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Precepts

The heart 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, the 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.

When we are not clear, we can rely on the Precepts as a compass to navigate our ever-changing world. In moments of clarity our natural wisdom and compassion can arise to make the Precepts’ literal instructions unnecessary. As it says at the beginning of the 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 Precepts

Taking precepts is a public acknowledgement that the Zen path is the path that we have chosen to follow. Also, to take precepts at the Albuquerque Zen Center signifies a relationship with the community of the Albuquerque Zen Center, under the direction of Zen Master Jeong Ji. By publicly acknowledging this, we make our practice direction clear for ourselves and others.

The next precepts ceremony at AZC will take place in the spring. If you are interested in taking precepts with us, or if you have any questions, please get in touch in Jeong Ji.

These precepts are:

  1. I vow to abstain from taking life.
  2. I vow to abstain from taking things not given.
  3. I vow to abstain from misconduct done in lust.
  4. I vow to abstain from lying.
  5. I vow to abstain from intoxicants, taken to induce heedlessness.
  6. I vow not to talk about the faults of others.
  7. I vow not to praise myself and put down others.
  8. I vow not to be covetous and to be generous.
  9. I vow not to give way to anger and to be harmonious.
  10. I vow not to slander the three jewels (Buddha, dharma, sangha).
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