Beginning Well
As we move toward post-pandemic life, it may be helpful to consider how to pick up new activities well. It is fortunate to have the luxury of time in considering how to go forward. Often, we do not – after all, new experiences arise and must be met each moment; there is a continual process of beginning. But when we do have time, it is worthwhile to begin things well. When this is done, experience can unfold with a more natural feeling, and we are better positioned to learn and grow.
Much of the language of Buddhism points toward endings: Letting go; subduing the hindrances; the cessation of suffering; the ending of greed, hatred, and delusion. What about beginnings? The Buddha’s teachings about beginnings focus on our understanding, intention, and effort.
It is no surprise that we are guided to pay attention to the mind as we set forth. The well-known opening stanza of the Dhammapada states: “Mind is the forerunner of all experience.” More specifically, MN 117 says: “Right view comes first.”
This does not mean that we need to passively apply a view given to us from the teachings. It is more subtle than that: Whatever view we are using (and there always is one) will necessarily provide the context and orientation for everything that follows, so it behooves us to adopt an appropriate view for the task. If the task is walking the path to the end of suffering (dukkha), then we would use what is termed “right view,” or right understanding, which has two main forms.
One form is the understanding that actions have results, and that we have some choice about that. Actions that harm will bring us suffering, and actions that do not harm will bring us peace. Even if we have no idea about the larger picture, we can always choose to do a nonharmful action in this moment. People can feel great relief having this as a guide.
Another way to orient is through noticing the suffering or stress of a situation, as well as how that can be reduced or released. When we realize something is amiss or feeling out of alignment, we tune right in to that feeling, and then sense the route out of it. It could be literal tension in the body or a sense of disharmony in the mind. This is using the Four Noble Truths as a guide.
Everyday examples abound. If I am undertaking the task of talking with a colleague about a work project, I could view it as an opportunity to cultivate kindness, active listening, or a healthy relationship. Or, I could simply practice being mindful without drifting into my own thoughts or spacing out during the interaction. Both of these forms of right view offer a very different orientation than, say, viewing the conversation as an opportunity to get my point across and convince my colleague to do the project my way.
It works on the cushion too. When first sitting down to meditate, it is helpful to scan through the body, releasing obvious places of tension, and also to make some attempt to settle the mind. These simple acts orient the body and mind toward the task of meditation in a useful way. In general, we are asking, how can this be wholesome or support the path? How can it reduce any dukkha that is present?
Right view feeds into right intention, which is the crux of how to engage skillfully with beginnings. Classically, there are three wholesome intentions, each of which counteracts an unwholesome tendency. The intention of renunciation counteracts the unskillful pursuit of sense pleasures (grasping at such pleasure). The other two are stated as obvious counteractions: Non-ill-will and non-cruelty, sometimes also named as goodwill and compassion.
The “tone” of our engagement with life matters so much, and intention sets the tone. Once I was composing an email about starting a project, and noticed that I wanted to include a comment that would have had the effect of questioning my colleague’s level of experience (in order to elevate my own). I caught this as coming from an intention of ill will, and instead wrote a more inclusive comment that surely got the conversation off to a better start.
We can also “set the tone” in advance, and then just trust that it will influence the flow. For instance, it can be helpful to deliberately say some goodwill phrases before going into a meeting or even a party. In addition to the direct benefit of wishing people well, a wholesome mind is more likely to remain mindful.
More broadly, we can aim to act, speak, and even think from a place of non-greed, non-hatred, and non-delusion. The three right intentions clearly cover the first two by counteracting ill will, cruelty, and unskillful desire. Non-delusion is covered by right view. This threefold purity of volition is the fundamental way to begin, proceed, and end. The Buddha states clearly that volition (cetanā) lies at the heart of action (kamma), strongly influencing the results we experience (AN 6.63).
The Buddha also talks about the importance of generating wholesome energy (viriya) to undertake a task: “one generates desire, makes an effort, arouses energy, applies one’s mind, and strives” (eg, AN 4.13). This is encapsulated in the phrase “arouses energy” – viriya ārabhati. We should be willing to put forth some effort for things to go well, rather than being more passive or lackluster in our engagement. (Later, once there is some momentum, we are encouraged to back off to a more effortless stance). Wise effort means the right amount of effort, which might be fairly vigorous at the beginning.
Considering beginnings goes well beyond daily life situations. There is a stage of insight practice when we become highly attuned to the beginning of events. Mindfulness becomes sharp – we hear the first moment of a sound, detect the first stirring of a shift in our mood, notice a thought arising out of the pause between thoughts. The wisdom of beginnings includes seeing and feeling the freshness of each appearance – truly, everything is unique. It also includes learning to let something arise as itself without immediately grasping it as “mine,” conceptualizing it (putting it in a box), or otherwise trying to control it. Attuned to beginnings, we can see the arising of suffering concurrent with the act of grasping. It is profound.
So, as things begin to open up, consider how you might engage through a dharmic view and orientation, wise intention, and wholesome effort. It might lead to liberating insight.
