Spiritual Leanings ... From all faiths.

[citybutch]

4. Right Action

Right Action is the fourth aspect of the Buddhist Eightfold Path. But what is "right action," exactly?

For me, the words "right action" evoke social and environmental activism, and such work can be examples of right action. But "Right Action" in the Buddhist sense also means acting in harmony with the other aspects of the path. These aspects are:

1. Right View
2. Right Intention
3. Right Speech
4. Right Action
5. Right Livelihood
6. Right Effort
7. Right Mindfulness
8. Right Concentration

This means that when we act "rightly," we act without selfish attachment to our work. We act mindfully, without causing discord with our speech. Our "right" actions spring from compassion and from understanding of the dharma. Each aspects of the path supports all the other aspects.
Right Action and the Precepts

Right Action, Right Speech and Right Livelihood make up the ethical conduct part of the path. Most basically, Right Action refers to keeping the precepts. The many schools of Buddhism have various lists of precepts, but the precepts common to most schools are these:

1. Not killing
2. Not stealing
3. Not misusing sex
4. Not lying
5. Not abusing intoxicants

The precepts are not a list of commandments. Instead, they describe how an enlightened being naturally lives and responds to life's challenges. As we work with the precepts, we learn to live harmoniously and compassionately.

Read More: The Buddhist Precepts: An Introduction
Read More: The Three Pure Precepts
Right Action and Mindfulness Training

The Vietnamese Zen teacher Thich Nhat Hanh said, "The basis of Right Action is to do everything in mindfulness." He teaches Five Mindfulness Trainings that correlate to the five precepts listed above.

The first training involves respecting life. In awareness of the suffering caused by destruction of life, we work to protect all living things and this planet that sustains life.

The second training involves generosity. We give freely of our time and resources where they are needed, without hoarding things we don't need. We do not exploit other people or resources for our own gain. We act to promote social justice and well-being for everyone.

The third training involves sexuality and avoiding sexual misconduct. In awareness of the pain caused by sexual misconduct, we honor commitments and also act when we can to protect others from sexual exploitation.

The fourth training involves loving speech and deep listening. This means avoiding language that causes enmity and discord. Through deep listening to others, we tear down the barriers that separate us.

The fifth training involves what we consume. This includes nourishing ourselves and others with healthful food and avoiding intoxicants. It also involves what books we read or what television programs we watch. Entertainments that are addictive or cause agitation might best be avoided.
Right Action and Compassion

The importance of compassion in Buddhism cannot be overstated. The Sanskrit word that is translated as "compassion" is karuna, which means "active sympathy" or the willingness to bear the pain of others. Closely related to karuna is metta, "loving kindness."

It's important to remember also that genuine compassion is rooted in prajna, or "wisdom." Very basically, prajna is the realization that the separate self is an illusion. This takes us back to not attaching our egos to what we do, expecting to be thanked or rewarded.

In The Essence of the Heart Sutra, His Holiness the Dalai Lama wrote,

"According to Buddhism, compassion is an aspiration, a state of mind, wanting others to be free from suffering. It's not passive -- it's not empathy alone -- but rather an empathetic altruism that actively strives to free others from suffering. Genuine compassion must have both wisdom and lovingkindness. That is to say, one must understand the nature of the suffering from which we wish to free others (this is wisdom), and one must experience deep intimacy and empathy with other sentient beings (this is lovingkindness)."

http://buddhism.about.com/od/theeigh...ght-action.htm

[citybutch]

5. Right Livelihood

Most of us sustain ourselves by working at a job and earning a paycheck. Your job may be something you love doing, or not. You may see yourself as serving humanity, or not. People may admire you for your profession. Or, you may see your profession as being more ethical than Mafia Hit Man, but not much. Does this matter to Buddhist practice?

In his first sermon after his enlightenment, the Buddha explained that the way to peace, wisdom, and nirvana is the Noble Eightfold Path.

1. Right View
2. Right Intention
3. Right Speech
4. Right Action
5. Right Livelihood
6. Right Effort
7. Right Mindfulness
8. Right Concentration

The fifth "fold" of the path is Right Livelihood. What does this mean, exactly, and how do you know if your livelihood is a "right" one?
What Is Right Livelihood?

Along with Right Speech and Right Action, Right Livelihood is part of the "moral conduct" section of the Path. These three folds of the Path are connected to the Five Precepts. These are:

1. Not killing
2. Not stealing
3. Not misusing sex
4. Not lying
5. Not abusing intoxicants

Right Livelihood is, first, a way to earn a living without compromising the Precepts. It is a way of making a living that does no harm to others. In the Vanijja Sutta (this is from the Sutra-pitaka of the Tripitaka), the Buddha said, "A lay follower should not engage in five types of business. Which five? Business in weapons, business in human beings, business in meat, business in intoxicants, and business in poison."

