🧡 If you find benefit in my videos, consider supporting the channel by joining us on Patreon and get fun extras like exclusive videos, ad-free audio-only versions, and extensive show notes: www.patreon.com/dougsseculardharma 🙂 📙 You can find my book here: books2read.com/buddhisthandbook
I was just reading Deepak Chopras book, the seven spiritual laws of success the other day and he mentions right action in his chapter on the law of Karma. He says Before you do anything ask if it will cause suffering to you and to others. If it does, don't do it. If it does not, then do it. And if you remain mindful and continue to make the right choices, eventually you will spontaneously make the right choices over and over again
In The Skill in Means Sutra, the Buddha does suffer as a consequence of killing the "robber" on the boat: He steps on a thorn, despite his pure motive. Part of why he tells this story in the sutra is to illustrate that even *he* could not escape some negative consequence caused by the innately harmful act of killing. He literally uses the event of him stepping on the thorn as a skillful means (upaya-kaushalya) to demonstrate the inescapability of karma.
The Hindu text the Bhagavad Gītā is about the warrior Arjuna’s attempts to rationalize his wish to run away from a just war on the basis of the ethical precept of ahiṃsā/non-violence, and the embodied deity Kṛṣṇa’s rebuttal of his rationalization. Subjective human ethical values regarding when it is or is not acceptable to fight or kill or lie or steal are open to debate, but I understand karma as an amoral force of nature where whatever we do comes back to us. Kṛṣṇa’s explanation is that if you act in alignment with dharma (which I interpret as a personal calling rather than caste dharma) and without attachment to the outcome of your actions, there is no stain of karma, whereas avoiding your dharma through non-action generates karma. Kind of like wu wei in Daoism.
This was a great video. Thanks again, Doug! I have a question: Right action to avoid regret is all well and good, but did the Buddha (or early Buddhism in general) say anything about regrets taken on before someone learned about the Dharma? I hope so, but according to your video on the Dali Lama and self-hatred, and how he has never felt that way, I don't know what Buddhism might say about past regrets. If you've never experienced self-hatred, then forgiving yourself for past unskillful actions is probably pretty easy, but what about we Westerners, many of whom spend years mired in self-hatred over past unskillful actions? If you're in that boat, forgiving yourself is *extremely* difficult... Thoughts? Suttas you can recommend on the topic?
My pleasure! I did an earlier video on dealing with regret that may help answer your question, take a look and let me know: ruclips.net/video/HvAf8fBCPR8/видео.html
What was that sutta where there was a king who became a monk and he was talking to himself in the forest, and when the monks ask why, he said it was cause he was happy about letting go of ruling or something? You did a video on it I’d like to watch it again
I didn't get a chance to comment on Right Speech - it seemed that what I had always thought was 'noble silence' is not the same as that concept in Theravada tradition. Right Action cannot only be avoidance except for generous action being the 'icing on the cake.' In emergency response, there is something called a 'duty to act,' that legally compels a responder to act if they are employed as such. There is also something called a 'moral and ethical duty to act.' That is when there is no legal compulsion to act, but morally and ethically it is the right thing to do. Such action is not governed by one's job, but by 'Good Samaritan' laws which protect someone who has training when acting out of a moral and ethical duty to act. This would be a case where right action was not an avoidance, but was the way to 'do no harm.'
Indeed there are a few times when the Buddha talks in similar terms, of something like a duty to act. Though this is never really fleshed out in karmic terms to my knowledge, at least in the early texts. We should also distinguish legal from ethical or karmic principles. Something may be legal but unethical, and illegal and ethical, depending on the case. Perhaps ideally the legal and the ethical would coincide, but human societies make laws whereas presumably ethics is something that isn't simply made up.
I wonder to what extent the mind can be a source of wrong action from an early Buddhist perspective. For example being unfaithful would be considered sexual misconduct, but what about fantasizing about people other than your partner. Or even pornography. I suppose there are a lot of factors to consider, some of which are impossible to know for sure. Would the person that is the object of your fantasy be hurt if they knew, would your partner be hurt, is it creating emotional distance in your relationship, .... Similarly for pornography, are the people involved participating out of their own free will, ... Maybe you could make a video on these subjects?😃
The mind is the source of all wrong action in Buddhism, but karmic result is usually understood to be graver in the case of action than mere thought. It's one thing to feel hate towards someone else, and another thing to act upon that hate and cause harm.
