Ep. 248 – Right Action & Livelihood, Satipatthana Sutta Series Pt. 45

Jul 9, 2025

Explore the essence of Right Action and Livelihood, focusing on moral conduct as the key to happiness. Delve into the Buddha's teachings on compassion, emphasizing the importance of not causing harm to any living being. Navigate ethical dilemmas with mindfulness and integrity, avoiding the rationalization of selfish actions. Personal stories illustrate living harmoniously with nature and fostering trust through non-stealing and generosity. Reflect on the balance between awareness and sustained action in tackling societal issues like climate change.

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INSIGHT

Moral Practice Is Integral To Wisdom

Right action, like right speech, integrates moral behavior with awakening and cannot be separated from wisdom.
Abstaining from unskillful acts supports meditative clarity and the cause of true happiness.

ANECDOTE

Sleeping With Spiders Instead Of Killing Them

Joseph Goldstein lived with large spiders on his ceiling and chose not to kill them, learning to coexist.
He discovered that respecting their space preserved his compassion and reduced alienation from other beings.

INSIGHT

Small Acts Deepen Compassion

Refraining from killing even small creatures cultivates metta and stronger compassion in us.
Mindful non-harming creates a felt kinship with all sentient beings and deepens ethical sensitivity.

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Rearticulating the moral foundation that makes happiness possible and honors our kinship with all living beings, Joseph Goldstein explores Right Action and Right Livelihood.

The Satipatthana Sutta is one of the most celebrated and widely studied discourses in the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism. This episode is the 45th part of an in-depth 46-part lecture series from Joseph Goldstein that delves into every aspect of the Satipatthana Sutta. If you are just now jumping into the Satipatthana Sutta series, listen to Insight Hour Ep. 203 to follow along and get the full experience!

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In this episode’s exploration of the Satipatthana Sutta, Joseph Goldstein discusses:

Navigating cultural changes with mindfulness, integrity, and personal responsibility
Right Action: cultivating clarity and strength of mind to abstain from actions that cause harm to self or others
The Buddha’s teachings on non-harming, non-killing, and cultivating a deep sense of kinship with all living beings
Desiring the welfare of all sentient beings– even something as small as a mosquito or an ant
Facing ethical dilemmas with awareness, avoiding the trap of rationalizing harmful or selfish actions
Understanding karma and consequences as directly linked to the intensity of our defilements
How non-stealing and generosity foster trust, harmony, and a universal sense of safety
Living mindfully by not consuming or taking more than we truly need, contributing to global economic and ecological balance
Becoming mindful of the power of sexual energy, refraining from sexual misconduct, and keeping the sangha beautiful
Seeing Right Livelihood as a crucial aspect of the path, given how much of life is devoted to work
Applying right livelihood into any profession by infusing our role with service, ethics, and awareness
Understanding wealth as a blessing when rightfully earned and used for the benefit of many beings

This episode was originally published on Dharmaseed.

Grab a copy of the book Joseph references throughout this series, Satipaṭṭhāna: The Direct Path to Realization, HERE and check out the other mentioned book from this episode, Kinship with All Life

"It’s possible to develop an attitude of service in whatever work we do. Are we simply doing a job to support ourselves, or, are we watching the attitudes in our mind as we do our work? Do we work with care, attentiveness, and a genuine desire to be helpful? It’s not only what we do, but how we do it.” – Joseph Goldstein

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