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"Oh! I’m sorry. Honestly, I had no intention" - so we apologize when something goes wrong. If the other is convinced that we are not responsible, we stand a good chance of being excused, unless there is a trace of negligence or irresponsiblity on our part.
"Intention, monks, I say, is action. Intending one does action by body, speech and mind" - so says, the Buddha. The word "action" here stands for that morally responsible action called ’karma’. This declaration shows the far - reaching implications of the word "intention" in regard to the question of moral responsibility. Body, speech, and mind are the three doors of action for which we could be held responsible. To be a good door-keeper, one has to know what the door-knob is. Intention is the door-knob. The Buddha’s teachings on ’karma’ reveal the immense importance attached to our duties as door-keepers. The dimensions of karma are so deep, and its results so far-reaching, that the Buddha cautions us again and again to guard our three doors of action. Quite a lot of circumspection is required before we turn the door-knob. As a ready-reckoner for this circumspection, the Buddha draws our attention to the mainsprings of all karma. Greed, hate and delusion are the three mainsprings of all evil or unskillful action. Non-greed, non-hate and non-delusion are the three mainsprings of all good or skillful action. In broad outline, this shows the gamut of all what is evil and good. So, before one turns the door-knob one has to weigh pros and cons with this ready-reckoner, whether to allow or not, action to issue out of the three doors. The result of action is called ’vipaka’, which is the ripening of karma in time and space. It is an unfailing law of nature. Action born of greed, hate and delusion ripens wherever one is reborn in samsara, into a bitter fruit of suffering. Action, born of non-greed, non-hatred and non-delusion leads one towards the very removal of greed, hate and delusion. That way lies freedom from samsara and the supreme bliss of Nibbana. |