Introducing ‘Action’

From Vision to Transformation…

Background

•Our theme for 2020 is ‘Vision &Transformation’

•A way of describing the Buddha’s Noble Eightfold Path

• One of the Buddha’s first teachings after Enlightenment

• One of Sangharakshita’s first series of talks, back in 1968

The basic idea:

• We have a glimpse of vision (first stage)

• A way of being free of suffering, eg the ‘fourth sight’ that the Buddha saw

• We might experience it as a call, a sense, a whiff, a taste … of freedom

• Then we follow the path of transformation (next 7 stages)

• Ie over time we real-ise that vision, make it real, allow it to manifest fully

• Fully real-isation of the 8th stage = Awakening or Enlightenment

Vision & Transformation

Vision is only truly vision as first step of eightfold path if it results in

• us setting out on the path to Enlightenment or

• us practising to unfold our potential (to use the lotus or mandala image)

– it amounts to the same thing, ultimately: transformation!

How the stages of the Eightfold Path unfold

1. Vision

2. Emotion3. Speech4. Action5. Livelihood6. Effort

7. Awareness8. Samadhi

} our first ‘term’ this year (incl meditation)

} our second ‘term’} focusing on ‘action’} of body, speech and mind} in various ways

} our third ‘term’ exploring} awareness and wisdom

Exploring ‘action’ in three aspects this term:

•Ethics

•Ritual and Devotion

•Activism

Ethics: the foundation

•basis for skilful mental states (positive emotion, 2nd stage of Eightfold Path)

•first stage of the threefold path (ethics,meditation, wisdom)

Ethics 101

•learn to recognise what actions of body, speech and mind lead to harm for us and others

•change how we act so as to make real – to

real-ise our vision

Ritual and Devotion: powerful action

• We practice ritual with body, speech and mind, engaging allour energies

• In ritual we enact the recognition that we’re not isolated entities, we are interconnected

• We can hear and practice the Dharma because we received it from the lineages (of teaching, practice, inspiration, responsibility)

Ritual and Devotion: effects

Practising ritual and devotion can:

• enable us to become more receptive to that flow of inspiration

• Help us to real-ise our connection with the Buddha and the ‘Arya Sangha’

• Strengthen our connection with others taking part

Activism/altruism

• altrustic activity is vital - for our own development and for the benefit of beings

• it needs to be• rooted in effective ethical practice to be truly skilful• accompanied by the development of wisdom

• to the extent that we haven’t real-ized wisdom our actions will be limited

• we may ‘burn out’ if we lack the wisdom to work effectively with both virya (energy in pursuit of the good) and patience (kshanti)

Conclusion and Question

So we’re moving from vision totransformation, into a term exploring ‘action’ –

Which aspect of action most appeals to you? Which least? Why might that be…

Some resources on the Eightfold Path

• Sangharakshita’s original 1968 lectures can be found here:https://www.freebuddhistaudio.com/series/details?ser=X07

• Sangharakshita’s book The Buddha’s Noble Eightfold Path can be found in Volume 1 of his Complete Works here: https://www.windhorsepublications.com/the-complete-works-of-sangharakshita-volume-1-a-survey-of-buddhism-the-buddhas-noble-eightfold-path/

• You can download a copy of Yasmin’s Noble Eightfold Path tree imagehere:https://1drv.ms/u/s!AneqoOq3CvhihP5FI8bW382XUnhNYA?e=UkfgK1