And the Pagan way

The Noble Eight fold Path is:

Right Understanding
The understanding of things as they really are;
the knowledge of the 4 Noble Truths
Off site link

This is understanding the reality of the world and ourselves
not as we have been told they are.. but how they really are

This call to reality is the way of the Goddess,
in that She expects that we view the world
with open eyes, that can see the truth.

True loving thoughts are hard, as not all people and things are,
to our mind, lovable. But, to reach true peace one must learn to love all things
only with love can we act and be certain, that we intentionally harm none

This ones real simple... what you put out, even in thought, comes back to you
and any of the ills the mouth is capable of, comes under that heading

The first two are pretty apparent... but sexual misconduct in this case...
means to want it above all things...the Way teaches that Sex is wonderful and should be enjoyed
as all acts of pleasure are the Mothers rituals. But, that it should not be placed above
any other thing in which one takes joy.

In Buddha's time these things, where the main things, on the list of no nos for a trade... now the list has grown...
we on the Path say one should not be doing for a living what will cause harm ... period

"and it harm none" means just that..

To work for the good of all... this is the essence of the Craft... to quell the ill will of carelessness
and to promote the good will of mankind towards each other.

We are expected to act... to create...
not just think about it, but to take action
to make these things a reality whenever, wherever possible.

Meaning not being careless and neglectful of the self
Your health both mental and physical. The Great Mother of us all frowns very much
on self abuse through careless neglect, we are not a fit tool in her hands
if we don't take care of us too...

If our mind is clear and focused on the task at hand... we will act accordingly to reality.
It's when we run about, and scream and shout, that things get messed up.
We are expected to be in control of ourselves and any good practicing Pagan tries
to live up to this ideal state.

in the course of helping others,
practices the Perfection's:

Generosity
Morality
Renunciation
Wisdom
Energy
Patience
Truthfulness
Determination
Loving kindness
Equanimity

Giving

Giving one's possessions, virtues, even one's body, if needed.
Giving of fearlessness, or protection to others.
Practicing mentally giving to others.
Giving of Dharma, the teachings.

To give... it does not say give if it's convenient .. nope.. we are the care givers of the world
and up to and including to lay down our life if need be. Our best wishes should be on all the time...
our acts and thought should be one

Out of real love for our fellow man. Easy ? no... the guy that cuts ya off on the freeway,
is real hard to love... The gal at work who is trying to get you fired because
she don't like you... is real hard to love...but do they deserve our love..?

Yes.. if for no other reason than they live.. yes.. and our blessing maybe just
what they need to get their head outa their anal orifice and get with the program :) and live more reasonably.
Not a very loveable thought you say ? I want the best for them, I want them to live well and happly,
and how can they do this, if they are being a jerk ? So what they "need" is to be told.
 Even the Buddha did not hold his tounge, when telling his devotees, they were being fools.

Keeping one's vows.
Working for sentient beings.
Restraining from negative actions.
Collecting merit (with the motivation of helping others)

Promises, promises... does a Pagans word mean something?
It should.. if the person is practicing the Way in earnest it does...
consider all aspects before you act..will this act do harm..? If no. then Go for it..

But we must consider ALL aspects of a thing... before we act.

Having patience in understanding Dharma and gaining faith.
Being undisturbed by anguish from suffering.
Practice patience before getting angry.
Having patience in accepting problems.
Being undisturbed by inflicted harm.

Ooooo this ones a bear... ! My personal pain in the butt ...Anger.. the need to have patience
undisturbed by the harm of others. I've got a long way to go on this one.. but I do try.. and stop,
breathe.. think that there might be a reason for their actions
besides their being a smuck...!

As this is what we are supposed to do,
as does it not harm another that we ill wish them,
even when they acted to harm us..?

Yes.. even if they have earned well the Karma, they are gonna get for it.
It is NOT our job to dish it out very often...something to consider.. ? :)

Collecting merit and helping others
Delighting in virtue and every beneficial action.
Avoiding putting off; craving worldly pleasures and discouragement

Well, the first two are pretty self explanatory... help each other
It's what we are here for...  and we feel good when things go right.. :)

But... ditching our responsibilities, spending too much time
getting our own jollies and in general, giving in to frustration
and postponement of tasks, because they hurt ?

Nope .. Not.. ! Pain or not... things are set for us to do...
and we should get on with them, with as much joy as possible

Developing quiescence; single pointedness,
stability and firmness (meditation)
This brings great progress in any meditation practice
and supernatural powers.

Cultivating inner needs: to have few wants
and generating contentment
abandoning demands of the world,
and have pure ethics.

Creating outer needs: conducive places:
quiet, easy food and water, a blessed place,
that is not too comfortable and a helper.

