And the Welcome to the Joseph Goldstein Insight Hour.

This podcast is an expression of our shared interest in self-discovery.

Join Joseph as he shares his deep knowledge of the path of mindfulness.

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This evening will conclude the sealer section of the 8fold path, discussing the next steps of right action and right livelihood.

As with right speech, we cultivate these steps not only for their harmonizing influence in our lives, but as an essential means for

awakening. It's impossible to separate meditative wisdom from the moral understanding that makes it possible.

Now when the Buddha expressed this integrated path in one well-known verse of the

Damapata where he said, avoid what is unskillful, do what is good, and purify the mind.

So especially in times like these where there are great cultural changes and there's often a useful questioning of cultural norms and values, the importance of personal

integrity and responsibility needs to be continually re-articulated so we don't simply

get lost in the confusion of our own desires and impulses.

It said that what most moved the Buddha to teach after his enlightenment

was as he surveyed the world after his enlightenment,

was as he surveyed the world with his eye of wisdom, he saw people seeking happiness, wanting happiness,

and yet doing the very things that cause suffering.

Now when Chante Deva he expressed this so well,

he said, we're like senseless children who shrink from suffering but love its causes.

So we need to really re-articulate and examine and explore the moral foundation that makes

happiness possible.

So although these three steps of right speech, right action, and right livelihood

all revolve around abstinence from doing unskillful things.

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