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Right Right

Fri, 02/01/2008 - 10:44pm — Rob Richards
Guglielmo wanted to talk about the Buddhist concept of right actions. Here we go.

I'll start it off with a link to the wikipedia page on "Noble Eightfold Path", and a quote from that article that defines this usage of the word "right".

"In all of the elements of the Noble Eightfold Path, the word "right" is a translation of the word samyañc (Sanskrit) or sammā (Pāli), which denotes completion, togetherness, and coherence, and which can also carry the sense of "perfect" or "ideal"."

Comments

Fri, 02/01/2008 - 11:04pm — The Original Yoda

According to the wiki...

...right speech is a big part of right actions. It's good getting slapped in the face with high ideals every once in a while.

Thanks.

Sat, 02/02/2008 - 10:45am — Mike

How about a little background and context?

The Noble Eightfold Path

The Great Wall of China   1. Right View Wisdom 2. Right Intention 3. Right Speech Ethical Conduct 4. Right Action 5. Right Livelihood 6. Right Effort Mental Development 7. Right Mindfulness 8. Right Concentration
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"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, signifies in the final sense a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed." President Dwight D. Eisenhower April 16, 195

Sat, 02/02/2008 - 12:48pm — Rob Richards

I posted links to all of this information.

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Sat, 02/02/2008 - 11:07am — Guglielmo

"Right" seems largly a matter of individual conscience

not absolutes, like eating animals is wrong. If you feel that there is something wrong with how you act, yet you continue those behaviors...then you are off the path, yes?
Sat, 02/02/2008 - 12:45pm — Rob Richards

You are always on the path.

No matter what you do, you are on the path.

And you're right there really are no absolutes. If you do something, and then think "that was wrong", then you've just taken a step. Awareness of one's self is very important, as is detachment.

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Sat, 02/02/2008 - 8:28pm — Guglielmo

Sounds like awareness

is conscience without that guilt. Which is fine.
Sat, 02/02/2008 - 8:34pm — Rob Richards

Guilt is useless

Feeling guilty is like living in the past. If you're truly sorry you did something, make amends, but don't clutter your headspace with guilt and remorse. Guilt and remorse should be shown by your actions, like saying "I'm sorry" to someone you've wronged, not things that one internalizes.

No matter how sorry you make yourself feel, you can't change the past.

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Sat, 02/02/2008 - 8:38pm — Guglielmo

That makes total sense

Guilt just sounds like a "right action" that is being held prisoner by the ego or out of fear.
Sat, 02/02/2008 - 8:42pm — Rob Richards

Yes, and ego is a hallucination.

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Sat, 02/02/2008 - 2:56pm — Mike

My understanding of right action includes engaging

In a way of life that does not require taking life of sentient beings.  See the right action as I linked to above.

I take the eight fold path to be loaded with values, if not absolutes.  It's not a hippy dippy, anything goes, type of system as I perceive it. 

4. Right Action

The second ethical principle, right action, involves the body as natural means of expression, as it refers to deeds that involve bodily actions. Unwholesome actions lead to unsound states of mind, while wholesome actions lead to sound states of mind. Again, the principle is explained in terms of abstinence: right action means 1. to abstain from harming sentient beings, especially to abstain from taking life (including suicide) and doing harm intentionally or delinquently, 2. to abstain from taking what is not given, which includes stealing, robbery, fraud, deceitfulness, and dishonesty, and 3. to abstain from sexual misconduct. Positively formulated, right action means to act kindly and compassionately, to be honest, to respect the belongings of others, and to keep sexual relationships harmless to others. Further details regarding the concrete meaning of right action can be found in the Precepts.

—

"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, signifies in the final sense a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed." President Dwight D. Eisenhower April 16, 195

Sat, 02/02/2008 - 7:22pm — Rob Richards

well,

I think this is the difference between eastern and western Buddhism. The western version is more dogmatic than the eastern. I "studied under" Allen Watts mostly, and a lot of the western Buddhist text I've read has been a bit too structured, more about following rules than about living by your own compass. This, I think is a product of many people that have become disenchanted with Christianity taking up eastern studies yet still needing the structure and accountability of western religions.

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