It is not directly related to intelligence, but accountability
for one's action, or kamma.
One must develop the right intention.
By Barbara
O'Brien , About.com Guide
The second aspect of the Eightfold
Path of Buddhism is Right Intention or Right Thought,
orsamma
sankappa in Pali. Right
View and Right Intention together are the "Wisdom Path,"
the parts of the path that cultivate wisdom (prajna).
Why are our thoughts or intentions so important?
We tend to think that thoughts don't count; only what we actually
do matters. But the Buddha said in the Dhammapada that
our thoughts are the forerunner of our actions (Max Muller
translation):
"All that we are is the result of what we have thought: it is
founded on our thoughts, it is made up of our thoughts. If a man
speaks or acts with an evil thought, pain follows him, as the wheel
follows the foot of the ox that draws the carriage.
"All that we are is the result of what we have thought: it is
founded on our thoughts, it is made up of our thoughts. If a man
speaks or acts with a pure thought, happiness follows him, like a
shadow that never leaves him."
The Buddha also taught that what we think, along with what we say
and how we act, createkarma.
So, what we think is as important as what we do.
The Buddha taught that there are three kinds of Right Intention,
which counter three kinds of wrong intention. These are:
To renounce is
to give up or let go of something, or to disown it. To practice
renunciation doesn't necessarily mean you have to give away all
your possessions and live in a cave, however. The real issue is not
objects or possessions themselves, but our attachment to them. If
you give away things but are still attached to them, you haven't
really renounced them.
Sometimes in Buddhism you hear that monks and nuns are "renounced
ones." To take monastic vows is a powerful act of renunciation, but
that doesn't necessarily mean that laypeople cannot follow the
Eightfold Path. What's most important is to not attach to
things, but remember that attachment comes from viewing ourselves
and other things in a delusional way. Fully appreciate that all
phenomena are transient and limited -- as theDiamond
Sutra says (Chapter 32),
"This is how to contemplate our conditioned existence in this
fleeting world:
"Like a tiny drop of dew, or a bubble floating in a stream;
Like a flash of lightning in a summer cloud,
Or a flickering lamp, an illusion, a phantom, or a dream.
"So is all conditioned existence to be seen."
As laypeople, we live in a world of possessions. To function in
society, we need a home, clothing, food, probably a car. To do my
work I really need a computer. We get into trouble, however, when
we forget that we and our "things" are bubbles in a stream. And of
course it's important to not take or hoard more than we need.
Another word for "good will" is metta,
or "loving kindness." We cultivate loving kindness for all beings,
without discrimination or selfish attachment, to overcome anger,
ill will, hatred and aversion.
According to the Metta
Sutta, a Buddhist should cultivate for all beings the same love
a mother would feel for her child. This love does not discriminate
between benevolent people and malicious people. It is a love in
which"I" and "you" disappear, and where there is no possessor and
nothing to possess.
The Sanskrit word for "non-harming" is ahimsa,
or avihiṃsā in
Pali, and it describes a practice of not harming or doing violence
to anything.
To not harm also requires karuna,
or compassion. Karuna goes beyond simply not harming. It is an
active sympathy and a willingness to bear the pain of others.
The Eightfold Path is not a list of eight discrete steps. Each
aspect of the path supports every other aspect. The Buddha taught
that wisdom
and compassion arise together and support each other. It's not
hard to see how the Wisdom Path of Right View and Right Intention
also supports the Ethical Conduct Path of Right Speech, Right
Action, and Right
Livelihood. And, of course, all aspects are supported by Right
Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration, the Mental
Discipline Path.
The Vietnamese Zen teacher Thich Nhat Hanh has suggested these four
practice for Right Intention or Right Thinking:
Ask yourself, "Are you sure?" Write the question on a
piece of paper and hang it where you will see it frequently. Wong
perceptions lead to incorrect thinking.
Ask yourself, "What am I doing?" to help you come
back to the present moment.
Recognize your habit energies. Habit energies like
workaholism cause us to lose track of ourselves and our day-to-day
lives. When you catch yourself on auto-pilot, say, "Hello, habit
energy!"
Cultivate bodhichitta. Bodhichitta is
the compassionate wish to realize enlightenment for the sake of
others. It becomes the purest of Right Intentions; the motivating
force that keep us on the Path.