Reflecting Before Acting
David Oromith · 29 minutes · recorded May 14, 2023
In this settling meditation we move attention through touch, sight and sound before resting in open awareness, the stillness David describes as the doorway to wisdom and compassion. The talk takes the Buddha's teaching to his son Rahula, that any action of body, speech or mind is worth reflecting on first: is this helpful to me, to others, to the world, and is what I am about to say true, kind and necessary. David separates the restraint of pausing from the discernment of checking motive.
"What do you think, Rahula, what is the purpose of a mirror?" the Buddha asked. "For reflection," Rahula answered. "In the same way, Rahula, an action to be done by body, speech or mind should only be done after careful reflection." Before acting, the Buddha tells his son, reflect on whether the action would lead to your own affliction, to the affliction of others, or to both. If it would, it is an unskilful action with painful consequences, and it is unfit to be done. If on reflection it would afflict nobody, it is a skilful action with pleasant results, and that is the action to take.
Illness and pain Compassion (karuna) Open presence