Howdy, Stranger!

It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!

Sign In Register
Examples: Monday, today, last week, Mar 26, 3/26/04
Welcome home! Please contact lincoln@icrontic.com if you have any difficulty logging in or using the site. New registrations must be manually approved which may take several days. Can't log in? Try clearing your browser's cookies.

Which of these 3 actions is least skillful?

LostieLostie Veteran
edited February 2011 in Buddhism Basics
1. Wanting to start things afresh ( which implies that you are rejecting the present, or are you? )

2. Knowing that you need to start things afresh but not doing it ( which implies that you are not seeing things as they are)

3. Starting this thread in itself is not skillful. ( which implies you are too self-absorbed in your thoughts and needing a resolution)

:p

Any thoughts?

Comments

  • KartariKartari Explorer
    Just start things afresh already. :)
  • CloudCloud Veteran
    edited February 2011
    @Lostie, Out of those three, I'd say #2... knowing what needs to be done, but not doing it.
  • zombiegirlzombiegirl beating the drum of the lifeless in a dry wasteland Veteran
    wanting to start things afresh does not reject the present. if this were true, nobody would ever do anything to improve their life situations.
  • ownerof1000oddsocksownerof1000oddsocks Veteran
    Only number 3 is an action and, as such, the only option on which to pass judgement.

    There's arguably always something better to do, so I can call it skillful compared to some actions and unskillful compared to others.

    Judging number 3 on its own merit is neither here nor there.

  • rainbowwarriorrainbowwarrior
    in my humble opinion - i think wanting to start afresh is just a tendency

    i get what you are trying to say with number 3 - ha!
  • CloudCloud Veteran
    I don't think it was a trick question, so "action" probably wasn't meant to trip us up and not consider #1 or #2; unless of course it was meant as a trick question. Otherwise the word "action" itself should've just been omitted.
  • ownerof1000oddsocksownerof1000oddsocks Veteran
    Well, how can you judge a persons (unspecified) values as skillful or unskillful? :/

    There's a whole spectrum of behaviour out there, and most of it can only be judged in comparison with something else. i don't see how you can take an 'unspecified' action and judge it as 'yes this is skillful' or 'no this isn't skillful'? :/
  • MountainsMountains Veteran
    I'm with Zombiegirl. If starting afresh were unskillful, then becoming a Buddhist and starting on your path would, in itself, be unskillful. I'd say it's less skillful to think about positive change and not do it.

    Starting threads is always skillful unless you're trolling :)

  • ownerof1000oddsocksownerof1000oddsocks Veteran
    edited February 2011
    Ok, so non-action can also count as an action...

    if you need to (for whatever reason) but don't then that's probably going to do more harm than good. Definitely number 2 then!

    If you want to but don't, then there must be a perceived need or potential problem that you could nip in the bud, but it could also be a case of weighing up on pros and cons or merely a re-evaluation of some kind, so that's kind of a grey area.

    If greener pastures you seek...
  • LostieLostie Veteran
    This is not a trick question thread. Just sharing my thoughts here.

    Using the term "skillful" here as I view Buddhism as a practice, and in all practices, skills are learned and mastered.

    Thanks for all your input.

  • ShiftPlusOneShiftPlusOne Veteran
    2 and it's the one I am most guilty of.
  • [DeletedUser][DeletedUser]
    @Lostie, Out of those three, I'd say #2... knowing what needs to be done, but not doing it.
    Concur,
    For instance, loving others is good, you avoid.
    donation to help the needy within your means is good, you choose to refuse.
    meditation is good, you choose not to.
    Exploring of dharma literature, helping both yourself and others to learn through dharma talkie, you feel inferior.
    non-grasping is the way, u still want to hold on.
    blah blah blah!!
    :cool:
Sign In or Register to comment.