The Pali word kusala (as in kusala kamma) is usually translated as "good" or
"wholesome". However "skillful" is another translation supported by the story
where the Buddha asked a monk whether as a layperson he had been kusala with a
lute. He wasn't asking if he played wholesome tunes!

I've been struggling with the ideal of being of net benefit to the world. Now
I'm thinking that any moment of kusala is a moment of being of benefit to the
world. According to Buddhist psychology, kusala and akusala can't both exist at
the same time. And they are not interconnected. This idea will help me to
practice kusala without having to bargain with akusala tendencies. Even the
activity of food consumption, with its connectedness to the dukkha on farms, can
be kusala if practiced in moderation to keep the body healthy.

I'm currently training to be a Volunteer English Tutor. I found some videos of
tutoring sessions on youtube and progress will be slow when visiting a student
for only 2 hours a week. I need to cultivate faith and confidence that studying
English with me is worthwhile even if there doesn't seem to be any impact on the
universe. The same with my own interest and online research of various career
skills that to master would have required a life's work even without my
disabilities. If nothing else I can develop awe and mudita at how smart people
are!

Equanimity, reflecting that my responsibility lies with my actions, so often
taught as something to calm the mind down, could actually be an inspiration to
my efforts. The fruits of kusala kamma, usually associated with wealth and
beauty in the external world, actually more specifically determine that one will
experience happiness and not suffering, as well as be able to empathize with the
happiness and suffering of others with mudita and compassion. That's the law of
karma, or as I like to say, "That's the rules!"

With metta / Antony.

This post is recorded in mp3 audio in our files section:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Buddhaviharas/files/Posts_Read_Aloud/