4) Modern Commentary
- Kusala
- Ajahn Thanissaro “Skillfulness”
“The Buddha’s teachings, like the principles they describe, are inter-related in complex ways. It is difficult to point out any one teaching that underlies everything else, as all the teachings are mutually dependent. Nevertheless, there are a number of possible entry points into their pattern, and one of those points is the Buddha’s observation that it is possible to master a skill … [The] Buddha looked directly at skillful action in and of itself, worked out its implications in viewing knowledge itself as a skill — rather than a body of facts — and found that those implications carried him all the way to release … The fact that skills can be developed implies that action is not illusory, that it actually gives results. Otherwise, there would be no such thing as skill, for no actions would be more effective than others. The fact of skillfulness also implies that some results are preferable to others, for otherwise there would be no point in trying to develop skills. In addition, the fact that it is possible to learn from mistakes in the course of developing a skill, so that one’s future actions may be more skillful, implies that the cycle of action, result, and reaction is not entirely deterministic, and that acts of perception, attention, and intention can actually provide new input as the cycle goes through successive turns. The important element in this input is attention. Anyone who has mastered a skill will realize that the process of attaining mastery requires attention to three things: (1) to pre-existing conditions, (2) to what one is doing in relation to those conditions, and (3) to the results that come from one’s actions. This threefold focus enables one to monitor one’s actions and adjust them accordingly.”
- Ajahn Sucitto “Kamma and the End of Kamma”
“[The] direction of the wandering-on was not haphazard, that it moved in accordance with the ethical quality of the deeds that the person carried out. This knowledge showed that there are energies that are disruptive or abusive and do not sustain clarity or health; and there are energies that are harmonious, nourishing or clearly attuned. ‘Bad’ and ‘good’ (or ‘unskilful/unwholesomedark’ and ‘skilful/wholesome/bright’ in Buddhist terms) are consequently not just value judgements imposed by a society. They are references to energies that are psychologically, emotionally and physically palpable. Action in line with wholesome energy supports well-being and harmony, just as the contrary does the opposite. This is the principle of ethical cause and effect, or ‘kamma-vipāka’.”
- Ajahn Sucitto “Kamma and the End of Kamma” – Skilfulness
“What helps, in meditation and in daily life, is to learn how to sustain and moderate one’s sense of purpose; how to be sensitive and authentic in oneself and in relationship to other people; and how to value and guide the energy that we apply to our lives. All this and more comes under the topic of kamma. We therefore need to get very familiar with what is skilful kamma in terms of both subtle internal and obvious external changing contexts.”
- Akusala
- Ajahn Lee “The Lessons of Unawareness”
“[Evil] exists on its own in the world, by its nature. But people who haven’t thought about it or observed it misunderstand things. They think that evil comes from what the Buddha taught, and so they don’t pay it any attention because they think good and evil were made up by the Buddha. In this way, good and evil get all mixed up together, without anyone knowing their truth. But the Buddha … was able to tell what was unhusked rice, what was husked rice, what was bran, and what was chaff. He then sorted them into separate lots so that people could choose whichever they prefer, with the realization that each of us is responsible for his or her own kamma: Whoever does good will have to meet with good; whoever does evil will have to meet with evil.”
- Bhikkhu Thich Nhat-Tu “Kusala and Akusala as Criteria of Buddhist Ethics”
“Kusala and akusala, a pair of terms coined by the Buddha, are the primary terms to evaluate human behavior and morality. Literally, kusala can be differently rendered as skilful, intelligent, expert; good, right, virtuous, meritorious, beneficial; lucky, happy, healthy and prosperous, as the context demands. Akusala can, therefore, be translated into English as the opposite qualities from kusala such as unskillful, bad and so on. Like the concept of dhamma, no single English word can convey or render exactly what kusala denotes. According to Keown, it is very common for kusala to be rendered as ‘skilful,’ but it should be recognized that this translation carries with it a specific implication for the nature of Buddhist ethics, namely that it is utilitarian. Even then, he warned us, it is a poor translation on aesthetic grounds, and we may note that utilitarian philosophers retain the traditional moral terminology of ‘good,’ ‘bad,’ right,’ and ‘wrong.’”
Review (Click text for answer)
Ajahn Thanissaro teaches that developing the wholesome is a skill – like carpentry or guitar playing – which can be practiced and mastered. ”[The] process of attaining mastery requires attention to three things: (1) to pre-existing conditions, (2) to what one is doing in relation to those conditions, and (3) to the results that come from one’s actions. This threefold focus enables one to monitor one’s actions and adjust them accordingly.” ”‘Bad’ and ‘good’ (or ‘unskilful/unwholesomedark’ and ‘skilful/wholesome/bright’ in Buddhist terms) are consequently not just value judgements imposed by a society. They are references to energies that are psychologically, emotionally and physically palpable.” ”[The] Buddha … was able to tell what was unhusked rice, what was husked rice, what was bran, and what was chaff. He then sorted them into separate lots so that people could choose whichever they prefer, with the realization that each of us is responsible for his or her own kamma” ”Kusala can be differently rendered as skilful, intelligent, expert; good, right, virtuous, meritorious, beneficial; lucky, happy, healthy and prosperous, as the context demands. Akusala can, therefore, be translated into English as the opposite qualities from kusala such as unskillful, bad and so on.”
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