09 Right Thought

74 Now we will look at ethical training as it relates to individual behaviour. The first step in ethical training is the development of Right Thought (samma samkappa). The word samkappa' means both thought and intention and refers to all our thoughts, but in particular to the thoughts that motivate our action.

Philosophy usually includes only verbal and bodily behaviour under ethics, not thought. But the Buddha in his wisdom understood that how we think we will have a profound influence on how we act.

Mind precedes all things.
Mind is their chief,
Mind is their maker.

And again:

The world is led around by mind;
By mind the world is plagued.
Mind is itself the single thing.
Which belongs all else beneath its sway.

So before we consider changing our verbal and bodily behaviour, we must change the thoughts that motivate that behaviour.

75 The Buddha descibes Right Thought like this:

And what is Right Thought: The Thought of giving up, the thought of love and the thought of helpfulness - this is called Right Thought.

He also tells us why we should develop Right Thought.

These three types of thought cause blindness, loss of sight and ignorance; they put an end to wisdom, are associated with trouble, and do not conduce to Nirvana. What three? Thinking with greed, thinking with hatred and thinking with harmfulness. These three types of thought give vision, seeing, and knowledge, they increase wisdom, are associated with harmony, and conduce to Nirvana. What three ? Thinking about giving up, about love and about helpfulness.

76 The first type of Right Thought is thought of giving up. Giving up is the usual translation of the Pali word `nekkhamma' which actually means `to go forward'. Thus true giving us is not a painful renunciation, but the letting go of things that hold us back, the giving up of things so that we can move spiritually onwards and upwards.

All too often we clutter our lives with things we don't need, tire ourselves out worrying about things that are not important and find ourselves constantly busy without ever achieving very much.

Consequently we lose sight of what is of real value in life. Thinking of the possibility of living in simplicity and contentment is the first step to actually living in such a way. For some, thoughts of giving up might manifest as the desire to give up family, possessions and career to become a monk or nun. The monastic life, when followed properly, frees one from the preoccupations that laymen and women all too often allow to hinder their spiritual growth and enables one to commit oneself completely to the quest for Nirvana. ·

77 Another type of thought associated with giving up is forgiveness (khamanasila). Forgiveness is the letting go of thoughts of ill-will or revenge that we may have towards another and the replacement of such negative thoughts with thoughts of reconcillation.

Giving up material possessions can be easy when compared with forgiving a person who might have caused us humiliation, difficulties or pain. Stressing the importance of forgiveness, the Buddha says:

By three things the wise person can be known. What three? He sees a shortcoming as it is. When he sees it, he tries to correct it. And when another acknowledges a shortcoming, the wise one forgives it as he should.

Forgiveness is an important quality because it frees us from the fires of hatred, in doing so gives room for positive qualities like patience and love to grow. Holding on to thoughts of hatred can only perpetuate more hatred, whereas giving them up makes love possible. The Buddha says:

"He abused me, he hit me,
He oppressed me, he robbed me."
Those who continue to hold such thoughts
Never still their hatred.

"He abused me, he hit me,
He oppressed me, he robbed me."
Those who do not hold such thoughts
Will still their hatred.

For in this world,
Hatred is never appeased by more hatred.
It is love that appeases hatred.
This is an eternal law. ·

78 Related to forgiveness are thoughts of gratitude (katavedita) which are feelings as much as thoughts. Whereas forgiveness is the giving up of ill-will towards one who has hurt us, gratitude is the giving of kind thoughts and words to one who has helped us, and this is only possible when we give up pride. We can express gratitude with words or even by repaying what has been done for us, but this is not always necessary. Often an appreciative attitude is enough to let people know we are grateful. The Buddha says:

Truly, those who are good people are thankful and grateful.

79 The other type of Perfect Thought is thoughts of love (avyapada). Love is a combination of thoughts and feelings of friendliness, warmth, care and liking towards someone. The great Buddhist poet Gurulagomi beautifully describes the characteristics of love as he contrasts it with its opposite hatred.

Hatred restricts; love releases. Hate strangles; love frees. Hate brings remorse; love brings peace. Hate agitates; love quietens, stills, calms. Hate divides; love unites. Hate hardens; love softens. Hate hinders; love helps.

