Today is January 4th, and I’m proud to say I haven’t missed a single day of meditation practice since the 1st of this lovely new year. Most days I meditate for 30 minutes, just as the sun goes down. But for me practice is about more than just meditating every day. It’s about how I move through the world.
In Buddhism there are guidelines called precepts. Unlike The Ten Commandments, precepts are not hard and fast rules for living, they are a code of ethics that lay practitioners can choose to follow as part of their practice.
My #ThemeWord for 2012 is PRACTICE. And I’ve chosen to incorporate the precepts as part of my practice going forward.
The Ten Grave Precepts
(With Commentaries by Bodhidharma and Dogen Zenji)
1. Not Killing. Bodhidharma: Self-nature is subtle and mysterious. In the realm of the everlasting Dharma, not giving rise to the ideal of killing is called the Precept of Not Killing. Dogen Zenji: The Buddha seed grows in accordance with not taking life. Transmit the life of Buddha’s wisdom and do not kill.
2. Not Stealing. Bodhidharma: Self-nature is subtle and mysterious. In the realm of the unattainable Dharma, not having thoughts of gaining is called the Precept of Not Stealing. Dogen Zenji: The self and things of the world are just as they are. The gate of emancipation is open.
3. Not Misusing Sex. Bodhidharma: Self-nature is subtle and mysterious. In the realm of the ungilded Dharma, not creating a veneer of attachment is called the Precept of Not Misusing Sex. Dogen Zenji: The Three Wheels are pure and clear. When you have nothing to desire, you follow the way of all Buddhas.
4. Not Lying. Bodhidharma: Self-nature is subtle and mysterious. In the realm of the inexplicable Dharma, not preaching a single word is called the Precept of Not Lying. Dogen Zenji: The Dharma Wheel turns from the beginning. There is neither surplus nor lack. The whole universe is moistened with nectar, and the truth is ready to harvest.
5. Not Giving or Taking Drugs. Bodhidharma: Self-nature is subtle and mysterious. In the realm of the intrinsically pure Dharma, not giving rise to delusions is called the Precept of Not Giving or Taking Drugs. Dogen Zenji: Drugs are not brought in yet. Don’t let them invade. That is the great light.
6. Not Discussing Faults of Others. Bodhidharma: Self-nature is subtle and mysterious. In the realm of the flawless Dharma, nor expounding upon error is called the Precept of Not Speaking of Faults of Others. Dogen Zenji: In the Buddha Dharma, there is one path, one Dharma, one realization, one practice. Don’t permit fault-finding. Don’t permit haphazard talk.
7. Not Praising Yourself While Abusing Others. Bodhidharma: Self-nature is subtle and mysterious. In the realm of the equitable Dharma, not dwelling upon I against you is called the Precept of Not Praising Yourself while Abusing Others. Dogen Zenji: Buddhas and Ancestral Teachers realize the empty sky and the great earth. When they manifest the noble body, there is neither inside nor outside in emptiness. When they manifest the Dharma body, there is not even a bit of earth on the ground.
8. Not Sparing the Dharma Assets. Bodhidharma. Self-nature is subtle and mysterious. In the genuine, all-pervading Dharma, not being stingy about a single thing is called the Precept of Not Sparing the Dharma Assets. Dogen Zenji: One phrase, one verse–that is the ten thousand things and one hundred grasses; one dharma, one realization–that is all Buddhas and Ancestral Teachers. Therefore, from the beginning, there has been no stinginess at all.
9. Not Indulging in Anger. Bodhidharma: Self-nature is subtle and mysterious. In the realm of the selfless Dharma, not contriving reality for the self is called the Precept of Not Indulging in Anger. Dogen Zenji: Not advancing, not retreating, not real, not empty. There is an ocean of bright clouds. There is an ocean of solemn clouds.
10. Not Defaming the Three Treasures. Bodhidharma: Self-nature is subtle and mysterious. In the realm of the One, nor holding nihilistic concepts of ordinary beings and sages is called the Precept of Not Defaming the Three Treasures. Dogen Zenji: The teisho of the actual body is the harbour and the weir. This is the most important thing in the world. Its virtue finds its home in the ocean of essential nature. It is beyond explanation. We just accept it with respect and gratitude.
