The fourth factor on the Buddhist eightfold path is Right Action. This one is mainly based on the principle of non-harming in any form and therefore to refrain from any action that causes any degree of harm to oneself or to another. Closing the door on behaving in unwholesome ways will open the door for acting in ways of good will. Devotion is the act of giving your full attention to something. Why do we humans even cause pain and suffering when its ultimately not what we want? The source for wrong action stems from fear and ignorance and pain and misunderstanding. Pain produces fear and this comes from having a strong attachment to a sense of identity (me and mine). The cause of suffering is produced at its core from seeking pleasure and avoiding pain (clinging and aversion) and in doing this, we all unconsciously create patterns of suffering in our lives. It then takes a deep and continual effort of looking inward to try to untangle from our ways of wrong action.

Study yourself to find out what wrong action does to your state of mind, however obvious or subtle is shows up. It's easiest to recall something that has already happened and the effect that the wrong action had because hindsight is 20/20 vision. Wrong action is rooted in selfish thinking, which disconnects us from others. So to combat those selfish tendencies, we should think about acting in a way that makes another persons well-being as equal to our own.

Make right action your duty. Watch how that leads to a happy heart. It is the basic concept of treating another how you would like to be treated, even if another person is quite difficult and un-agreeable. Be generous with what you give of yourself (and your innate gifts) because generosity means that you have abundance. Give to others because it brings joy, not because of a selfish desire to get something back or because you might think that tirelessly martyring yourself is the right action. Giving always gives back in and of itself.

Right action shouldn't be draining, but life-enhancing. We should try to refrain from indulging in things that lead to a loss of awareness or promote dullness or numbness, whatever that particular vice is. Notice what brings clarity in your life and act towards being awake in your experience, like having a good conversation or going for a long walk or practicing yoga or whatever else it is that brings you to life.

Right action also has this component of renunciation because refraining from certain actions will benefit us, such as anything fuelled by greed, hatred, stealing, delusions, hoarding, and rage.

Cultivate actions of love and generosity and care and compassion. Notice that our actions and intentions and our speech is how we connect to the world. Actions bear fruit, which is our karma, which is that there is a cause and effect to everything.

Reflect:

What are the outcomes or consequences of your actions?

What do you wish to receive based on what actions you do?