Stout,
As far as I am concerned, biased as I may be, there is nothing "woo" about the practical aspect of Buddhism, the way of practice known as Noble Eightfold Path, which consists of right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration.
Right view is defined as, "knowledge with regard to stress, knowledge with regard to the origination of stress, knowledge with regard to the cessation of stress, knowledge with regard to the way of practice leading to the cessation of stress" (
DN 22).
Right intention is defined as, "being resolved on renunciation, on freedom from ill will, on harmlessness" (
SN 45.8).
Right speech is defined as, "abstaining from lying, from divisive speech, from abusive speech, and from idle chatter" (
SN 45.8).
Right action is defined as, "abstaining from taking life, abstaining from stealing, abstaining from unchastity" (
SN 45.8).
Right livelihood is defined as, "having abandoned dishonest livelihood, keeps his life going with right livelihood" (
SN 45.8).
Right effort is defined as, "[when the meditator] (i) generates desire, endeavors, activates persistence, upholds and exerts his intent for the sake of the non-arising of evil, unskillful qualities that have not yet arisen, (ii) generates desire, endeavors, activates persistence, upholds and exerts his intent for the sake of the abandonment of evil, unskillful qualities that have arisen, (iii) generates desire, endeavors, activates persistence, upholds and exerts his intent for the sake of the arising of skillful qualities that have not yet arisen, and (iv) generates desire, endeavors, activates persistence, upholds and exerts his intent for the maintenance, non-confusion, increase, plenitude, development, and culmination of skillful qualities that have arisen" (
SN 45.8).
Right mindfulness is defined as, "[when the meditator] (i) remains focused on the body in and of itself... (ii) remains focused on feelings in and of themselves... (iii) the mind in and of itself... (iv) mental qualities in and of themselves — ardent, alert, and mindful — putting aside greed and distress with reference to the world" (
DN 22).
Right concentration is defined as, "[where the meditator] (i) quite withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful (mental) qualities — enters and remains in the first
jhana... (ii) with the stilling of directed thought and evaluation, he enters and remains in the second
jhana... (iii) with the fading of rapture he remains in equanimity, mindful, and fully alert, and physically sensitive of pleasure, he enters and remains in the third
jhana... (iv) with the abandoning of pleasure and pain, he enters and remains in the fourth
jhana... " (
SN 45.8).
In my opinion, this particular aspect of Buddhism makes an excellent foundation for creating a constructive and rigorous personal philosophy of (i) contemplative investigaton and (ii) wholesome living characterized by concern for others as well as oneself regardless of any belief in a form of life after death.
Jason
