[Buddha-l] Re: on eating meat

[Kate]

> There isn't necessarily (or, really, at all) a distinction between
> "intention" and "action" - because "intention" itself should be
> considered an "act" - a "mental" act, if you will. > - Curt

This is my understand of it too.  From my teacher's writings:

"To be karmically generative (and thus retributive), the Sarvastivada and
other sects taught that there are five factors whose presence is necessary
for a retributive karmic activity (Karmaphala; Chinese: yeh hua; Japanese:
joge) to take place.  Such activity is initiated even if the action is
completed only mentally, for in such a case a mental karma is created  These
factors are as follows:  Object (vastu), intention  (samjna); effort
(prayoga); mental stain (klesa); and acomplishment (nispati).  This latter
factor is an attitude of relief, satisfaction, or gladness at the event
being completed.  Vasubandhu and others also showed that the act of
instigating another person to commit a violent act equally created a karma
for the instigator. In any act of violence, the higher the intensity with
which the act is carried out, the greater the internal effect to the
executor."

Just out of interest, in Chen Yen the five element system of analysis is
used when considering any matter.  Therefore in any act of violence there
will be the klesa of hatred (Klesa = Space/Ether) which helps create the
attitude necessary for the act; the person who is the Object of the act
(Object = Earth); the intention/motivation to do it (intention = Water);
seizing an opportunity and carrying it out (Act = Fire); followed by the
sense of satisfaction or relief when it has been done (mental satisfaction =
Air).

"The klesa present can equally be a combination of factors, ie in the case
in question [an act of violence], if the act is motivated by envy, the klesa
of hatred will be present; the longing to do the act will be the klesa of
greed; and belief that the act itself will change the situation will stem
from delusion.  It can be seen that in some cases an act which is thought
about, nurtured and dwelt upon, but not actually carried out, can create
more harmful patterns than a brief unplanned action.  Similarly, an act of
death caused unintentionaly will likewise not carry the causal factors
mentioned.

"We can see that the various klesa involved here act as conditioning factors
of consciousness and are themselves composed of the various forms of mental
karma and Dukkha (sufferings).  These in turn arise and are dependent upon
the various individual samskaras created or maintained by the individual
during life.  Klesa form the predominant theme in creating the pattern or
consciousness, itself, and it is from this pattern that we develop attitudes
and desires that induce suffering in oneself and others."

Karma is considered to be activities of the mind which modify its condition.

There is a lot more to this but the object of using the five element system
of analysis is basically to have a tool for understanding consciousness.
With a proper teacher it can form a 'ruler' by which a student could orient
their progression in modifying their behaviour in certain areas and reorient
the student where necessary.

Regards
Kate