[Rememavotscam]

Precepts are often viewed as the very foundation of the path. The first steps that must be laid if one is to make any progress in meditation or wisdom. I understand that the precepts are usually received already set in stone as it were, but I think each of us has the choice of what precepts we will follow. It is generally accepted that the minimum number of precepts one can have and claim to be a Buddhist is the five:

1) I vow not to kill.
2) I vow not to steal.
3) I vow not to engage in sexual misconduct.
4) I vow not to lie.
5) I vow not to use intoxicants.

I have been formulating a set of precepts for my practice and am curious what precepts others have chosen and to what extent they are kept?

The twenty five precepts I have chosen so far are:

01) I take refuge in awakening (Buddha).
02) I take refuge in Dharma.
03) I take refuge in universal brotherhood (sangha).
04) I vow to abandon harmfulness.
05) I vow to cultivate well being.
06) I vow to help others in need.
07) I vow to cultivate parental mind.
08) I vow to cultivate Joyful mind.
09) I vow to cultivate magnanimous mind.
10) I vow to cultivate solitude.
11) I vow to be content with any dwelling.
12) I vow to be content with any clothing.
13) I vow to be content with any food.
14) I vow not to eat after mid-day.
15) I vow not to kill.
16) I vow not to steal.
17) I vow not to engage in sexual misconduct.
18) I vow not to lie.
19) I vow not to use intoxicants.
20) I vow not to criticize others.
21) I vow not to praise self.
22) I vow not to give way to greed.
23) I vow not to give way to anger.
24) I vow not to give way to delusion.
25) I vow not to defile the three treasures.

I recite these precepts every morning upon arising and every evening before bed. I do my very best to let them guide me throughout each and every day.

I look forward to learning how others practice the precepts.

[CxofxJFm]

Hi Maitreya;

Do you follow any system for paying attention to any particular precepts during the day, later that night? For example to you observe whether or not you gave way to anger during the day? Gave way to delusion? Do you count how many times you became aware you were violating any precept (if you did, in fact, violate any of them).

For myself I can't imagine, for example, nicely keeping the precept of not giving way to delusion, given my current state of practice. When something arises to any of my 6 consciousnesses I lack the presence of mind, to even intellectually (let alone instinctively) see as mere arising and watch it come into and out of being, never exaggerating what it truly is (by adding my own conceptual overlay on it) nor discounting it either (by minimizing some aspect of it). The ability to do that on a consistent basis is rare, I think.....and very special, deserving of praise.

However, as something to aspire to and as something to be mindful of----it's a wonderful training, I'd think. To catch ourselves, at least, at times, believing what's arising to be the actual essence-holding thing we wrongly perceive it to be.

[Meowmeowz]

Mine...I don't grab the lollipop from others, I share my lollipop with others and help others have a lollipop as well...

[pIp83Uns]

Do you follow any system for paying attention to any particular precepts during the day, later that night? For example do you observe whether or not you gave way to anger during the day? Gave way to delusion? Do you count how many times you became aware you were violating any precept (if you did, in fact, violate any of them).

I more or less take the practice of the precepts moment by moment, reciting them morning and evening. I had not thought to keep a record of the number of times a precept was violated. I can see how such a practice would increase one's mindfulness and demonstrate one's progress, but I worry that it may unintentionally give rise to a sense of personal accomplishment or in the case of repeated failure a sense of self loathing. However, if the practice was strictly regarded as merely a training tool it might limit one's sense of personal accomplishment or self loathing and strengthen one's practice of the precepts.

I think I will start a practice of keeping track each and every day of how many times I violate the precepts. I will also in the evening instead of just reciting the precepts, I will conduct a confession of each violation before I recite the precepts. This could be done each morning as well if one had dreams that violated the precepts. I think this practice would be beneficial and deepen one's practice.

The form of the confession will be as follows:

Before an image of the Buddha or a Bodhisattva.

"I humbly bow before all the Buddhas and Bodhisattva's throughout all time and space. From (this morning/last night) until now, due to the defilements of greed, anger and delusion, having violated the precepts in mind, body or speech, I now confess them all: (At this point I would confess each violation and how many times it was violated). Having openly confessed and revealed all violations. I now humbly take up the practice the following precepts: (At this point I would recite the precepts). May the determination and mindfulness of all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas throughout all time and space be with me."

Thank you

[ringsarcle]

Hello maitreya,

As always, your post is insightful.

It remembered me the three trainings the Buddha recommend: The training in heightened virtue, the training in heightened mind, the training in heightened discernment. (Vajjiputa Sutta: The Vajjian Monk (AN 3.83) )

Also the Buddha gave a whole process to meditate and reflect about any precept. Goes like this for the case of training against harming life:

"Here householders, a noble disciple reflects thus:

I am one who wishes to live, who does not wish to die. I desire happiness and dislike suffering. Since I am one who wishes to live... and dislike suffering, if someone were to take my life, that would not be pleasant and agreeable to me.

