Strange Secret to Success: right thinking?

After Skool, 6/20/23; Sheldon S., Seth Auberon, Dhr. Seven (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Fake Buddha quote? No, an elaborated mistranslation of what the Buddha teaches in the opening lines of the Dhammapada: "Mind is the forerunner of all conditions." Thinking (intention) precedes acting (karma) and colors it, thereby molding the result. Skillful actions will yield fortunate results (vipaka, phala), unskillful actions (akusala karma) will bring woeful results.

The Strange Secret to Success: Earl Nightingale

The Strangest Secret

(After Skool) What is the strangest secret to success? "We become what we think about"?

Earl Nightingale V (March 12, 1921–March 25, 1989) claims "everyone" was in agreement on this point. It's so famous a saying that it has become a fake Buddha quote.

• AUDIO: The Strangest Secret and This I Believe: How to Live the Life You Desire

What did the Buddha actually say? "Things [life circumstances] are preceded by the mind (heart), ruled by the mind, made by the mind. If one speaks or acts [i.e., performs karma] with a corrupted mind then suffering follows — just as the wheel of the ox cart follows the ox that pulls it" (Dhp. 1). "Mind is the forerunner of all conditions; they are preceded by mind, ruled by mind, made by mind. If one speaks or acts with a calm and bright mind then happiness follows just as one's shadow that never departs" (Dhp. 2).

Earl Nightingale at the mic, bloviating.

Nightingale was an American radio speaker and author, dealing mostly with the subjects of human character development, psychology, motivation, and meaningful existence.

He was the voice, during the early 1950s, of Sky King, the hero of a radio adventure series. He was also a WGN radio program host from 1950 to 1956. He was the author of The Strangest Secret, which economist Terry Savage has termed "one of the great[est] motivational books of all time."

The goal is not to end thinking. Stay calm.

• *"Right thought," one of the factors of Buddhism's Noble Eightfold Path (noble = aryan = "ennobling" = enlightening), means thinking thoughts of renunciation (letting go, non-clinging, non-lust rather than the usual sensual craving that overtakes one), thoughts of non-harming (ahimsa) or non-ill-will, thoughts of non-cruelty. "Right thought" is usually defined as right intention or right resolve, referring to the underlying motivation for an action or deed (karma). The resultants to be expected are called the vipaka (karmic resultant) and the phala (karmic fruit).

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