The Most Profound Acceptance of Responsibility

~ By Ajahn Jayasāro ~

We can only take responsibility for those things over which we can exercise deliberate control. We cannot, for example, forbid ourselves in advance from experiencing a desire to say something hurtful to another person. But we can resolve not to act upon that desire if it should arise. As Buddhists, we take full responsibility for our actions and speech, but do not consider ourselves bad for greedy, angry, foolish thoughts. Failure to understand this point leads to a mind tormented by guilt. Many people endlessly criticize themselves and believe that they are bad people because they have bad thoughts. It is a sad mistake that causes a huge amount of unnecessary suffering in the world.

When we refrain from acting upon bad thoughts we can make progress in removing them from the mind. The vital steps are to consistently refuse to indulge in them, and to cultivate the meditation skills that cut them off at the root. Indeed, it might be said that this is the most profound acceptance of responsibility: taking on the work necessary to remove unwholesome thoughts from the mind, and to develop the wholesome.

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"Food for the Heart", a series of Dhamma teachings handwritten weekly is posted on the Buddhadāsa Indapañño Archives page with Ajahn's kind permission.

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For other teachings by Ven. Ajahn Jayasāro, please visit the Panyaprateep Foundation website.