The%20Goals%20(3)

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The Goals (3)

• What are the goals during life?
• The goal during life is to make progress towards
  Enlightenment.

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The Goals (3)

• Kamma the natural law of cause and effect.
• Unskilful actions bind the unenlightened to
  samsara, skilful actions lead towards
  enlightenment.
• pp. 63-78

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The Goals

• Buddhists believe that there is a purpose to our
  existence, our life is for something.
• Whats more, they believe that a new you is
  created every moment (think Anicca and Anatta).
• This new you is dependant on choices by the
  previous you.
• In a way you die every moment for the new you
  to be created.

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The Goals

• So it doesnt matter so much about physical
  death, its about now. What kind of person are
  you recreating by your actions right now? (are
  paying attention?!)
• To Buddhists we are all living in ignorance.
• The Goal of life is to progress toward
  Enlightenment. To a place where we are no longer
  ignorant to Reality.

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The Goals

• Only humans are capable of enlightenment.
• Humans must do something about it,.
• It is your actions now that are important.
• There is no God to help you.

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Take a few moments

• What are your goals in life?
• Does your life have a point?
• Should your life have a point?
• What happens when you die?
• Does this affect the way you live?
• How should you live?

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The Law of Kamma

• Kamma the natural law of cause and effect
• Unskillful (akusala) actions bind the
  unenlightened to Samsara
• Skillful (kusala) actions lead to enlightenment
  and escape from Samsara
• Put simply, every conscious ethical choice you
  make has a consequence. The nature of your
  decisions will have a direct impact on your
  future.
• Put even more simply

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Haud oan

• Isnt having the Goal of Enlightenment a form of
  desire?
• Good question.
• Maybe it is used to start you off?
• What is the intention behind the desire?
• Is it motivated by the 3 Root Poisons?
• Is it Chanda or Tanha?

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The Law of Kamma

• To Buddhists your present existence is shaped by
  the pattern of actions set up in previous
  existences. It is just cause and effect. A
  Natural Law.
• Throughout your life your thoughts lead to
  actions which lead to consequences.
• We are in control of our own lives and
  responsible for our present situation.

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The Law of Kamma

• Think seeds (Kammic seeds are called bija) in
  that for every conscious ethical choice you make
  there will be a consequence. Cause and effect.
• If you sew cherry seeds youre going to get a
  cherry tree. Likewise if you make good ethical
  choices you are going to receive good results.

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Bad Kamma?
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The Law of Kamma What is the root of the action?

• All trees need roots. Good roots will produce
  good fruit.
• All kammic actions need intentions. Good
  intentions will produce good consequences.
• To a Buddhist what three things might motivate
  bad intentions (Think Samsara)?

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The Law of Kamma Kusala and Akusala (Skillfull
and Unskillful)

• Akusala (Unskillful) actions are motivated by
• Desire
• Hatred
• Ignorance
• Kusala (Skillful) actions are motivated by
• Non-attachment
• Kindness
• Understanding

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Which are kusala or akusala actions?

• You turn off a life support machine.
• You kick a dog and its jaw breaks.
• You give a friend 10.
• You loan someone a pencil.
• You see someone stealing and say nothing they
  dont get caught.

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Remember

• The Buddha encouraged self-reflection and a
  critical examination of his teachings.
• There are no inflexible rules or laws in
  Buddhism.
• The Dalai Lama Learn the rules so you know how
  to break them properly

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Skillful and Unskillful

• There are no moral absolutes.
• Completely different choices could be right
  depending on the situation.
• Buddhists ask
• Was your choice skillful or unskillful?
• What was your motivation?

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Intentions

• To Buddhists the action was wrong if your
  intention was wrong.
• If you do good things to gain an advantage for
  yourself, your action is wrong.
• Can you think of any examples?

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The Drunk Driver and the I never meant to hurt
anyone defence

• Buddhist response If you drive under the
  influence you are more likely to make mistakes
  and have slower reaction time which may lead to
  an accident.
• Think your actions through.
• In this case the decision to get in the car was
  unskillful. The skillful choice would have been
  to get in a taxi.

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The situation

• There are no absolutes and whats right for one
  person may not be right for another.
• Different situations call for different choices.
• Is you choice kusala or akusala?
• What is the intention?

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So what happens?

• Kammic consequences or imprints will impact
  throughout this life or the next (remember
  momentary deaths too).
• Your current conditions depended on your previous
  actions.
• Your future conditions depends on your actions
  now.
• It is all up to you. Remember for Buddhists only
  humans are capable of making conscious ethical
  choices.

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Compassion

• Quotes p.73
• For Buddhists compassion means
• basing your actions on the
• three good roots
• Non-attachment
• Kindness
• Understanding
• All life is suffering and we are all
  inter-related so it is key to learn compassion
  for one another.

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Compassion

• If you approach your conscious ethical choices
  with compassion youre never really go wrong.
• Compassion Skillful Actions Good Kammic
  Results
• Is Buddhism an inward looking faith?
• E.g. on p.75

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Check Your Learning

• Kamma the natural law of cause and effect.
• Unskilful actions bind the unenlightened to
  samsara, skilful actions lead towards
  enlightenment.

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Activity

• As a class, complete the questions on pp.76 77.
  Look over them all tonight. Any questions?
• Next Step Nibbana