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Questions for figuring out Do's not Don'ts

Theravada Buddhism mainly offers lists of Don'ts rather than Do's. I've struggled to figure out what action I want to do before I do it.


“Whenever you want to do a [bodily/verbal/mental] action, you should reflect on it: ‘This action I want to do — would it lead to self-affliction, to the affliction of others, or to both? Would it be an unskillful action, with painful consequences, painful results?’ If, on reflection, you know that it would lead to self-affliction, to the affliction of others, or to both; it would be an unskillful action with painful consequences, painful results, then any action of that sort is absolutely unfit for you to do. But if on reflection you know that it would not cause self-affliction, the affliction of others or both, it would be a skillful action with pleasant consequences, pleasant results, then any action of that sort is fit for you to do."

~ the Buddha, Majjhima Nikaya 61, transl. Thanissaro


My latest variation (bodily, verbal, mental action respectively):

"What energetic movement can I commence such that afterwards I will be very glad indeed that I've already exercised it?

What articulate offering can I utter such that afterwards I will be very glad indeed that I've already given it?

What inwardly strong quality can I deploy such that afterwards I will be very glad indeed that I've already applied myself wholeheartedly?"


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