Self-Discipline and the Buddhist Concept of Skillfulness

The Buddhist concept of skillful means involves a sincere desire to be of benefit. We almost never convince other people to do something simply by loudly and repeatedly telling them that it's the right thing to do. But we may be able to influence someone's behavior through skillful means, perhaps by confessing how sad their behavior makes us feel. It is possible to create an attractive miniature tree in a shorter amount of time with judicious pruning and wiring of branches.