Dear Sangha

This month of June I invite all of you to reflect on Right Intention, also called Right Resolve (samma sankappo-Pali).

Here are some verses from the Buddha about Right Intention. You may wish to incorporate these into your practice by reciting them on one day, or reciting them daily for a week or even daily for the rest of the month. You may also bring these verses into your practice by meditating on them. Start by calming your mind with meditation on the breath for 5 or 10 minutes before slowly reciting the verse at least three times. Then allow your mind to analyze the verse for insight. Let your analysis connect with your own life and your own situation. If you become lost in thought or notice any of the hindrances arising, just come back to the breath.

“And what is right intention? Being resolved on renunciation, on freedom from ill-will, on harmlessness: This is called right intention.”

-Magga-vibhanga Sutta (An Analysis of the Path)

“One tries to abandon wrong intention & to enter into right intention: This is one’s right effort. One is mindful to abandon wrong intention & to enter & remain in right intention: This is one’s right mindfulness. Thus these three qualities — right view, right effort, & right mindfulness — run & circle around right resolve.”

-Maha-cattarisaka Sutta (The Great Forty)

“Here, bhikkhus, a certain person abides with his heart imbued with loving-kindness extending over one quarter, likewise the second quarter, likewise the third quarter, likewise the fourth quarter, and so above, below, around, and everywhere, and to all as to himself; he abides with his heart abundant, exalted, measureless in loving-kindness, without hostility or ill-will, extending over the all-encompassing world.”

-Metta Sutta (Loving-kindness)

“Of two people who practice the Dhamma in line with the Dhamma, having a sense of Dhamma, having a sense of meaning — one who practices for both his own benefit and that of others, and one who practices for his own benefit but not that of others — the one who practices for his own benefit but not that of others is to be criticized for that reason, the one who practices for both his own benefit and that of others is, for that reason, to be praised.”

-Dhammannu Sutta (One With a Sense of Dhamma)

All verses taken from www.accesstoinsight.org.

Peace

Ben Mikolaj