Now, if I were to take the life of another -of one who wishes to live, who does not wish to die, who desires happiness and dislikes suffering -that would not be desirable and agreeable to him, too.

What is undesirable and disagreeable to me, is undesirable and disagreeable to others, too.

How can I inflict upon another what is undesirable and disagreeable to me?

Having reflected thus, he himself refrains from harming life, exhorts others to refrain from harming life, and speaks in praise of refraining from harming life.

Thus, his bodily conduct is purified in three respects."

SN 55.7 Veludvareya Sutta: The People of the Bamboo Gate
Seems to me a kind of general formula so to reflect thus.

[BalaGire]

Kaarine,

I think that is a great formula for reflecting on the precepts and a great way to develop love and compassion.

Thank you.

[blohannaserri]

You are welcome maitreya,

When I was In Soto Zen, besides the five precepts, there aw also given the Hachi Dainingaku:

Shoyoku: Having few desires

Chisoku: Being content

Gyo: Enjoyment of tranquility

Shojin: Being devoted to progress

Fumonen: Not neglecting mindfulness

Shu Zenjo: Do meditation

Jo Riki: Wise discernment

Fukero: Not playing around with theories and opinions (wrong views).

[wmzeto]

I more or less take the practice of the precepts moment by moment, reciting them morning and evening. I had not thought to keep a record of the number of times a precept was violated. I can see how such a practice would increase one's mindfulness and demonstrate one's progress, but I worry that it may unintentionally give rise to a sense of personal accomplishment or in the case of repeated failure a sense of self loathing. However, if the practice was strictly regarded as merely a training tool it might limit one's sense of personal accomplishment or self loathing and strengthen one's practice of the precepts.

I think I will start a practice of keeping track each and every day of how many times I violate the precepts. I will also in the evening instead of just reciting the precepts, I will conduct a confession of each violation before I recite the precepts. This could be done each morning as well if one had dreams that violated the precepts. I think this practice would be beneficial and deepen one's practice.

The form of the confession will be as follows:

Before an image of the Buddha or a Bodhisattva.

"I humbly bow before all the Buddhas and Bodhisattva's throughout all time and space. From (this morning/last night) until now, due to the defilements of greed, anger and delusion, having violated the precepts in mind, body or speech, I now confess them all: (At this point I would confess each violation and how many times it was violated). Having openly confessed and revealed all violations. I now humbly take up the practice the following precepts: (At this point I would recite the precepts). May the determination and mindfulness of all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas throughout all time and space be with me."

Thank you

Hi Maitreya;

Thanks for your kind response and the confession practice. I generally do a confession once a year at the main teaching and retreat center for my community. It's mainly for monks but lay people are allowed to attend most of it, except where (I think) monks confess specific violations of precepts...we have to leave the gompa. As I recall the language we use is similar to this. We do this for all three sets of vows (lay, bodhisatva, tantric).

I had written a rather lengthy response but then was running out of my office and accidentally deleted it. I think that you are doing a wonderful practice and I hope that it never becomes something that's formulaic and ritualistic rather than fresh and joyful. Being aware of unskillful actions is something to be joyful about (that was the subject matter of my response, actually). Recording the times you break precepts makes you more aware of what your mind is up to and should have the effect of reducing the time between breaking and awareness of breaking (because you're being more vigilant) to....eventually...zero...that is to say, you see yourself starting to engage in the conduct and through joyful effort born of aspiration to keep the precepts, you are able to stop it.

[elektikaka]

I had written a rather lengthy response but then was running out of my office and accidentally deleted it. I think that you are doing a wonderful practice and I hope that it never becomes something that's formulaic and ritualistic rather than fresh and joyful. Being aware of unskillful actions is something to be joyful about (that was the subject matter of my response, actually). Recording the times you break precepts makes you more aware of what your mind is up to and should have the effect of reducing the time between breaking and awareness of breaking (because you're being more vigilant) to....eventually...zero...that is to say, you see yourself starting to engage in the conduct and through joyful effort born of aspiration to keep the precepts, you are able to stop it.

I agree that the precepts should be practiced with joyful delight.

The precepts I have taken up result in a state of "naked" present moment awareness open to joyful compassion. I imagine this is the goal of the practice and the mind of Bodhisattva. If the practice is to perfect the precepts so that one never violates them, then what we are trying to cultivate with the precepts is the mind of the Bodhisattva.

This is indeed a reason for joyful practice.