Skillful Action
Part I
We can see that the steps of the Eightfold Path are all about purifying our minds. Purifying the mind means removing the obstructions
that prevent us from seeing clearly. When we see clearly (or at least more clearly) how things work, we will quite naturally
act in accordance with the precepts. The role of a teacher, such as Bhante G or whatever teachers have influenced you is important
in this cleansing process. Pema Chodron has observed that the mind of the teacher and the mind of the student are the same
mind. The teacher’s role is to help the student remove the obstructions, emotional impediments, delusions, misperceptions
and misconceptions that prevent the student from seeing this connection. The teacher acts as facilitator and interpreter,
but the student must test the teachings through his or her own experience (ehipasseko). “Your own practice can
show you the truth. Your own experience is all that counts” (Mindfulness in Plain English, Bhante Gunaratana).
As a practice suggestion, in working with skillful action and the precepts this month, you might choose one of the traditional
mindfulness days (such as the full moon) and vow to keep the precepts for that day. Or you might choose one of the five basic
precepts that you particularly want to work with this month.
With best wishes,
Deb
For those who are interested in the suttas:
There are many passages in the suttas that link kamma to the Eightfold Path. The following excerpt from the Anguttara Nikaya
discusses the four types of kamma and specifically states that by adhering to the Eightfold Path, the mind becomes purified
and all kamma ends.
"Monks, these four types of kamma have been directly realized, verified, and made known by me. Which four? There is kamma that is dark with dark result. There is kamma that is bright with bright result. There is kamma that is dark and bright with dark and bright result. There is kamma that is neither dark nor bright with neither dark nor bright result, leading to the ending of kamma.
"And what is kamma that is dark with dark result? There is the case where a certain person fabricates an injurious bodily fabrication, fabricates an injurious verbal fabrication, fabricates an injurious mental fabrication. Having fabricated an injurious bodily fabrication, having fabricated an injurious verbal fabrication, having fabricated an injurious mental fabrication, he rearises in an injurious world. On rearising in an injurious world, he is there touched by injurious contacts. Touched by injurious contacts, he experiences feelings that are exclusively painful, like those of the beings in hell. This is called kamma that is dark with dark result.
"And what is kamma that is bright with bright result? There is the case where a certain person fabricates a non-injurious bodily fabrication ... a non-injurious verbal fabrication ... a non-injurious mental fabrication ... He rearises in a non-injurious world ... There he is touched by non-injurious contacts ... He experiences feelings that are exclusively pleasant, like those of the Ever-radiant Devas. This is called kamma that is bright with bright result.
"And what is kamma that is dark and bright with dark and bright result? There is the case where a certain person fabricates a bodily fabrication that is injurious and non-injurious ... a verbal fabrication that is injurious and non-injurious ... a mental fabrication that is injurious and non-injurious ... He rearises in an injurious and non-injurious world ... There he is touched by injurious and non-injurious contacts ... He experiences injurious and non-injurious feelings, pleasure mingled with pain, like those of human beings, some devas, and some beings in the lower realms. This is called kamma that is dark and bright with dark and bright result.
"And what is kamma that is neither dark nor bright with neither dark nor bright result, leading to the ending of kamma? right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration. This is called kamma that is neither dark nor bright with neither dark nor bright result, leading to the ending of kamma."
Anguttara Nikaya (IV.235)