Fantasising about people outside of your relationship cannot be wrong action because it is a thought that arises on its own, it's not of your doing. It becomes your doing when you identify with the thought and act on it.
Violate RUclips algorithms? Argh, it is but a pub now. Did you hear...? But if you are a Buddhist expert, why do I get visions of a hooded person now and then. Past life? I do not attach to it just an observation. Pass that on to psychiatry? lol. Donate to Doug? Sorry, I am drunk. I got to bliss through meditation as per Ajahn Sumedo but life sucks so I go along and try to keep out of trouble.
'Samma' in pali doesn't mean 'right'! It is a false meaning. Samma's real meaning is 'with union'! When one treat others as his own self , this is the gateway to wisdom. Then your actions are always pure and you do it with 'union with light'!. The light that exist in every being. In course of time your personality will eventually dies and union with light. You become that light, the light that shines the whole world. Thats Samma samadhi, final union. Insects doesnt have that Intelligence but their basic instict to find Light still remains in them. Have you ever look why at night they try to enter into candle's flame? They mistake it for the real light. And lose their lives by burning into it. But burning your own individuality in true light is true wisdom. That requires deep faith and determination to face all the odds. Jesus was also the greatest light exited on earth like Buddha. Remember what he said, 'Love thy enemy as thyself! Why?💕
🧡 If you find benefit in my videos, consider supporting the channel by joining us on Patreon and get fun extras like exclusive videos, ad-free audio-only versions, and extensive show notes: www.patreon.com/dougsseculardharma 🙂
📙 You can find my book here: books2read.com/buddhisthandbook
I was just reading Deepak Chopras book, the seven spiritual laws of success the other day and he mentions right action in his chapter on the law of Karma. He says Before you do anything ask if it will cause suffering to you and to others. If it does, don't do it. If it does not, then do it. And if you remain mindful and continue to make the right choices, eventually you will spontaneously make the right choices over and over again
The insect infestation was a good example that I hadn't considered before.
Good video thank you
You are so good at explaining these issues! Thank you.
Glad it was helpful!
Good video as always
Glad you enjoyed!
In The Skill in Means Sutra, the Buddha does suffer as a consequence of killing the "robber" on the boat: He steps on a thorn, despite his pure motive. Part of why he tells this story in the sutra is to illustrate that even *he* could not escape some negative consequence caused by the innately harmful act of killing. He literally uses the event of him stepping on the thorn as a skillful means (upaya-kaushalya) to demonstrate the inescapability of karma.
Thanks! 🙏
The Hindu text the Bhagavad Gītā is about the warrior Arjuna’s attempts to rationalize his wish to run away from a just war on the basis of the ethical precept of ahiṃsā/non-violence, and the embodied deity Kṛṣṇa’s rebuttal of his rationalization. Subjective human ethical values regarding when it is or is not acceptable to fight or kill or lie or steal are open to debate, but I understand karma as an amoral force of nature where whatever we do comes back to us. Kṛṣṇa’s explanation is that if you act in alignment with dharma (which I interpret as a personal calling rather than caste dharma) and without attachment to the outcome of your actions, there is no stain of karma, whereas avoiding your dharma through non-action generates karma. Kind of like wu wei in Daoism.
Bhagwat gita is copied from dhammapad debate with science journey
🙏
I'm Indian Buddhist and i can confidently say that todays most Indian practices Buddhist culture indirectly but they don't know
Interesting, thanks!
Splendid as always, Doug! 🐱🙏
Also thanks for the book recommendation. Bhante Gunaratana's _8 Steps_ is a very good read (so far).
Yes it's a fine book!
