A personal blog by a graying (mostly Anglo with light African-American roots) gay left leaning liberal progressive married college-educated Buddhist Baha'i BBC/NPR-listening Professor Emeritus now following the Dharma in Minas Gerais, Brasil.
Thursday, December 19, 2024
Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Action: Reflecting upon Social Action
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: "A person who acts in hurtful ways is displeasing and
disagreeable to me. If I were to act in hurtful ways, I would be
displeasing and disagreeable to others. Therefore, I will undertake a
commitment to not act in hurtful ways." (MN 15)
Reflection
The classical
teachings list three modes of action—body, speech, and mind—not four.
Social action is not a category in the ancient texts, but it is an
important aspect of our modern world, and the Buddha had plenty to say
about how to act among others. The same principles apply: reflect
carefully on how you interact with others and learn to behave in ways
that are healthy and bring about healthy relationships.
Daily Practice
One of the best
things we can learn from others is how not to act. Whenever we see
something in others that is disagreeable to us, we can take the
opportunity to refrain from acting the same way ourselves. Instead of
blaming others or feeling insulted by them or putting our energy into
rebuking them or trying to change them, none of which is useful or
likely to be successful, let’s learn instead what not to do ourselves.
Tomorrow: Abstaining from Intoxication One week from today: Reflecting upon Bodily Action
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