SECOND STEP

SECOND STEP
RIGHT MINDEDNESS

WHAT, now, is Right Mindedness? It is thoughts free from lust;
thoughts free from ill-will; thoughts free from cruelty. This is
called right mindedness.
Now, Right Mindedness, let me tell you, is of two kinds: 1. Thoughts
free from lust, from ill-will, and from cruelty:-this is called the
"Mundane Right Mindedness," which yields worldly fruits and brings
good results.
2. But, whatsoever there is of thinking, considering, reasoning,
thought, ratiocination, application-the mind being holy, being
turned away from the world, and conjoined with the path, the holy path
being pursued-: these "Verbal Operations" of the mind are called the
"Ultramundane Right Mindedness which is not of the world, but is ultra
mundane, and conjoined with the paths.
Now, in understanding wrong-mindedness as wrong, and
right-mindedness as right, one practices Right Understanding [1st
step]; and in making efforts to overcome evil-mindedness, and to
arouse right-mindedness, one practices Right Effort [6th step];
and in overcoming evil-mindedness with attentive mind, and dwelling
with attentive mind in possession of right-mindedness, one practices
Right Attentiveness [7th step]. Hence, there are three things that
accompany and follow upon right-mindedness, namely: right
understanding, right effort, and right attentiveness.