This was a great video. Thanks again, Doug! I have a question: Right action to avoid regret is all well and good, but did the Buddha (or early Buddhism in general) say anything about regrets taken on before someone learned about the Dharma? I hope so, but according to your video on the Dali Lama and self-hatred, and how he has never felt that way, I don't know what Buddhism might say about past regrets. If you've never experienced self-hatred, then forgiving yourself for past unskillful actions is probably pretty easy, but what about we Westerners, many of whom spend years mired in self-hatred over past unskillful actions? If you're in that boat, forgiving yourself is *extremely* difficult... Thoughts? Suttas you can recommend on the topic?
My pleasure! I did an earlier video on dealing with regret that may help answer your question, take a look and let me know: ruclips.net/video/HvAf8fBCPR8/видео.html
What was that sutta where there was a king who became a monk and he was talking to himself in the forest, and when the monks ask why, he said it was cause he was happy about letting go of ruling or something? You did a video on it I’d like to watch it again
Yes I'm not sure which video that was, but if I can find it I'll let you know.
🙏🙏🙏
I didn't get a chance to comment on Right Speech - it seemed that what I had always thought was 'noble silence' is not the same as that concept in Theravada tradition.
Right Action cannot only be avoidance except for generous action being the 'icing on the cake.' In emergency response, there is something called a 'duty to act,' that legally compels a responder to act if they are employed as such. There is also something called a 'moral and ethical duty to act.' That is when there is no legal compulsion to act, but morally and ethically it is the right thing to do. Such action is not governed by one's job, but by 'Good Samaritan' laws which protect someone who has training when acting out of a moral and ethical duty to act. This would be a case where right action was not an avoidance, but was the way to 'do no harm.'
Indeed there are a few times when the Buddha talks in similar terms, of something like a duty to act. Though this is never really fleshed out in karmic terms to my knowledge, at least in the early texts. We should also distinguish legal from ethical or karmic principles. Something may be legal but unethical, and illegal and ethical, depending on the case. Perhaps ideally the legal and the ethical would coincide, but human societies make laws whereas presumably ethics is something that isn't simply made up.
I wonder to what extent the mind can be a source of wrong action from an early Buddhist perspective. For example being unfaithful would be considered sexual misconduct, but what about fantasizing about people other than your partner. Or even pornography. I suppose there are a lot of factors to consider, some of which are impossible to know for sure. Would the person that is the object of your fantasy be hurt if they knew, would your partner be hurt, is it creating emotional distance in your relationship, .... Similarly for pornography, are the people involved participating out of their own free will, ... Maybe you could make a video on these subjects?😃
The mind is the source of all wrong action in Buddhism, but karmic result is usually understood to be graver in the case of action than mere thought. It's one thing to feel hate towards someone else, and another thing to act upon that hate and cause harm.
Fantasising about people outside of your relationship cannot be wrong action because it is a thought that arises on its own, it's not of your doing. It becomes your doing when you identify with the thought and act on it.
Violate RUclips algorithms? Argh, it is but a pub now. Did you hear...? But if you are a Buddhist expert, why do I get visions of a hooded person now and then. Past life? I do not attach to it just an observation. Pass that on to psychiatry? lol. Donate to Doug? Sorry, I am drunk. I got to bliss through meditation as per Ajahn Sumedo but life sucks so I go along and try to keep out of trouble.
'Samma' in pali doesn't mean 'right'! It is a false meaning. Samma's real meaning is 'with union'!
When one treat others as his own self , this is the gateway to wisdom. Then your actions are always pure and you do it with 'union with light'!. The light that exist in every being. In course of time your personality will eventually dies and union with light. You become that light, the light that shines the whole world. Thats Samma samadhi, final union.
Insects doesnt have that Intelligence but their basic instict to find Light still remains in them. Have you ever look why at night they try to enter into candle's flame? They mistake it for the real light. And lose their lives by burning into it. But burning your own individuality in true light is true wisdom. That requires deep faith and determination to face all the odds.
Jesus was also the greatest light exited on earth like Buddha. Remember what he said, 'Love thy enemy as thyself! Why?💕
Umm I am sorry but Samma in Pali does not mean with union that is false it's either right,proper,or thous should be done