RIGHT ASPIRATION

　　The second element of the Eightfold path is samma sankappa. Sometimes this is translated as “Right Thought”, thinking in the right way. However, it actually has more of a dynamic quality - like “intention”, “attitude” or “aspiration”. I like to use “aspiration” which is somehow very meaningful in this Eightfold Path - because we do aspire.

　　It is important to see that aspiration is not desire. The Pali word “tanha” means desire that comes out of ignorance, whereas “sankappa” means aspiration not coming from ignorance. Aspiration might seem like a kind of desire to us because in English we use the word “desire” for everything of that nature - either aspiring or wanting. You might think that aspiration is a kind of tanha, wanting to become enlightened (bhava tanha) - but samma sankappa comes from Right Understanding, seeing clearly. It is not wanting to become anything; it is not the desire to become an enlightened person. With Right Understanding, that whole illusion and way of thinking no longer makes sense.

　　Aspiration is a feeling, an intention, attitude or movement within us. Our spirit rises, it does not sink downwards - it is not desperation! When there is Right Understanding, we aspire to truth, beauty and goodness. Samma ditthi and samma sankappa, Right Understanding and Right Aspiration, are called panna or wisdom and they make up the first of the three sections in the Eightfold Path.

　　We can contemplate: Why is it that we still feel discontented, even when we have the best of everything

　　 We are not completely happy even if we have a beautiful house, a car, the perfect marriage, lovely bright children and all the rest of it - and we are certainly not contented when we do not have all these things!....If we don”t have them, we can think, “Well, if I had the best, then I”d be content.” But we wouldn”t be. The earth is not the place for our contentment; it”s not supposed to be. When we realise that, we no longer expect contentment from planet earth; we do not make that demand.

　　Until we realise that this planet cannot satisfy all our wants, we keep on asking, “Why can”t you make me content, Mother Earth

　　” We are like little children who suckle their mother, constantly trying to get the most out of her and wanting her always to nurture and feed them and make them feel content.

　　If we were content, we would not wonder about things. Yet we do recognise that there is something more than just the ground under our feet; there is something above us that we cannot quite understand. We have the ability to wonder and ponder about life, to contemplate its meaning. If you want to know the meaning of your life, you cannot be content with material wealth, comfort and security alone.

　　So we aspire to know the truth. You might think that that is a kind of presumptuous desire or aspiration, “Who do I think I am

　　 Little old me trying to know the truth about everything.” But there is that aspiration. Why do we have it if it is not possible

　　 Consider the concept of ultimate reality. An absolute or ultimate truth is a very refined concept; the idea of God, the Deathless or the immortal, is actually a very refined thought. We aspire to know that ultimate reality. The animal side of us does not aspire; it does not know anything about such aspirations. But there is in each of us an intuitive intelligence that wants to know; it is always with us but we tend to not notice it; we do not understand it. We tend to discard or mistrust it - especially modern materialists. They just think it is fantasy and not real.

　　As for myself, I was really happy when I realised that the planet is not my real home. I had always suspected it. I can remember even as a small child thinking, “I don”t really belong here.” I have never particularly felt tha…

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