The experiential understanding of the Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eight Fold Path, Four Divine Abidings and Dependent Origination are the guiding principles of Rocky Mountain Insight.

Four Noble Truths

Suffering is inherent in life.
There is a cause which is craving.
Freedom from suffering is possible.
There is a path we can walk which leads to lasting happiness.

The Noble Eightfold Path

Right Understanding
Right Thought
Right Speech
Right Action
Right Livelihood
Right Effort
Right Mindfulness
Right Concentration

The Four Divine Abidings

Loving-kindness or Metta
Compassion or Karuna
Sympathetic Joy or Mudita
Equanimity or Upekka

These four qualities cultivate states of unconditional positive regard towards oneself, a loved one, a neutral one, a difficult one, and then all sentient beings. This practice opens our awareness to the interconnectedness of all beings, who are not permanent nor separate.

Dependent Origination

Dependent Origination is the Buddhist principle of conditionality. That all things are interdependent and arise and cease through the influence of causes and conditions. Dependent origination is usually presented in a 12 link linear fashion though each link is both a cause and effect of all the other links in the chain. The twelve links are as follows:

1. Ignorance
2. Compositional Action or Kamma-formation
3. Consciousness
4. Name and Form
5. Sense spheres
6. Contact
7. Feeling (vedana)
8. Craving
9. Clinging or attachment
10. Existence or becoming
11. Birth
12. Aging and Death