The Goals (3)

What are the goals during life?

The goal during life is to make progress towards Enlightenment.

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

The Goals Buddhists believe that there is a

purpose to our existence, our life is for something.

What’s 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.

The Goals

So… it doesn’t matter so much about physical death, it’s 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.

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.

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?

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…

Haud oan Isn’t 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?

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.

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 you’re going to get a cherry tree. Likewise if you make good ethical choices you are going to receive good results.

Bad Kamma?

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)?

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

Which are kusala or akusala actions?

1. You turn off a life support machine.

2. You kick a dog and it’s jaw breaks.

3. You give a friend £10.

4. You loan someone a pencil.

5. You see someone stealing and say nothing… they don’t get caught.

RememberThe 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”

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?

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?

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.

The situation

There are no absolutes and what’s 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?

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.

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.

Compassion If you approach your conscious ethical

choices with compassion you’re never really go wrong.

Compassion – Skillful Actions – Good Kammic Results

Is Buddhism an inward looking faith?

E.g. on p.75

Check Your Learning

Kamma — the natural law of cause and effect.

‘Unskilful’ actions bind the unenlightened to samsara, ‘skilful’ actions lead towards enlightenment.

Activity

As a class, complete the questions on pp.76 & 77. Look over them all tonight. Any questions?

Next Step: Nibbana