Well I would love to be able to have a helper
and a quiet place with food and drink in easy reach
that one didn't have to go labor for... but Buddha also meant
that one should learn to live with only what ones needs to live
and spent ones energies on more important things,
like self improvement.

To become a Buddha, is to become enlightened
and I can't think of a better thing to become
As the more educated in reality you are, the better things get,
for the world, and for you in particular.

Generating ultimate wisdom (emptiness)
to achieve liberation and Buddha hood.
Generating relative wisdom in practicing
the first five perfection's and understanding karma
Wisdom and compassion are the foundations

To be wise, is not to be smart
or massively learned in facts and old knowledge.
Many make this mistake,
in equating book knowledge with wisdom.

The two are not necessarily related !
Becoming a better person, is the ultimate path of the Wise.

All training to be a Witch is surrounded
by the path of self improvement... which starts always
on the road to the cleansing of the self,
of all the garbage and misconceptions stuffed in the head.
This is the real act of becoming wise.

By mere supposition
By mere inference
By merely considering appearances
Because it agrees with your preconceived notions

When you know for yourselves these things are moral...blameless,
praised by the wise, these things performed and undertaken,
conductive to well-being and happiness,
then do you live and act accordingly

from Kindred Sayings
Off site link

Buddha

I love this one.... and with half an effort you can see why... :)
you accept what makes sense... what you filter through your own mind
and as with becoming wise, lose the preconceptions
and see things for the truth

Not just because they sound good... but because they are good
and you know they are good... as you have figured it out by yourself,
No one had to tell you ...This is what Meditation is all about.. the still mind..
coming to understand the truth with clarity.. for you.. by you

There is no need for any other person to corroborate it.

Shakyamuni Buddha

This is us.. clinging to our worn out notions
and self delusions of what is "reality"

We all have them... most of the time we couldn't even tell you
where they came from... but we like them... and if we give them up
we are then put to the trouble of having to consider the simple fact we may
have based our actions on a falsehood,
which made all we did ... wrong.

We will hang onto that "truth" for dear life,
rather than admit ...it was not the truth...

You have all seen this ... show a person the truth
about something dead to their face and have them swear up and down
you are the one mistaken.

As to admit the real truth means... all they are ... is challenged
and rather than change their self perception
they will ignore the truth...when it's staring em eye to eye !
This is not the Way of the Path

The Pagan path does not allow for this kind of self deception
( shouldn't anyway )

We are expected to open the door... it's why we train others who seek training,
for a Year and a day as it's called ... and most of that training has little to do with the Craft.

It's a self examination,
and re birth into a person more in touch with themselves,
and reality... they can take it from there on their own... :)

By oneself alone is evil done:
By oneself is one defiled.
By oneself alone is evil avoided:
By oneself alone is one purified.
Purity and impurity depend on oneself.
No one can purify another

from The Dhammapada
Off site link
Shakyamuni Buddha

This is the Buddha on Karma... but look how it reads

You and you alone are responsible for you...
Your actions...Your non action...
If you mess up, you have to own it,
and make whatever amends are needed.

Only you can forgive you... Only you can clean up
after yourself... no one can do this for you...
Sound familiar...?

Shakyamuni Buddha
from The Dhammapada

Love is the Law... love under will,
whatever thou wilt shall be the whole of law.

Which has often been misinterpreted
and taken a million ways, but what it means
is just what the above says. Hate cannot stop hate
only love can stop the pain.

If your actions are rooted in love
then your will, is the only law that matters

His Holiness the Dalai Lama

We are all our own judge
there is no one else who CAN judge what we do
as no one else really knows what's in our heart or mind,
what others know or don't know, does not matter.

WE know... the Great Mother knows our intent,
we are the best judge of what is right.. for us... this is our power
and our strength. If we have loving hearts and a true love
for our fellows and act on the principal that we harm none...then

There is no act we can take that is "wrong"..with this in mind
The so-called rules of society or others opinions, be damned !
As even if its law, there comes a time for civil disobedience, if the situation calls for it.
Just ask anyone whose ever chained themselves to a vernerable old tree,
to keep them from cutting it down if this is not so.

Whatever I do - for good or for evil - that I will inherit...

Shakyamuni Buddha

This is Karma... this is also the Rede
of whatever you do comes back to you

This delusion is a kind of prison for us,
restricting us to our personal desires
and to affectation for a few people near us.
Our task must be to free ourselves
from this prison by widening our circles of compassion
to embrace all living creatures
and the whole of nature in its beauty."

Albert Einstein

Nearly all of the above.. Save for my comments is thanks to...

I hope they have brought you enjoyment
and something to think about... :)

Companion Works

Bhagavad-Gita Selected Concepts
A Comparison to Buddhist and Pagan Philosophies

Buddha .. Man or God ? The Enlightened One

Some graphics by
Diamond eve's Pagoda Inn
and
Heartland/Ranch
which is no more but I give them their due anyway