Vietnamese Zen teacher Thich Nhat Hanh wrote,
"To practice Right Livelihood (samyag ajiva), you have to find a way to earn your living without transgressing your ideals of love and compassion. The way you support yourself can be an expression of your deepest self, or it can be a source of suffering for you and others. " ... Our vocation can nourish our understanding and compassion, or erode them. We should be awake to the consequences, far and near, of the way we earn our living." (The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching [Parallax Press, 1998], p. 104)
Consequences, Far and Near

Our global economy complicates the precaution to do no harm to others. For example, you may work in a department store that sells merchandise made with exploited labor. Or, perhaps there is merchandise that was made in a way that harms the environment. Even if your particular job doesn't require harmful or unethical action, perhaps you are doing business with someone who does. Some things you cannot know, of course, but are you still responsible somehow?

In The Seventh World of Chan Buddhism, Ming Zhen Shakya suggests finding a "pure" livelihood is impossible. "Obviously a Buddhist cannot be a bartender or a cocktail waitress, ... or even work for a distillery or a brewery. But may he be the man who builds the cocktail lounge or cleans it? May he be the farmer who sells his grain to the brewer?"

Ming Zhen Shakya argues that any work that is honest and legal can be "Right Livelihood." I'm not sure I agree with that. However, if we remember that all beings are interconnected, we realize that trying to separate ourselves from anything "impure" is impossible, and not really the point.

And if you keep working in the department store, maybe someday you'll be a manager who can make ethical decisions about what merchandise is sold there.

Honesty the Best Policy

A person in any sort of job might be asked to be dishonest. Years ago I worked for a company that produced educational books for children. Sounds like Right Livelihood, right? Unfortunately, the owner of the company expected me to boost profits by cheating the vendors -- typesetters, freelance artists -- and sometimes even the clients. I left.

Obviously, if you're being asked to cheat, or to fudge the truth about a product in order to sell it, there's a problem. There is also honesty involved in being a conscientious employee who is diligent about his work and doesn't steal pencils out of the supply cabinet, even if everyone else does.
Right Attitude

Most jobs present endless practice opportunities. We can be mindful of the tasks we do. We can be helpful and supportive of co-workers, practicing compassion and Right Speech in our communication.

Sometimes jobs can be a real crucible of practice. Egos clash, buttons are pushed. You may find yourself working for someone who is just plain nasty. When do you stay and try to make the best of a bad situation? When do you go? Sometimes it is hard to know. Yes, dealing with a difficult situation can make you stronger, but at the same time an emotionally toxic workplace can poison your life. If your job is draining you more than nourishing you, consider a change.

A Role in Society

We humans have created an elaborate civilization in which we depend on each other to perform many labors. Whatever work we do provides goods or services to others, and for this we are paid to support ourselves and our families. Perhaps you work at a vocation dear to your heart. But you may see your job only as something you do that provides you with a paycheck. You're not exactly "following your bliss," in other words.

If your inner voice is screaming at you to follow another career path, by all means listen to that. Otherwise, appreciate the value in the job you have now.

Vipassana teacher S.N. Goenka said, "If the intention is to play a useful role in society in order to support oneself and to help others, then the work one does is right livelihood." (The Buddha and His Teachings, edited by Samuel Bercholz and Sherab Chodzin Kohn [Shambhala, 1993], p. 101) And we don't all have to be heart surgeons, you know.

http://buddhism.about.com/od/theeigh...livelihood.htm

[citybutch]

Guidance

In the quiet, I am aware of divine possibilities.

Whether I call it intuition or insight, inner knowing emanates from the spirit of God within me. I know the right action to take and when to take no action at all as I remain open to Spirit for guidance and illumination.

Clearing my mind of any uncertainty about what I can do, I open myself to what God's Presence can do through me. In quiet times of prayer, I receive divinely inspired direction. Free of any doubt or fear, I let divine possibilities flow into my conscious awareness.

Through prayer and meditation, I become attentive to the still small voice of intuition, the "inner teaching" of Spirit. I know when to speak and act and when to be still.

After he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray.--Matthew 14:23

http://www.dailyword.com/

[Andrew, Jr.]

The last 3 evenings I spent with a music ministry of an elderly woman who is from CA. She is very involved in researching the background and what happened to the folks such as Mary M., Martha, and Lazarus after Christ died. What happened to them, where their lives took them. And so on.

The one thing she spoke of is "relationships". The love of our Creator to us, with us, and us with other people. We are all born perfect, and in His image. There are no mistakes in life. The mistakes made, are all human. We need to find that place of peace, to accept not only ourselves but others as they are. And she used the example of when Martha invited Christ to dinner. She thought it was just Him. Jesus brought his Disciples, friends, women, and on and on. So think about the cooking that had to be done. The food that had to be hunted, cleaned up, cooked, and so on. To say one thing, and yet something totally different happen. To share a meal with anyone for me, I find that to be so incrediably loving and a gift. It is something that I enjoy and charish. And back in those times, it was a huge deal. Martha had a large garden with herbs, flowers, and vegetables. When Martha and Mary got back to Martha's house, Mary went outside to pick flowers to put by Christ's bed. Now mind you, Martha was angry. Think about all the people coming to eat dinner, and the food required hot and ready to eat. And here is Mary out in the garden picking flowers. Her thinking was off. But was it really? Everyone has a gift. We have no idea if Mary M. could cook, bake bread, or even plant a garden. Maybe that is all she was able to do. So why be mad at her?

