Right view (understanding action and result) Understanding karmic action and result (karmaphala) is considered essential to the development of right view, a key aspect of the Buddhist path. The Tibetan Buddhist teacher Tsongkhapa emphasizes the importance of understanding karma in order to follow the Buddhist path; he states: Attaining certain knowledge of the definiteness, or nondeceptiveness, of karma and its effects is called the correct viewpoint of all Buddhists and is praised as the foundation of all virtue. Ajahn Sucitto emphasizes the importance of understanding karma on an experiential level; he states: This principle of the cause and the results of action—even mental action—is what is meant by “the law of kamma.” The point of right view is to start learning very directly and thoroughly about cause and effect on an experiential, rather than abstract or theoretical, foundation. And we deepen our ability to learn by applying the other seven path-factors. So one aspect of right view is understanding that to get out of the jungle we need a path. The first step, then, is to establish that path, and in Buddhism the foundation for that is the understanding that we can learn from contemplating and considering our direct experience. Right view, then, focuses on cause and effect. Through noticing the results of our thoughts, attitudes, and actions, we learn what gives the best results—hence a path gets established beneath our own feet.
Posted on: Mon, 22 Jul 2013 05:15:03 +0000
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