If there are no regrets or guilt, the choice I make of taking my child off the life-support shouldn't make me feel guilt ridden for what I did. From this feeling of peace come the sixth, seventh, and eighth aspects of the path: Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration (samma vayana, samma sati, and samma samadhi) (Harvey, 50). With effort, mindfulness and concentration, the passive and active are in balance. .
The importance of practicing sila (virtue) cannot be understated. To me it is the cornerstone of our practice as lay people. It is as important to practice sila as it is to meditate regularly. In fact, I would venture to say that in order to practice meditation with any great success, one is required to practice sila. The key to putting the Dhamma into practice is to eliminate remorse. Remorse clings to the past, makes the mind restless and impossible to concentrate. To eliminate any remorse I may feel after my choice, it makes it possible for all the benefits of the Dhamma to occur (Class lecture, Nov.14/01). .
Sila is the principle of human behavior that promotes orderly and peaceful existence in a community. Usually they comprise lists of actions from which to abstain, implying that any actions not covered by the prohibitions are permissible. These five Silas are the basic principles of Buddhism best known to most people. One moral conduct is that the prohibition against taking the life of living beings applies not only to humanity but also to creatures of every kind. I suppose that removing my child from life-support would be "taking" his/ her life, but what if the result of that gives life to another human being? Am I going against this Sila? In a situation such as this, it cannot be seen from one point of view. All consequences must be considered.
Metta or lovingkindness meditation cultivates our ability to connect with and care in a rare unconditional way, for others and ourselves.
