[Buddha-l] liturgical languages

[Stanley J. Ziobro II]

On Tue, 10 May 2005, Randall Jones wrote:

> Richard P. Hayes:
>
> > . . .  And I can hear a word
> > deliberately spoken by another. These are observations of actions that
> > can be done without superimposing any mental constructs at all.
>
> And I can hear a cough or a sneeze (and even a word involuntarily spoken
> should there be such)--though I'd be reluctant to call these "actions," just
> because I find it difficult to superimpose on these the "mental constructs"
> which define for me what it means for an observable behavior to actually be
> an action.  (Not sure "behavior" is the right word, but I feel some
> distinction is needed between action and that something else I've called a
> "behavior."  I'd definitely welcome suggestions for a better term.)

It seems right to say that a behavior is a certain kind of action, one
that is repeatable, habitual, expected when certin conditions coalesce.
Behavior, because it is a repeatable, habitual, expected sort of action or
series of actions can become unconscious and lack (or begin to lack)
intentionality.  Perhaps it is this characteristic of intentionality that
differentiates actions from behavior.  If this is the case, then perhaps
a term one can employ is "intentional act" or "intentional action."

Stan Ziobro