RIGHT ACTION
Reflecting Upon Social Action
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However the seed is
planted, in that way the fruit is gathered. Good things come from doing
good deeds, bad things come from doing bad deeds. (SN 11.10) What is the
purpose of a mirror? For the purpose of reflection. So too social
action is to be done with repeated reflection. (MN 61)
One reflects thus: “I shall initiate and sustain bodily acts of kindness
towards my companions, both publicly and privately.” One lives with
companions in concord, with mutual appreciation, without disputing,
blending like milk and water, viewing each other with kindly eyes. One
practices thus: “I set aside what I wish to do and do what my companions
wish to do.” (MN 31)
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In classical
Buddhist tradition there are three kinds of action—bodily, verbal, and
mental—but we are adding a fourth one here, social action. This is to
acknowledge that a big part of how we act in the world has to do with
our role in larger social and cultural systems. Our society is made up
of individuals, and ultimately the quality of the whole group is going
to be shaped at the individual level. Acting with conscious awareness is
healthy.
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Cultivate the
practice of being demonstrably kind to people as carefully as you would
practice meditation. Kindness is a practice in itself, and just as with
the breath, when your awareness wanders off the focus point of being
kind, remind yourself to gently bring it back to the practice. Let’s
practice “blending like milk and water” and “viewing each other with
kindly eyes” over and over until we are really good at it.
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Tomorrow: Abstaining from Intoxication
One week from today: Reflecting upon Bodily Action
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