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Eightfold Path: Right Consideration (2 of 3)

To continue with this topic of the Eightfold Path, and the second factor of the path that I'm calling Right Consideration, I want to step back and offer the Eightfold Path in slightly different words. One of the things I've been saying is that there are two tracks, or two lanes, of the Eightfold Path. The word magga^[1] more literally means "road." So, I think we can call it a two-lane road.

Today, I'll call them the Wisdom Lane and the Liberation Lane. I've previously called the Wisdom Lane the "conventional" Eightfold Path, while the liberative Eightfold Path is the other lane.

The Wisdom Lane

The wisdom side involves engaging the Eightfold Path based on wise understanding. That can be learned from a book, from a teacher, or from some place where you come to understand something. Wise understanding recognizes that actions have consequences: wholesome actions have wholesome results, and unwholesome actions have unwholesome results. Therefore, we learn to pay attention to our actions. We are careful with them, even the most subtle, smallest actions, and we choose the wholesome ones. That is wise understanding.

The Wisdom Lane continues to wise consideration. Wise consideration here means that as we engage in actions, we consider how to do whatever we do so that there is no craving for sensual pleasure—we are not caught in desire or greed, not caught in ill will, and not caught in delusion.

Wise understanding means being careful and considerate. We look at ourselves and really understand, feel, and recognize when we're caught in desire, aversion, and delusion. The motivation to do this is because we've learned that it is wise and beneficial. It starts with a bit of cognitive understanding of what we are doing. We can be highly motivated, and we practice until we get the feedback: "Oh, this is true. My life actually is so much better when I follow this Wisdom Lane."

The Liberation Lane

In the Liberation Lane, Right View has to do with a deep insight into the changing nature of phenomena. Everything is constantly changing and in flux. That in itself is the catalyst to help the mind not latch onto anything tightly, or take things as permanent or enduring.

The mind learns how to swim in the currents rather than resist or stop them. Standing on the edge of the ocean and trying to stop the waves doesn't work. Trying to take the waves home doesn't work, and holding onto them doesn't work. We can stand there, maybe knee-deep in the ocean waves, and just let them wash by. They come and go, and we are free. We are not struggling with the waves in that way.

So, Right View is to see the changing nature of reality and let that be a catalyst for freedom. Something deep lets go and relaxes. We let go of clinging. If that letting go is clear enough, then the Liberation Lane feeds into Right Consideration. This is not based on cognitively considering what is "wise," but rather orienting toward where freedom is.

With freedom from clinging, it is as if the fast lane has been opened. Stay in the fast lane because it's just easier. There are fewer obstacles; it's an open highway. We just keep looking for that openness of non-clinging. That non-clinging is expressed in non-greed, non-ill will, and non-delusion. It's the same three qualities as in the Wisdom Lane, but how we get there is different. One is based on cognitive understanding and wisdom, along with some experience that shows it works. The Liberation Lane, however, is based on a palpable experience, understanding, and insight into the nature of the heart being free.

The heart is not always liberated and free, but when liberation is clear enough, they say that the Eightfold Path lives in us. We really know that it is the expression of how we live our life. That freedom is expressed in the Eightfold Path^[2]. With freedom, it's naturally expressed in non-greed, non-ill will, and non-delusion.

The Three Aspects of Right Consideration

Right Consideration for the liberative path is to be oriented to understand that greed is not the way, ill will is not the way, and delusion is not the way. It is putting a bit more detail on the idea of avoiding the unwholesome by specifying what the unwholesome is. Sometimes it is translated as Right Intention or Right Resolve in English, and there is some benefit in calling it that. But I think the way the original word is used has much more to do with how we apply, how we consider, and how we think about things.

When we start thinking with both modes—the Wisdom Lane and the Liberation Lane—we are thinking more along the lines of non-greed, non-hatred, and non-delusion. The way these Right Considerations are listed, there are three of them. I believe—and it is slightly my interpretation—that they correspond directly with non-greed, non-hatred, and non-delusion.

The first refers to non-sensual craving. The word used is kāma^[3], which is the same word used for the first of the Five Hindrances^[4]. Alternatively, the word means renunciation, but here we can understand renunciation as freedom from sensual craving. It is the opposite of sensual addiction. That is the desire part.

The hatred part has to do with ill will, and this is the same word that is used for the second hindrance. Ill will is hostility, or sometimes we just call it aversion^[5] in English.

The third is avoiding cruelty. Non-cruelty is the wise, liberating path. I associate this third factor with delusion because when we are actively cruel and causing harm in the world, it is based on a variety of delusions. It is based on misunderstandings about the nature of self and others, about where real benefit comes from, about how we truly take care of ourselves, and about where safety lies. To cause harm, we have to shut down our human connection to another human being. A part of our own heart gets diminished, frozen, and shrinks. We cannot really see clearly when we get involved in causing harm, so I associate cruelty with delusion.

Right Consideration is about finding our way down the highway—the path of life—by actively thinking, considering, and recognizing that greed, hatred, and delusion don't work. Understanding that they don't work, we rely on their opposites. Alternatively, we experientially feel how freedom is diminished with greed, hatred, and delusion, and how freedom is realized and manifested through non-sensual craving, non-ill will, and non-cruelty.

Being on the Eightfold Path has this very practical, immediate application: we want to do all the things we do in such a way that they are an expression of non-greed, non-hatred, and non-cruelty. If you have to think about it and reflect on it, you are probably a lot better off spending time considering things through that perspective. If you have some taste of freedom, then you don't have to think about it as much. Like taking your hand off a hot stove, it becomes automatic. It is just very clear that it is a kind of self-harm and self-diminishment—let alone harm to others—to be involved in things influenced by greed, ill will, delusion, or cruelty.

These first two Eightfold Path factors—Right View and Right Consideration—are related and overlap. Together, they are considered the wisdom factors of the path. They provide the basic understanding, orientation, and frame of reference for what follows. The next set of the Eightfold Path encompasses Right Speech, Right Action, and Right Livelihood, which all have to do with how we act in the world. The idea is to act in the world from this place of non-greed, non-hatred, and non-cruelty.

Practice for Today

We will spend one more day on Right Consideration tomorrow, where we will talk about the positive wording of these considerations and what that looks like.

In the meantime, on this day—and especially for those of you living in the United States^[6]—you might give yourself the exercise of heightened attention and consideration. Notice if there is any movement inside of you in the direction of craving, sensual addiction, ill will, hostility, or hatred. Or, even worse, notice any movement toward delusion—the illusion that gives birth to cruelty and the desire to harm other people.

Really try to come to that still place within, that place of freedom or wisdom where you can take refuge. Rely on and trust that the best way to respond to the world, live in the world, and support this world is from a place of Right Consideration. Consider things from the point of view of non-greed, non-hatred, and non-cruelty. A day spent really centered on this idea is a day well spent.

May each of you contribute to more sanity in this world today. Thank you.