Everything within the precepts is framed by the belief in doing no harm. So the question we ask when making a decision is “will this decision or action cause harm to myself or others?”. If the answer is yes, then the course of action is clear. But there will be situations where the answer is not clear. At least not for a lay practitioner like me. For example, I once asked my teacher what to do about the ants in the garden.
Me: “I have a question about Ants. There are Ants in my garden, but if I’m to do no harm…how do I remove the ants?”
Maezen: “Depends how long you can live w/ants. Ants belong in a garden. Just don’t confuse theory w/ practice. Theory confuses, practice doesn’t.”
A very Zen answer. The ants stayed. But if it had been termites or rats in my home…I’m sure I would have chosen differently. It’s all practice, my commitment is to do my best on any given day.
One way I’ve chosen to very easily live within the precepts was by becoming a practicing vegetarian. I started by giving up red meat, then chicken. For months I was a pescatarian (only eating fish), and finally 3 months ago I gave up fish as well. The transition was much easier than I expected. Now I’m working to find ways to incorporate more protein into my diet without eating meat.
One place where I struggle is with “Not Discussing The Faults of Others”. When I attended my first Sesshin (silent meditation retreat), I spent 9+ hours a day staring at a wall. You can learn a lot about yourself and how your mind works by staring at walls. What I discovered was that 85% of my thoughts were judgments and criticisms of myself and others. I am constantly judging. Constantly finding fault. I’d like to work on this, and so I’m committed to practicing more compassion for myself and others.
Renowned Buddhist Monk Thich Nath Hanh has taken the precepts and distilled them into what he calls the five mindfulness trainings. I love his phrasing and wanted to share them with you here.
The Five Mindfulness Trainings
(according to Thich Nath Hanh, www.plumvillage.org)
-First Training-
Aware of the suffering caused by the destruction of life, I am committed to cultivating compassion and learning ways to protect the lives of people, animals, plants, and minerals. I am determined not to kill, not to let others kill, and not to condone any act of killing in the world, in my thinking, and in my way of life.
-Second Training-
Aware of the suffering caused by exploitation, social injustice, stealing, and oppression, I am committed to cultivate loving kindness and learn ways to work for the well-being of people, animals, plants, and minerals. I am committed to practice generosity by sharing my time, energy, and material resources with those who are in real need. I am determined not to steal and not to possess anything that should belong to others. I will respect the property of others, but I will prevent others from profiting from human suffering or the suffering of other species on Earth.
-Third Training-
Aware of the suffering caused by sexual misconduct, I am committed to cultivate responsibility and learn ways to protect the safety and integrity of individuals, couples, families, and society. I am determined not to engage in sexual relations without love and a long-term commitment. To preserve the happiness of myself and others, I am determined to respect my commitments and the commitments of others. I will do everything in my power to protect children from sexual abuse and to prevent couples and families from being broken by sexual misconduct.
-Fourth Training-
Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful speech and the inability to listen to others, I am committed to cultivate loving speech and deep listening in order to bring joy and happiness to others and relieve others of their suffering. Knowing that words can create happiness or suffering, I am committed to learn to speak truthfully, with words that inspire self-confidence, joy, and hope. I am determined not to spread news that I do not know to be certain and not to criticize or condemn things of which I am not sure. I will refrain from uttering words that can cause division or discord, or that can cause the family or the community to break. I will make all efforts to reconcile and resolve all conflicts, however small.
-Fifth Training-
Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful consumption, I am committed to cultivate good health, both physical and mental, for myself, my family, and my society by practicing mindful eating, drinking, and consuming. I am committed to ingest only items that preserve peace, well-being, and joy in my body, in my consciousness, and in the collective body and consciousness of my family and society. I am determined not to use alcohol or any other intoxicant or to ingest foods or other items that contain toxins, such as certain TV programs, magazines, books, films, and conversations. I am aware that to damage my body or my consciousness with these poisons is to betray my ancestors, my parents, my society, and future generations. I will work to transform violence, fear, anger, and confusion in myself and in society by practicing a diet for myself and for society. I understand that a proper diet is crucial for self-transformation and for the transformation of society.
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Erica OGrady is a writer, avid shoe-wearer, and genuinely nice human being.
