Four elements that make an action complete: Difference between revisions

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#the completion (Skt. ''niṣṭhāgamana''; Wyl. ''mthar thug'')
#the completion (Skt. ''niṣṭhāgamana''; Wyl. ''mthar thug'')


An example is given in the ''[[Words of My Perfect Teacher]]''<ref>[[Patrul Rinpoche]], ''The Words of My Perfect Teacher'' (Boston: Shambhala, Revised edition, 1998), pages 103-104.</ref>:
An example is given of the negative action of taking life in the ''[[Words of My Perfect Teacher]]''<ref>[[Patrul Rinpoche]], ''The Words of My Perfect Teacher'' (Boston: Shambhala, Revised edition, 1998), pages 103-104.</ref>:
:Take the example of a hunter killing a wild animal. First of all, he sees an actual stag, or musk-deer, or whatever it might be, and identifies the animal beyond any doubt: his knowing that it is a living creature is the ''basis'' for the act. Next, the wish to kill it arises: the idea of killing it is the ''intention'' to carry out the act. Then he shoots the animal in a vital point with a gun, bow and arrow or any other weapon: the physical action of killing is the ''execution'' of the act. Thereupon the animal's vital functions cease and the conjunction of its body and mind is sundered: that is the final ''completion'' of the act of taking a life.
:Take the example of a hunter killing a wild animal. First of all, he sees an actual stag, or musk-deer, or whatever it might be, and identifies the animal beyond any doubt: his knowing that it is a living creature is the ''basis'' for the act. Next, the wish to kill it arises: the idea of killing it is the ''intention'' to carry out the act. Then he shoots the animal in a vital point with a gun, bow and arrow or any other weapon: the physical action of killing is the ''execution'' of the act. Thereupon the animal's vital functions cease and the conjunction of its body and mind is sundered: that is the final ''completion'' of the act of taking a life.
Every action has these four elements therefore how they come together determines whether an action yields positive, negative, or mixed results for the future.


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 11:53, 5 December 2021

Four elements that make an action complete

  1. the basis (Skt. vastu; Wyl. gzhi)
  2. the intention (Skt. āśaya)
  3. the execution (Skt. prayoga)
  4. the completion (Skt. niṣṭhāgamana; Wyl. mthar thug)

An example is given of the negative action of taking life in the Words of My Perfect Teacher[1]:

Take the example of a hunter killing a wild animal. First of all, he sees an actual stag, or musk-deer, or whatever it might be, and identifies the animal beyond any doubt: his knowing that it is a living creature is the basis for the act. Next, the wish to kill it arises: the idea of killing it is the intention to carry out the act. Then he shoots the animal in a vital point with a gun, bow and arrow or any other weapon: the physical action of killing is the execution of the act. Thereupon the animal's vital functions cease and the conjunction of its body and mind is sundered: that is the final completion of the act of taking a life.

Every action has these four elements therefore how they come together determines whether an action yields positive, negative, or mixed results for the future.

References

  1. Patrul Rinpoche, The Words of My Perfect Teacher (Boston: Shambhala, Revised edition, 1998), pages 103-104.