If you have been sitting with us for a while, and you want to deepen your commitment, then we will make precept study available, leading up to the ceremony of Jukai. While there is plenty of reading, the main work is in your own life, and how you manifest the precepts, and noticing when – as we all do – you break them. From the outside, they look like a set of rules, but it's important not to mistake them for a Buddhist take on the Ten Commandments or the Laws of Manu, or other prescriptive and restrictive codes. Actually, the precepts show how Buddhas live; and as we are all Buddhas, we are more likely to sense that if we live like Buddhas too. You also get to stitch your own rakusu – a bib-like construction that represents the Buddha's robe.
There are three Pure Precepts. As always, different translations emphasise different aspects, but to begin with, we can phrase them like this:
- I vow to cease from evil
- I vow to do good
- Do good for others: I vow to save all sentient beings
After that, there are the ten grave precepts:
- Affirm life: do not kill
- Respect others' possessions: do not steal
- Honour the body and relationships: do not misuse sexuality
- Be truthful: do not lie
- Proceed clearly: do not cloud the mind
- See perfection: do not speak of others' errors and faults
- Actualise equality: don't elevate yourself and put others down
- Give generously: don't be stingy, especially with the Dharma
- Be compassionate: don't give way to anger
- Esteem the Three Treasures (Buddha, Dharma & Sangha): do not speak ill of them
Some consider the act of taking refuge to be a part of precept training; actually, I would say it is a pre-requisite!
- I take refuge in the Buddha
- I take refuge in the Dharma
- I take refuge in the Sangha
Naturally this sounds like I can hide in these things – like a refugee! And there is certainly comfort here. The other side of it comes when we do a practice like the one Genpo Roshi gave me many years ago: when we are doing three bows, on the first bow, you say, “I offer my life to the Buddha”, on the second, “I offer my life to the Dharma” and on the third, “I offer my life to the Sangha.” We are manifesting no separation…