The Buddha teaches Rāhula on how one cultivates the wisdom of non-harm by reflecting on one’s bodily, verbal and mental actions prior to the action, while doing the action and after having done the action.
What do you think, Rāhula, what is the purpose of a mirror?"
“It is for reflection, venerable sir.”
“Just so, Rāhula, reflecting repeatedly, action should be done with the body; reflecting repeatedly, action should be done with speech; reflecting repeatedly, action should be done with the mind.”
Bodily Action
Before Acting
"Whatever bodily action you intend to do, Rāhula, you should reflect upon that bodily action: ‘Would this bodily action I intend to do lead to my own harm, or to the harm of others, or to the harm of both? Is this an unwholesome bodily action with painful consequences, resulting in suffering?’ If, Rāhula, reflecting thus, you would know: ‘This bodily action I intend to do would lead to my own harm, or to the harm of others, or to the harm of both. This is an unwholesome bodily action with painful consequences, resulting in suffering,’ then such a bodily action, Rāhula, should not be done by you. If, however, Rāhula, reflecting thus, you would know: ‘This bodily action I intend to do would neither lead to my own harm, nor to the harm of others, nor to the harm of both. This is a wholesome bodily action with pleasant consequences, resulting in happiness,’ then such a bodily action, Rāhula, should be done by you.
While Acting
While you are doing a bodily action, Rāhula, you should reflect upon that very bodily action: ‘Would this bodily action I am doing lead to my own harm, or to the harm of others, or to the harm of both? Is this an unwholesome bodily action with painful consequences, resulting in suffering?’ If, however, Rāhula, reflecting thus, you would know: ‘This bodily action I am doing leads to my own harm, or to the harm of others, or to the harm of both. This is an unwholesome bodily action with painful consequences, resulting in suffering,’ then you should stop such a bodily action, Rāhula. If, however, Rāhula, reflecting thus, you would know: ‘This bodily action I am doing would neither lead to my own harm, nor to the harm of others, nor to the harm of both. This is a wholesome bodily action with pleasant consequences, resulting in happiness,’ then you should continue such a bodily action, Rāhula.
After Acting
Having done a bodily action, Rāhula, you should reflect upon that very bodily action: ‘Did this bodily action I did lead to my own harm, or to the harm of others, or to the harm of both? Was this an unwholesome bodily action with painful consequences, resulting in suffering?’ If, Rāhula, reflecting thus, you would know: ‘This bodily action I did led to my own harm, or to the harm of others, or to the harm of both. This was an unwholesome bodily action with painful consequences, resulting in suffering,’ then such a bodily action should be confessed to the teacher, to the wise, or to fellow practitioners. It should be revealed, it should be openly declared. Having confessed, revealed, and openly declared it, restraint should be undertaken in the future. If, however, Rāhula, reflecting thus, you would know: ‘This bodily action I did would neither lead to my own harm, nor to the harm of others, nor to the harm of both. This was a wholesome bodily action with pleasant consequences, resulting in happiness,’ then you should dwell with joy and ease, Rāhula, devoted to practicing wholesome qualities day and night."
Verbal Action
Before Acting
Whatever verbal action you intend to do, Rāhula, you should reflect upon that very verbal action: ‘Would this verbal action I intend to do lead to my own harm, or to the harm of others, or to the harm of both? Is this an unwholesome verbal action with painful consequences, resulting in suffering?’ If, however, Rāhula, reflecting thus, you would know: ‘This verbal action I intend to do leads to my own harm, or to the harm of others, or to the harm of both. This is an unwholesome verbal action with painful consequences, resulting in suffering,’ then such a verbal action, Rāhula, should not be done by you. If, however, Rāhula, reflecting thus, you would know: ‘This verbal action I intend to do would neither lead to my own harm, nor to the harm of others. This is a wholesome verbal action with pleasant consequences, resulting in happiness,’ then such a verbal action, Rāhula, should be done by you.
While Acting
While you are doing a verbal action, Rāhula, you should reflect upon that very verbal action: ‘Would this verbal action I am doing lead to my own harm, or to the harm of others, or to the harm of both? Is this an unwholesome verbal action with painful consequences, resulting in suffering?’ If, however, Rāhula, reflecting thus, you would know: ‘This verbal action I am doing leads to my own harm, or to the harm of others, or to the harm of both. This is an unwholesome verbal action with painful consequences, resulting in suffering,’ then you should stop such a verbal action, Rāhula. If, however, Rāhula, reflecting thus, you would know: ‘This verbal action I am doing would neither lead to my own harm, nor to the harm of others, nor to the harm of both. This is a wholesome verbal action with pleasant consequences, resulting in happiness,’ then you should continue such a verbal action, Rāhula.
