Exploring Thought: Buddhism

A great amount of my personal exploration of the world has been exploring Buddhism.  As I began to doubt, I felt more pulled towards Buddhism. This post is not supposed to be an overview of Buddhism but acts like a scrapbook of sorts of concepts that I like.
One of the foundations of Buddhist thought comes with the Eightfold Path, which lists eight practices. You'll see that each beings with the word "right," which is the closest translation from the original Sanskrit. In actuality, the word denotes a completion, an idealness, and a perfection.

A humorous kitteh enjoys his Buddhist lifestyle.

1. Right view
2. Right intention
3. Right speech
4. Right action
5. Right livelihood
6. Right effort
7. Right mindfulness
8. Right concentration

[Please pardon the formatting for the rest of the post; there is a glitch in it somewhere.] I won't go into detail of each aspect, but I'll describe an example. Let's use Right Intention. "Right intention can be described best as commitment to ethical and mental self-improvement." Read more here. 
The nature of these practices is to have a good moral code, which is often a basis for different religions. I like how Buddhism is so often broken down into lists; this one gives an overarching set of not laws so much as how we should look at the world and go about our lives.  
The reason I don't consider myself a Buddhist is because I can't wrap my head around yet another Buddhist list: the Four Noble Truths.
1. Life is full of suffering.
2. The cause of suffering is attachment to materials, people, and ideas.
3. Suffering can end when we detach ourselves and reach the peace that is Nirvana.
4. We must follow the Eightfold Path.

They basically state that life is full of suffering and that the cause of suffering is that we  can't let go of so many things: the people we love, the ideas and perceptions about the world, our material goods. Because of this, Buddhism seems to denounce having close relationships with people in order to reduce suffering, not because love isn't a good thing but because we will eventually suffer when we lose that person or when that person loses us. We have to let go of these things and reach an inner peace called Nirvana, and we can begin that process by following the Eightfold Path.  I can't grasp this whole idea of detachment. I would so much rather give my entire being in love to others and suffer over detaching myself and avoiding suffering. "'Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all," right? Read more here. 
But there are so many other interesting aspects in Buddhist thought that I love.
For example, this list is called The Four Immeasurables:
The four immeasurables
May all beings have happiness and the causes of happiness. 
May all beings be free from suffering and the causes of suffering. 
May all beings rejoice in the well-being of others. 
May all beings live in peace, free from greed and hatred.
Each of the four verses corresponds to a mental state: loving kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and peace (or equanimity).
Kalama Sutta
The people of Kalama asked the Buddha who to believe out of all the ascetics, sages, venerables, and holy ones who, like himself, passed through their town. They complained that they were confused by the many contradictions they discovered in what they heard. The Kalama Sutta is the Buddha's reply.

–	Do not believe anything on mere hearsay.
–	Do not believe in traditions merely because they are old and have been handed down for many generations and in many places.
–	Do not believe anything on account of rumors or because people talk a a great deal about it.
–	Do not believe anything because you are shown the written testimony of some ancient sage.
–	Do not believe in what you have fancied, thinking that, because it is extraordinary, it must have been inspired by a god or other wonderful being.
–	Do not believe anything merely because presumption is in its favor, or because the custom of many years inclines you to take it as true.
–	Do not believe anything merely on the authority of your teachers and priests.
–	But, whatever, after thorough investigation and reflection, you find to agree with reason and experience, as conducive to the good and benefit of one and all and of the world at large, accept only that as true, and shape your life in accordance with it.

The same text, said the Buddha, must be applied to his own teachings.

–	Do not accept any doctrine from reverence, but first try it as gold is tried by fire.

This is basically the Buddhists' way of saying, "do not accept something just because it is taught." Challenge your teacher's ideas. Develop your own (seems like a contradiction with being free from suffering, but that's not the point).
And what about the Seven Blunders of the World? It's basically a seven-fold parenting guide. Teach this to your kids.
Seven Blunders of the World
  
1. Wealth without work
2. Pleasure without conscience
3. Knowledge without character
4. Commerce without morality
5. Science without humanity
6. Worship without sacrifice
7. Politics without principle
from this site. 
One Buddhist master put pretty much everything else simply:
The greatest achievement is selflessness.
The greatest worth is self-mastery.
The greatest quality is seeking to serve others.
The greatest precept is continual awareness.
The greatest medicine is the emptiness of everything.
The greatest action is not conforming with the worlds ways.
The greatest magic is transmuting the passions.
The greatest generosity is non-attachment.
The greatest goodness is a peaceful mind.
The greatest patience is humility.
The greatest effort is not concerned with results.
The greatest meditation is a mind that lets go.
The greatest wisdom is seeing through appearances.
From this site.