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Right Thought or right intention

shanyinshanyin Novice YoginSault Ontario Veteran
edited December 2009 in Buddhism Basics
Is the second of 8 parts in the noble eightfold path right thought; or right intentions.

I have heard the dharma explained as this: right thought: thoughts free from ill will; greed or lust.

And this: right intention: harmlessness; good-will; renunciation.

Both are quite specific; the practices themselves seem to look alot alike.

Which is it?

Comments

  • BrigidBrigid Veteran
    edited December 2009
    They are both the same thing, Shanyin. In my opinion, of course.

    Welcome to the forum, by the way.
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    edited December 2009
    Right VIEW is the first step on the Eightfold Path.
    First of all, concentrate on this recommendation.
    Consider the position you are perceiving, or the moment you are experiencing.
    Consider how you are viewing it: Clouded by opinion and prejudice, or in a peaceful, neutral way?
    Your Thought is what triggers your subsequent words and actions.
    The thought is what you intend to do with what you View, and What VIEW you have of it....

    So first and foremost (although the Path is an ever-rolling Wheel) consider your Right View.
  • shanyinshanyin Novice Yogin Sault Ontario Veteran
    edited December 2009
    wonderful thank you both
  • robbyrobby
    edited December 2009
    shanyin wrote: »
    Is the second of 8 parts in the noble eightfold path right thought; or right intentions.

    I have heard the dharma explained as this: right thought: thoughts free from ill will; greed or lust.

    And this: right intention: harmlessness; good-will; renunciation.

    Both are quite specific; the practices themselves seem to look alot alike.

    Which is it?

    That is a great question. There are more than one word that we see translated as intention. It is easy to get mentally lazy and conflate them. On the other hand, understanding Buddhism is not easy. The best answer for me, is non-attachment to fixed views.

    Here are related terms. BTW, my take on them is still tentative.


    Sankappa / Sankalpa 志 = This means resolve or aspiration. Willful Intention is a pretty good translation. This is the one that is part of the Training of Discernment or Prajna 般若 or 慧 in the Eightfold Path.

    Pranidhana 誓 : Vow, oath, resolution. Similar to sankappa; maybe a stronger, deeper intention involving a formal ordination.

    Cetana 思 = underling reason, purpose, motive, or umpulse. This is what creates kamma / karma; it is the motivating factor behind volitional thoughts, words, & deeds. Note that confusion or ignorance are cetanas that create unskillful karma. So, intention is an unintentionally misleading translation. No one intends to be wrong; but we all make mistakes. We might have a good intention; but a bad cetana. We can have unintended cetanas.

    Sankhara / Samskara 行 = compounded cetanas; habituation, determinants, motivators, conditioning, formations, impulses. In this context, these are mental; the 4th khanda / skandha.

    Vitakka / Vitarka 尋 = directed attention or controlled inquiry; focusing the mind on an object. The first quality of the first jhana / dhyana

    Manas 意 or 末那 - specifically, the brain organ or faculty {Indriya 根{ that perceives phenomena.

    Citta 心 = heart-mind, spirituality, mood, noumena,

    Vinnana / Vijnana 識 - the discriminative or sensory consciousness generated by the brain organ and 5 sense organs.
  • theuprisingtheuprising
    edited December 2009
    I would think yeah, they are the same thing, but what I don't know is whether or not karma is decided on the intention and action taken upon it, or the net outcome. I think it would be really messed up if karma was based upon net outcome, since that's kindof luck. What decided that luck, karma- oh wait.

    See what I'm saying?
  • robbyrobby
    edited December 2009
    theuprising wrote: »
    I would think yeah, they are the same thing, but what I don't know is whether or not karma is decided on the intention and action taken upon it, or the net outcome. I think it would be really messed up if karma was based upon net outcome, since that's kindof luck. What decided that luck, karma- oh wait.

    See what I'm saying?

    Karma is complex, and there 4 other kinds of causality that interact with karma. The best definition I have of Karma is volitional moral causality. A biological reflex has effects; but those are not karmic; they are amoral.

    Intention in terms of Karma is cetana. The quality of the cetana determines whether the karma {thought, word, deed} is moral, immoral, or neutral. One thing, ignorance is immoral {akushala}, so acts motivated by ignorance are immoral. Moral may not be the best word. Wholesome or skillful might be better for kushala. One example, recklessnesses is a cetana. Choosing to act {in thought, word, or deed} on recklessness is bad cause. However, we all make mistakes all the time. Also, a person with Alzheimer's might act in a heedless manner. However, there is no choice there.

    Intention is terms of the Eightfold Path is sankappa. That is not the same thing as cetana. Samkappa is more like a resolve or determination; and is closer in meaning to Vow.
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