Faith in Present Intentions: Choosing Skillful Action in the Moment скачать в хорошем качестве

Faith in Present Intentions: Choosing Skillful Action in the Moment

There was an American philosopher, William James, who said that there are basically two kinds of truths. There are truths of the observer, say, where you’re trying to watch the movement of the planets: Wanting them to be a certain way actually gets in the way of seeing what they actually do. For centuries, astronomers wanted the orbits of the planets to be circles, and they tried their darnedest to make them fit into their idea of what the planet’s orbit should be. It wasn’t until Kepler came along and said, “No, they’re not circles, they’re ellipses,” that they finally realized what was actually going on. That was a case where desires got in the way of seeing what’s really true. But there are other truths that become true only because you believe in them and want them to be true. Your freedom to do what is skillful, and to explore how far skillfulness can go—that’s a truth you have to believe in for it to happen. It’s like being an athlete: If you believe that you can be a good runner, you’ve got hope. If you don’t believe you can, then no matter how strong you are, there’s no hope at all. ☸️ True revolution doesn’t begin in society — it begins in the mind. The Buddha did not wage war against social systems or external structures. Instead, he pointed directly at the roots of suffering: greed, aversion, and delusion. That inner work is the revolution that still matters today. 💡 “There’s nothing more beneficial than straightening out your own mind.” This teaching is a reminder of your own power — the power to change, to cultivate clarity, and to take responsibility for what truly shapes your life and the world around you. 🙏 Subscribe for weekly Theravāda wisdom — insightful talks on freedom, integrity, and the mind that creates both suffering and liberation.