thinking and acting

• doing it’s different from thinking about it before, during or after it

  Ikka-no-myoju 2: Undivided Reality Summer 2006 — Ikka-no-myoju

The most important text

1. Right Action from Balance ●●● August 2014 — Banský Studenec

   I want to talk about the difference between thinking and doing, or even talking and doing

   difference between thinking and doing · disappointed expectations · no blank minds · pieces of coloured glass · separation of thinking and doing · state of body and mind · three-year-old and eighty-year-old · world of ideas

Other texts

2. MMK 3: Cutting Through Categories ●●● Summer 2008 — Nagarjuna’s Mulamadhyamakakarika

   The gap between our thinking and planning and our actually acting is huge, but we don’t notice it

   gap between thinking and acting · practice bank and thought bank · civilisation based on planning
3. The Map in Our Head ●●● May 2012 — Nová Dedinka

   action is more important than thinking. Of course, thinking is important. But our life is created by our action.

   action over thinking · intention to take the next step · step different from the plan
4. Right and Wrong in Action ●●● June 2006 — Padmafarma

   But even an old man of eighty like me cannot do what the child says.

   gap between knowing and doing · three-year-old and eighty-year-old
5. Shoaku Makusa 5: The Child and the Old Man ●●● Winter 2006 — Shoaku Makusa

   Yes, although a child can say it, an old man can’t do it.

   three-year-old and eighty-year-old · washing cups and pouring tea
6. Three Teachings from Japan ●●● September 2013 — Banský Studenec

   in the West, thinking about things before we do them became much, much more important

   imprisoned by our brain · separation of thinking and doing
7. The Universe Made Real ●●● Shobogenzo · Genjō-kōan

   If we want to fully understand what the circumstances are before we act, we will never be able to act

   understanding circumstances before acting
8. Genjo-koan 5: Freedom Within Limits ●●● Summer 2002 — Genjo-koan

   to start moving and then find our way as we move is also a very realistic way to proceed

   finding our way as we move
9. Buddhism Beyond Robes and Incense ●●● June 2006 — Padmafarma

   It means to do something instead of thinking about something

   doing instead of thinking
10. Zazen Without an Intentional Aim ●●● February 2009 — Cholín

    for thousands of years in Western civilisation, we have learned to separate thinking from doing

    separation of thinking and doing
11. Intuition Covered by Thinking ●●● August 2012 — Dibbavana

    I would like to suggest that thinking and doing are not separate in the natural world

    separation of thinking and doing
12. Action and Result, Living in the Present ●●● May 2014 — Banská Štiavnica

    But to realize it, and to live like that. Very, very difficult.

    easy to understand, hard to live
13. Right and Wrong in Buddhism ●●●

    Translating our understanding of right and wrong into action is the problem that we all face.

    gap between knowing and doing · three-year-old and eighty-year-old
14. Introductions 1: Rules and Reality ●●● Summer 2003 — Introductions to Shobogenzo Chapters

    Master Chijo who is holding a sickle to cut the grass, cuts the snake in half

    Kiso Chijo and the snake
15. Uji 3: The Changing State of Zazen ●●● Winter 2004 — Uji

    the instances in which we act and stop thinking are the basis of our life

    stopping thinking as life’s basis
16. Ikka-no-myoju 2: Undivided Reality ●●● Summer 2006 — Ikka-no-myoju

    doing it’s different from thinking about it before, during or after it

    difference between thinking and doing
17. Shoaku Makusa 1: Not Doing Wrong Here and Now ●●● Winter 2006 — Shoaku Makusa

    those smallest actions that we make actually determine the course of our lives

    smallest actions steering our lives
18. Morality as Balanced Action ●●● February 2009 — Cholín

    I agree that analysing doesn't work sometimes, or often, but I don't agree that it never works

    limits of analysis
19. Effort for Its Own Sake ●●● July 2009 — Dibbavana

    So although they're acting, they're covering it up with their thoughts about something else.

    covering up action with thoughts
20. Buddhism Through European Glasses ●●● August 2014 — Banský Studenec

    make a little plan, and then do something, and change the plan, and do something

    little plan, then action
21. Three Philosophies and One Reality ●●●

    We can transcend the contradiction between the two ideas in real life by acting.

    transcending conflict by acting
22. Understanding the Shobogenzo ●●●

    Even though a child of three can speak this truth, an old man of eighty cannot practice it.

    eating and thinking about eating · three-year-old and eighty-year-old
23. Action as the Center of Buddhism ●●●

    our mind covers up the simple nature of what we are doing in the present with interpretations, judgments, intentions, hopes, fears

    covering up action with thoughts
24. Introductions 4: Ordinary Balance ●●● Summer 2003 — Introductions to Shobogenzo Chapters

    if the master is about to kill the snake and he thinks “don’t kill”, he might get bitten

    Kiso Chijo and the snake
25. Bussho 3: Acting in the Present Moment ●●● Winter 2005 — Bussho

    when we’re driving along, and we’re lost in our thoughts, what we’re actually doing is driving

    lost in thought while driving
26. Uji 5: Life Moment by Moment ●●● Summer 2007 — Uji

    become an excellent theoretical manager, but be absolutely useless in practice because you're looking where you're going

    theoretical manager
27. MMK 5: Relinquishing All Views ●●● Summer 2008 — Nagarjuna’s Mulamadhyamakakarika

    You can actually take a step without any thinking or planning and then you can take another step

    walking without planning
28. Precepts as Guidelines ●●● July 2009 — Dibbavana

    Even a child of three can understand it, but even an old man of eighty, like me, cannot do it

    three-year-old and eighty-year-old
29. Kodo Sawaki and Concrete Teaching ●●● August 2011 — Dibbavana

    we can avoid solving some problems by saying, Let's go to Venice.

    let's go to Venice
30. Two Things, and the Rest Is Fashion ●●● August 2012 — Dibbavana

    when I didn't think about it and just tried to find the best spot, driving in the car

    finding a place to sleep outdoors
31. Dogen’s Teaching as a Way of Living ●●● September 2013 — Banský Studenec

    And when I took the Buddhist precepts, I just jumped. So I became a Buddhist by jumping.

    becoming a Buddhist by jumping
32. Prajñā: The State Before Thinking ●●● May 2014 — Banský Studenec

    very urgent, we do it without noticing. Before we have time to think, we act.

    acting before thinking in an emergency
33. One Moon, Two Moons ●●●

    Thus we often “taint” our actions with thoughts on how to act right

    covering up action with thoughts
34. Zen Is Boring ●●●

    I figured I'd be seeing visions of four armed Krishnas descending from the Heavens

    disappointed expectations

Keywords