As we move toward post-pandemic life, it may be helpful to consider how to pick up new activities well. It is fortunate to have the luxury of time in considering how to go forward. Often, we do not – after all, new experiences arise and must be met each moment; there is a continual process of beginning. But when we do have time, it is worthwhile to begin things well. When this is done, experience can unfold with a more natural feeling, and we are better positioned to learn and grow.
Much of the language of Buddhism points toward endings: Letting go; subduing the hindrances; the cessation of suffering; the ending of greed, hatred, and delusion. What about beginnings? The Buddha’s teachings about beginnings focus on our understanding, intention, and effort.
It is no surprise that we are guided to pay attention to the mind as we set forth. The well-known opening stanza of the Dhammapada states: “Mind is the forerunner of all experience.” More specifically, MN 117 says: “Right view comes first.”
This does not mean that we need to passively apply a view given to us from the teachings. It is more subtle than that: Whatever view we are using (and there always is one) will necessarily provide the context and orientation for everything that follows, so it behooves us to adopt an appropriate view for the task. If the task is walking the path to the end of suffering (dukkha), then we would use what is termed “right view,” or right understanding, which has two main forms.
One form is the understanding that actions have results, and that we have some choice about that. Actions that harm will bring us suffering, and actions that do not harm will bring us peace. Even if we have no idea about the larger picture, we can always choose to do a nonharmful action in this moment. People can feel great relief having this as a guide.
Another way to orient is through noticing the suffering or stress of a situation, as well as how that can be reduced or released. When we realize something is amiss or feeling out of alignment, we tune right in to that feeling, and then sense the route out of it. It could be literal tension in the body or a sense of disharmony in the mind. This is using the Four Noble Truths as a guide.
Everyday examples abound. If I am undertaking the task of talking with a colleague about a work project, I could view it as an opportunity to cultivate kindness, active listening, or a healthy relationship. Or, I could simply practice being mindful without drifting into my own thoughts or spacing out during the interaction. Both of these forms of right view offer a very different orientation than, say, viewing the conversation as an opportunity to get my point across and convince my colleague to do the project my way.
It works on the cushion too. When first sitting down to meditate, it is helpful to scan through the body, releasing obvious places of tension, and also to make some attempt to settle the mind. These simple acts orient the body and mind toward the task of meditation in a useful way. In general, we are asking, how can this be wholesome or support the path? How can it reduce any dukkha that is present?
Right view feeds into right intention, which is the crux of how to engage skillfully with beginnings. Classically, there are three wholesome intentions, each of which counteracts an unwholesome tendency. The intention of renunciation counteracts the unskillful pursuit of sense pleasures (grasping at such pleasure). The other two are stated as obvious counteractions: Non-ill-will and non-cruelty, sometimes also named as goodwill and compassion.
The “tone” of our engagement with life matters so much, and intention sets the tone. Once I was composing an email about starting a project, and noticed that I wanted to include a comment that would have had the effect of questioning my colleague’s level of experience (in order to elevate my own). I caught this as coming from an intention of ill will, and instead wrote a more inclusive comment that surely got the conversation off to a better start.
We can also “set the tone” in advance, and then just trust that it will influence the flow. For instance, it can be helpful to deliberately say some goodwill phrases before going into a meeting or even a party. In addition to the direct benefit of wishing people well, a wholesome mind is more likely to remain mindful.
More broadly, we can aim to act, speak, and even think from a place of non-greed, non-hatred, and non-delusion. The three right intentions clearly cover the first two by counteracting ill will, cruelty, and unskillful desire. Non-delusion is covered by right view. This threefold purity of volition is the fundamental way to begin, proceed, and end. The Buddha states clearly that volition (cetanā) lies at the heart of action (kamma), strongly influencing the results we experience (AN 6.63).
The Buddha also talks about the importance of generating wholesome energy (viriya) to undertake a task: “one generates desire, makes an effort, arouses energy, applies one’s mind, and strives” (eg, AN 4.13). This is encapsulated in the phrase “arouses energy” – viriya ārabhati. We should be willing to put forth some effort for things to go well, rather than being more passive or lackluster in our engagement. (Later, once there is some momentum, we are encouraged to back off to a more effortless stance). Wise effort means the right amount of effort, which might be fairly vigorous at the beginning.
Considering beginnings goes well beyond daily life situations. There is a stage of insight practice when we become highly attuned to the beginning of events. Mindfulness becomes sharp – we hear the first moment of a sound, detect the first stirring of a shift in our mood, notice a thought arising out of the pause between thoughts. The wisdom of beginnings includes seeing and feeling the freshness of each appearance – truly, everything is unique. It also includes learning to let something arise as itself without immediately grasping it as “mine,” conceptualizing it (putting it in a box), or otherwise trying to control it. Attuned to beginnings, we can see the arising of suffering concurrent with the act of grasping. It is profound.
So, as things begin to open up, consider how you might engage through a dharmic view and orientation, wise intention, and wholesome effort. It might lead to liberating insight.
