The Buddhist Path to Enlightenment (study)
by Dr Kala Acharya | 2016 | 118,883 words
This page relates 鈥楻ight Action (Samma-kammanta or Samyak-karmanta)鈥� of the study on the Buddhist path to enlightenment. The Buddha was born in the Lumbini grove near the present-day border of India and Nepal in the 6th century B.C. He had achieved enlightenment at the age of thirty鈥揻ive under the 鈥楤odhi-tree鈥� at Buddha-Gaya. This study investigates the teachings after his Enlightenment which the Buddha decided to teach 鈥榦ut of compassion for beings鈥�.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
2.4. Right Action (厂补尘尘腻-kammanta or 厂补尘测补办-办补谤尘腻苍迟补)
[Full title: The Noble Eightfold Path (Ariya-补峁弓丑补峁単颈办补-magga)鈥�(4): Right Action (厂补尘尘腻-kammanta or 厂补尘测补办-办补谤尘腻苍迟补)]
Right action is abstinence from three wrong actions:
- killing (辫腻峁嚹乼颈辫腻迟补),
- stealing (补诲颈苍苍腻诲腻苍补) and
- sexual misconduct (k膩mesu micch膩c膩ra).
Verbal and physical acts not tinged with love and compassion cannot be regarded as good and wholesome. Surely one cannot kill, steal and so forth with thoughts of love and a good conscience, but one is driven by thoughts of cruelty, greed and ignorance.
It is necessary to cultivate a certain measure of mental discipline, because the untamed mind always finds excuses to commit evil in word or deed.
鈥榃hen the thought is unguarded, bodily action also is unguarded; so are speech and mental action.鈥�[1]
The Buddha says:
鈥楢 fool is known by his actions and so is a sage. By conduct is knowledge made bright.鈥�
鈥極ne endowed with three qualities should be known as a fool. With what are three? With wrong bodily behavior, wrong speech and wrong thought. A fool should be known as one endowed with these three qualities.鈥�
鈥極ne endowed with three qualities should be known as a sage. With what are three? With right bodily behavior, right speech and right thought. A sage should be known as endowed with these three qualities.鈥�
So, monks, you should train yourselves thus: We shall live have given up the three things endowed with which a man is known as a fool, and shall practice three things endowed with which a man is known as a sage. Thus, monks, should you train yourselves.鈥�
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
AN I, p. 261