Right Action

12/13/14 • 6 min

2 Listeners

There are many great podcasts on Buddhism as a religion and even more on Buddhism as a philosophy. This podcast is about Buddhism as a way of life, which means there is no Buddhist jargon or dogma. It is not based in the metaphysical world, but has its feet planted firmly on this planet. It is easy to understand and practical. I use the Buddha’s early teachings as the foundation for the podcast, and explain them in a way that is relevant to your life today.

Previous Episode

The Spark That Fires Us Into Action

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Episode 7, 7 December 2014, The Spark That Fires Us Into Action. Intro: Welcome to Buddhism Guide’s Audio blog. A contemporary look at Gautama Buddha’s Teachings, from Karma Yeshe Rabgye. Find out more, at http://www.buddhismguide.org A transcript of this episode is available at http://buddhismguide.org/audio-blog-archive/audio-blog-transcripts/episode-7-transcript-the-spark-that-fires-us-into-action This Episode: The Spark That Fires Us Into Action. [00:17] 1. Right Intention. [00:24] Right Intention is divided into three parts: Letting Go, Good Will and Harmlessness. 2. Letting Go. [00:47] What we are letting go of, is attachment to, or craving for, objects of desire. How much we let go is a personal thing, but the more we loosen our grip on objects of desire the less we suffer. Because Gautama Buddha stated that clinging to desire is one of the causes of our suffering. Until we are able to let go of this craving, we will never reach a place where there is no more suffering. So contemplating impermanence is one of the best ways of letting go of our clinging to objects of desire. It takes time to change our perceptions and it isn't going to be easy, but if we don't start we will never finish. A wise person is able to let go. To let go is actually to receive; to receive boundless happiness. 2. Good Will. [03:12] This is the opposite of ill will and is a mental state. When we have good will towards others, we wish them well, and do not want any harm to befall them. One of the best methods of building good will is to do the Meta Bhavana Meditation. 3. Harmlessness. [05:22] This is the intention to not harm anyone, either physically, mentally or verbally. We have to realise that we are not the only ones suffering; everyone wishes to be free of suffering but is still gripped by pain, despair, anguish, dissatisfaction, and other kinds of suffering. We must understand that we play our parts in other people's suffering, by not having compassion for them, not caring for their well-being, and not seeing that, like us, they want to be free of all kinds of suffering. Outro. [08:04] You can find more information about this subject in Karma Yeshe Rabgye’s books at http://www.buddhismguide.org/books/ The best way to catch a snake – A Practical Guide to the Buddha’s Teachings; Life’s meandering path – A Secular Approach to Gautama Buddha’s Guide to Living; Ripples in the stream – A Pragmatic Journey Through Gautama Buddha’s Teachings. They’re available now, from Amazon and Kindle. Thank you for listening, and I hope you enjoyed this blog post.

Next Episode

Mindfulness - The Bottom Line

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Episode 11, 19 January 2015, Mindfulness - The Bottom Line. [11:11] Intro: Welcome to Buddhism Guide’s Audio blog. A contemporary look at Gautama Buddha’s Teachings, from Karma Yeshe Rabgye. For more information, visit: http://www.buddhismguide.org You can find more episodes of this audio blog on iTunes and Stitcher Podcasts. A transcript of this episode is available at http://buddhismguide.org/audio-blog-archive/audio-blog-transcripts/episode-11-transcript-mindfulness-the-bottom-line Episode 11: Mindfulness - The Bottom Line. [00:45] 1. Mindfulness. Gautama Buddha stated in various Sutras that there are Four Foundations of Mindfulness: Mindfulness of body; Mindfulness of feelings; Mindfulness of mind; Mindfulness of mental states. 2. Mindfulness of Body. [02:45] This means being aware of your body and all the actions carried out by it. 3. Mindfulness of Feelings. [05:03] There are Three Types of Feelings: Pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral. 4. Mindfulness of Mind. [06:10] Mindfulness of Mind is looking at the mind as though you are looking in a mirror. Ask yourself, how is my mind at the moment? Is it full of desire, full of anger, full of ignorance? Is it present in the moment, or distracted? In a guide to the Bodhisattva way of life Shantideva says: Whenever I have the desire to move my body, or to say something, first of all, I should examine my mind, and then with steadiness, act in a proper way. 5. Mindfulness of Mental States. [07:55] When we begin to be mindful of mental states, we start to see obstacles arise in the form of the Five Hindrances. These hindrances are mental states that can lead us astray; take us away from responsible living. The Five Hindrances are: Being gripped by desire; Feelings of ill will; Lack of interest; Restlessness, and Doubt. 6. Right Mindfulness - The Bottom Line. [09:45] If we are going to be Mindful, and Live a Responsible Life we have to be fully aware of, but not tangled up in, our bodies, feelings, minds and mental states. By being mindful we'll be able to take full responsibility for all our actions. This will ensure that our minds become more calm and we travel through life in the present moment. Not being tossed backwards and forwards from the past to the future. Being mindful means being conscious of every thought, feeling, emotion, physical sensation, and action. So, the bottom line is, become aware of the present moment, but not engaged with it. Outro. [10:40] You can find more information about this subject in Karma Yeshe Rabgye’s books at http://www.buddhismguide.org/books/ The best way to catch a snake – A Practical Guide to the Buddha’s Teachings; Life’s meandering path – A Secular Approach to Gautama Buddha’s Guide to Living; Ripples in the stream – A Pragmatic Journey Through Gautama Buddha’s Teachings. They’re available now, from Amazon and Kindle. Thank you for listening, and I hope you enjoyed Buddhism Guide's audio blog. Until the next time, remember: "The only person we can ever truly know, is ourselves".