We all have thoughts of love towards at least some people - parents, spouse, children or friends. However, we might at the same time have complete indifference or dislike towards other people. In practising Right Thought, we try to develop thoughts of love equally towards all.

Just as water cools both good and bad,
And washes away all impurity and dust,
In the same way you should develop thoughts of love
To friend and foe alike,
And having reached perfection in love,
You will attain enlightenment.

And thoughts of love are really broad and non-discriminating, it is only natural that we should include even animals in the ambit of our love. Consequently the Buddha encouraged us to be gentle and loving not just to humans but to all beings.

Just as a mother would protect her only child
Even at the risk of her own life,
Even so, one should cultivate unbounded love
Towards all beings in the world.

80 Before thoughts of love become dominant in our minds, we must refuse entry to spite, anger and vengeance, or when they do arise, we must firmly cut them off. Such thoughts only distort our understanding and make us feel unpleasant.

Hate brings great misfortune,
Hate churns up and harms the mind;
This fearful danger deep within;
Most people do not understand.

Thus spoilt, one cannot know the good,
Cannot see things as they are.
Only blindness and gloom prevail
When one is overwhelmed by hate.

By contrast, loving thoughts are almost always accompanied by happiness. When we are happy, we are perceived by others as being pleasant and non-threatening, and thus our relationships with others tend to be more harmonious. How love makes this possible is beautifully described by the monk Anuruddha who described himself and his fellow-monks as

"all living together in friendliness and harmony, like milk and water mixed, looking upon each other with the eye of affection."

When asked by the Buddha how he was able to do this, Anuruddah replied:

Concerning this, I think:

"Indeed it is a gain for me, indeed it is good that I am living with such companions in the holy life."

I practise bodily, verbal and mental acts of love towards them both in public and in private. I think:

" Why don't I set aside my own wishes and acquiesce to their wishes?"

And then I act accordingly.

Truly, we are different in body, but we are one in mind.

81 The last type of Right Thought is thoughts of helpfulness (avihimsa), which give rise to a willingness to assist, to be of service to and share the work or burdens of others. It also includes the thought of helping oneself grow from an ordinary into an enlightened person. The Buddha says it is important to balance helping oneself with helping others.

There are these four types of persons found in the world. What four ?

He who is concerned neither with his own good nor the good of others,

he who is concerned with the good of others but not his own,

he who is concerned with his own good but not the good of others, and he who is concerned with both his own good and the good of others.

Just as a stick from a funeral pyre, burning at both ends and smeared with dung in the middle, can serve no useful purpose as fuel in the village or as a timber in the forest - using such a simile, do I speak of the person who is concerned neither with his own good nor the good of others.

The person who is concerned with the good of others but not his own is more excellent and higher than this.

The person who is concerned with his own good but not the good of others is more excellent and higher still.

And he who is concerned with both his own good and the good of others - he is of these four persons the chief, the best, the topmost, the highest, the supreme.

Just as from a cow comes milk, from milk cream, from cream butter, from butter ghee, and from ghee come from the skimmings of ghee, and that is said to be the best - even so, the person who is concerned with his own good and the good of others is of these four persons the chief, the best, the topmost, the highers, the supreme.

When we think of helping others, many opportunities present themselves to us. But sometimes we are reluctant to help because of selfish interests, because we tell ourselves that perhaps our help is not really needed, or perhaps because we think it will not be appreciated. Sometimes ill-will towards a person or their failure to help us in the past prevents us from lending a hand.

The practice of Right Thought is to put these reservations aside and replace them with such thoughts as :

"Perhaps he doesn't need a hand, but I will try to find out anyway, "or

"I don't know what has to be done I will ask anyway," or

"They have failed to help me in the past, but now they are in need I will help them nonetheless."

To encourage such thoughts we should always keep in mind the helps that the Buddha and his enlightened disciples have given to us.

When the Tathagata or the Tathagata's disciples live in the world, it is one for the good of the many, for the happiness of the many, for the good, the welfare and the happiness of gods and men.