore, right view is essential for all practitioners of Buddhism to observe and embrace wholeheartedly.
Right intention is critical in order to make one’s practice a perfect one. For instance, if one is practicing generosity by giving food and shelter to the poor, even though one’s action is positive, if one’s intention is polluted by selfishness then the practice of giving is not pure. Consequently, in Buddhism, what really counts is how one gives, not what one gives.
As Buddhists, we should follow right livelihood which means that whatever we do should not be harmful to others. Furthermore, it is up to our own wishes how to lead our life, but one’s way of living should not be harmful and destructive to society, like selling guns and drugs. Indeed, it is essential to live a simple and meaningful life by promoting peace and happiness.
Right mindfulness is an important part of a Buddhist practice, because if one lacks mindfulness then there is always the danger of committing non-virtuous acts such as killing, lying, and so forth. We should constantly remind ourselves not to let destructive emotions like anger control our life. Therefore, we should be alert and mindful so that none of these poisons take control of our life.
Once we take refuge in the three jewels, we have to live a simple and meaningful life. One should always hold right view, try one’s best to have a pure intentions when helping others, and not be selfish. Moreover, it is very important to follow right livelihood and to always be mindful not to let one’s negative emotions snatch away merit and the goal of attaining liberation.