I think that words and meanings is what Gracefaith and I struggle with. Please correct me if I am wrong with this Gracefaith. We say 1 thing, mean something else in our mind totally at times, and how people react is yet another way. It is the same with Martha inviting Jesus to dinner. She thought it would just be Jesus. Instead, it is a huge crowd. And there is her sister Mary M. out picking flowers.

Make sense?

Peace to all here today.

Namaste,
Andrew

[citybutch]

Commandment

I act lovingly toward others.

Before the Last Supper, Jesus washed his disciples' feet as a demonstration of love and humility. As he did, he commanded them to love one another. As I think about Jesus' words, I consider the ways in which I express love to others.

There are many types of love: the love of a parent for a child and of family members for one another; the love experienced in friendship and companionship; the love expressed in sharing ideas and beliefs.

Considering Jesus' commandment, I make a new commitment to actively express love toward others. I look for opportunities to give and receive love, knowing that I am putting into motion the truth that Jesus shared--that love is the greatest power of all.

I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you.--John 13:34

http://www.dailyword.com/

[Andrew, Jr.]

Yes, today is Maundy Thursday. Feet Washing - I am on the list to have it done to me tonight at Mass. It is something very special to me to have done. For me it is a sign or ritual of compassion and love that our Creator has for us, even today.

I was watching the OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network) on TV. There were two episodes about spirituality. The first was on Maureen Sweeney-Kyle of Holy Love Shrine (ministry) in Ohio. She claims to be receiving messages from Mary to give out to the world. Her husband taperecords her talk with our Holy Mother. Crowds of people show up because they claim to see aberitions of Mary & Jesus, and have taken pictures of both.

The second episode was about Freedom Valley Worship Center in Gettysburg where miracles are performed by the minister every day. The minister speaks in tongues that is said to be the voice of God. Not Christ or Mary or the Holy Spirit. One of the women interviewed was in her 40's who had multi-tumors in her spinal cord, and after receiving a session with the minister, the tumors are smaller or gone.

What does everyone here think of this?

Peace be with you all.

[citybutch]

6.Right Effort

Right Effort, sometimes called Right Diligence, is the sixth part of the Eightfold Path of Buddhism. The Buddha tuaght that the Eightfold Path is the means to realize enlightenment. Right Effort (in Pali, samma vayamo), along with Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration, make up the mental discipline section of the Path.

The most basic, traditional definition of Right Effort is to exert oneself to develop wholesome qualities and release unwholesome qualities. As recorded in the Pali Canon, the Buddha taught there are four aspects to Right Effort. Very simply --

1. The effort to prevent unwholesome qualities -- especially greed, anger and ignorance -- from arising.
2. The effort to extinguish unwholesome qualities that already have arisen.
3. The effort to cultivate skillful, or wholesome, qualities -- especially generosity, loving kindness, and wisdom (the opposites of greed, anger and ignorance) -- that have not yet arisen.
4. The effort to strengthen the wholesome qualities that have already arisen.

Supporting the Eightfold Path

If you look at the entire Eightfold Path, you can see how Right Effort supports the other seven parts. The Eightfold Path is:

1. Right View
2. Right Intention
3. Right Speech
4. Right Action
5. Right Livelihood
6. Right Effort
7. Right Mindfulness
8. Right Concentration

It's important to understand that the Eightfold Path is not a series of progressive steps you master one at a time. Each aspect of the path supports every other aspect, and to practice any one aspect properly requires the practice of the other seven aspects. For example, if we look at what the Buddha said about Right Effort, we can see that it includes cultivating wisdom, which supports Right View. Developing wholesome qualities while purifying oneself of unwholesome qualities supports the ethical practice section of the Path, which is Right Speech, Right Action, and Right Livelihood.
Practice "Right," Not Hard

You might think Right Effort means practicing hard, but that's not necessarily so. Do not forget the Middle Way, between extremes. Don't force yourself to endure aesthetic practices or push yourself to exhaustion. If your practice becomes a "chore," that's a problem. Zen teacher Thich Nhat Hanh says, "The Fourfold Right Diligence is nourished by joy and interest. If your practice does not bring you joy, you are not practicing correctly."

The Buddha taught that practice should be like a well-tuned string instrument. If the strings are too loose, they won't play a sound. If they are too tight, they will break. Practice should be nourishing, not draining.
The Five Hindrances

When I think of Right Effort I also think of the Five Hindrances, from the Nivarana Sutta of the Pali Canon. These are:

1. Sensual desire (kamacchanda)
2. Ill will (vyapada)
3. Sloth, torpor, or drowsiness (thina-middha)
4. Restlessness and worry (uddhacca-kukkucca)
5. Uncertainty or skepticism (vicikiccha)

These are five qualities that interfere with Right Effort. The Buddha taught that mindfulness -- of body, sensations, feelings and thoughts -- will overcome the hindrances.

http://buddhism.about.com/od/theeigh...ght-Effort.htm