After Acting
Having done a verbal action, Rāhula, you should reflect upon that very verbal action: ‘Did this verbal action I did lead to my own harm, or to the harm of others, or to the harm of both? Was this an unwholesome verbal action with painful consequences, resulting in suffering?’ If, Rāhula, reflecting thus, you would know: ‘This verbal action I did led to my own harm, or to the harm of others, or to the harm of both. This was an unwholesome verbal action with painful consequences, resulting in suffering,’ then such a verbal action should be confessed to the teacher, to the wise, or to fellow practitioners. It should be revealed, it should be openly declared. Having confessed, revealed, and openly declared it, restraint should be undertaken in the future. If, however, Rāhula, reflecting thus, you would know: ‘This verbal action I did would neither lead to my own harm, nor to the harm of others, nor to the harm of both. This was a wholesome verbal action with pleasant consequences, resulting in happiness,’ then you should dwell with joy and ease, Rāhula, devoted to practicing wholesome qualities day and night."
Mental Action
Before Acting
"Whatever mental action you intend to do, Rāhula, you should reflect upon that very mental action: ‘Would this mental action I intend to do lead to my own harm, or to the harm of others, or to the harm of both? Is this an unwholesome mental action with painful consequences, resulting in suffering?’ If, Rāhula, reflecting thus, you would know: ‘This mental action I intend to do leads to my own harm, or to the harm of others, or to the harm of both. This is an unwholesome mental action with painful consequences, resulting in suffering,’ then such a mental action, Rāhula, should not be done by you. If, however, Rāhula, reflecting thus, you would know: ‘This mental action I intend to do would neither lead to my own harm, nor to the harm of others. This is a wholesome mental action with pleasant consequences, resulting in happiness,’ then such a mental action, Rāhula, should be done by you.
While Acting
While you are doing a mental action, Rāhula, you should reflect upon that very mental action: ‘Would this mental action I am doing lead to my own harm, or to the harm of others, or to the harm of both? Is this an unwholesome mental action with painful consequences, resulting in suffering?’ If, however, Rāhula, reflecting thus, you would know: ‘This mental action I am doing leads to my own harm, or to the harm of others, or to the harm of both. This is an unwholesome mental action with painful consequences, resulting in suffering,’ then you should stop such a mental action, Rāhula. If, however, Rāhula, reflecting thus, you would know: ‘This mental action I am doing would neither lead to my own harm, nor to the harm of others, nor to the harm of both. This is a wholesome mental action with pleasant consequences, resulting in happiness,’ then you should continue such a mental action, Rāhula.
After Acting
Having done a mental action, Rāhula, you should reflect upon that very mental action: ‘Did this mental action I did lead to my own harm, or to the harm of others, or to the harm of both? Was this an unwholesome mental action with painful consequences, resulting in suffering?’ If, Rāhula, reflecting thus, you would know: ‘This mental action I did led to my own harm, or to the harm of others, or to the harm of both. This was an unwholesome mental action with painful consequences, resulting in suffering,’ then, Rāhula, such a mental action should be abhorred, despised, and rid of. Having abhorred, despised, and rid of it, restraint should be undertaken in the future. If, however, Rāhula, reflecting thus, you would know: ‘This mental action I did would neither lead to my own harm, nor to the harm of others, nor to the harm of both. This was a wholesome mental action with pleasant consequences, resulting in happiness,’ then you should dwell with joy and ease, Rāhula, devoted to practicing wholesome qualities day and night.
Rāhula, whatever ascetics or brahmins in the past purified their bodily actions, purified their verbal actions, and purified their mental actions, they all did so by repeatedly reflecting thus: by reflecting thus, they purified their bodily actions; by reflecting thus, they purified their verbal actions; by reflecting thus, they purified their mental actions. And whatever ascetics or brahmins in the future will purify their bodily actions, will purify their verbal actions, and will purify their mental actions, they all will do so by repeatedly reflecting thus: by reflecting thus, they will purify their bodily actions; by reflecting thus, they will purify their verbal actions; by reflecting thus, they will purify their mental actions. And whatever ascetics or brahmins at present purify their bodily actions, purify their verbal actions, and purify their mental actions, they all do so by repeatedly reflecting thus: by reflecting thus, they purify their bodily actions; by reflecting thus, they purify their verbal actions; by reflecting thus, they purify their mental actions. Therefore, Rāhula, you should train yourself thus: ‘I will purify my bodily actions by reflecting repeatedly; I will purify my verbal actions by reflecting repeatedly; I will purify my mental actions by reflecting repeatedly.’ This is how you should train yourself, Rāhula."
The Blessed One said this. Satisfied, the venerable Rāhula rejoiced in the Blessed One’s words.
This is a good guidance by the Buddha on how one cultivates the factor of right action.
Related Teachings:
The effects of cultivating the eightfold path are gradual (DhP 273) - The noble eightfold path is a comprehensive collection of training guidelines that one should practice for the ending of the unwholesome mental qualities and for the benefits of enlightened mental qualities shine through.
I Will Not Tell An Intentional Lie Even As A Joke (From MN 61) - The Buddha teaches Rāhula about the importance of truthfulness, teaching him to not tell an intentional lie even as a joke.
Eight causes leading to wisdom (AN 8.2) - Eight conditions that lead to the arising of wisdom, its growth and perfection.
Image credits: Mémoire du Vent - “Parallel Realities”, Lee Hyun-Joung