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| Photo by our Sangha member, Byron Hovey |
This year our fall Jukai will take place on Saturday afternoon, Nov. 19. Jukai is the ceremony of Receiving the Precepts, and thus formally entering the Buddhist Sangha. In preparation for this important ceremony, the Windhorse Dharma study group will shift its focus from classical Buddhist texts to exploring these precepts and how they relate to our lives.
It is said that “Zen is above morality, but morality is not below Zen.” Doing our best to uphold the precepts in everyday life is an essential part of our practice, something that was strongly emphasized by Roshi Philip Kapleau. These precepts are not commandments -- who, after all, would command whom? Instead, these "items of good character" point to a way of being that occurs naturally when we live in harmony with the truth of our own deepest nature.
The Ten Cardinal Precepts of Buddhism are:
- I resolve not to kill, but to cherish all life.
- I resolve not to take what is not given, but to respect the things of others.
- I resolve not to misuse sexuality, but to be caring and responsible.
- I resolve not to lie, but to speak the truth.
- I resolve not to cause others to abuse substances that can impair the mind, nor to do so myself, but to keep the mind clear.
- I resolve not to speak of the faults of others, but to be understanding and sympathetic.
- I resolve not to praise myself and disparage others, but to overcome my own shortcomings.
- I resolve not to withhold spiritual or material aid, but to give them freely where needed.
- I resolve not to indulge in anger, but to practice forbearance.
- I resolve not to defile the Three Treasures, but to cherish and uphold them.
These one-hour Thursday meetings start at 5.30PM and are open to all. Their format resembles a council circle more than a text-study class: participants don't so much analyze the words as share what moves and motivates them, often referring to their personal stories and practice. This set-up has proved to be a fine way to bring basic Buddhist teachings to life and, in the process, to become better acquainted with others in the sangha.
First getting into Zen, I thought " I'm pretty good about this precept thing...". And it was true.
ReplyDeleteThen growing older and practice being not very strong or consistent, I thought " ....not very good about these precepts..". And it was true.
Then, living at a center for some years and having intense daily practice, it became: " AH, I'm pretty good about these precepts...". And it was true.
Now with practice ripening and deepening a little bit, it has come back to: " ... not very good about these precepts..." And it's true. As the most subtle nuance of thoughts, feelings, actions, emotions become magnified a million times. And it becomes painfully, or joyfully, clear that through this magnifying lens of boundless intimacy, each action, thought, word, deed has the potential consequence of great harm. Or the potential consequence of Love without edges.