Precepts
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The heart and essence of our Zen path is the practice itself. If we don’t establish and maintain a strong meditation practice then even the word of Buddha and the full extent of precepts will not help us. But as we develop as Zen practitioners, our Buddhist teachings, teachers and precepts become the guideposts to help us mature both as individuals and helpful members of our modern world. Taking the Buddhist Precepts is a significant aspect of our training. At their core, the Precepts are an expression of the life of a Buddha and how a Buddha functions in the world. The Precepts serve as a model for how enlightened wisdom naturally manifests as we relate to other human beings and this planet, and make moral and ethical decisions in everyday circumstances. In moments when we are not clear, we can rely on the Precepts as a compass to navigate our moment-to-moment world. In moments of clarity our natural wisdom and compassion makes the Precepts’ literal instructions unnecessary. As it says at the beginning of our Temple Rules, distilled from the great T’ang Dynasty master Pai-chang, “Know when to keep them and when to break them, when they are open and when they are closed. Let go of your small self and become your true self.” The Ten PreceptsTaking precepts is a public acknowledgement that the Zen path of the Albuquerque Zen Center, under the direction of Zen Master Jeong Ji, is the path that we have chosen to follow. By publicly acknowledging this, we make our practice direction clear for ourselves and others. Also, each of the precepts helps guide us toward ethical and compassionate conduct as we begin and maintain the path of clear mind, open heart, before-thinking practice. The next precepts ceremony at AZC will take place in the spring. Stay tuned for details as they emerge. These precepts are:
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