This past Sunday, the 11th of July, I had my Jukai ceremony. It was a really wonderful experience and I've been wanting for sometime to take on the vows, receive Buddha's robe and a name. I'd like to thank everyone who was in attendance that day for Austin Keith(another practitioner who received Jukai on sunday) and myself and a big thanks to Kosho Zenrai McCall who was the preceptor for the ceremony.
I want to take this blog to discuss the precepts and what they mean to me in taking them on. And before I do that let me list them for you:
- Not to kill any living creature
- Not to steal anything
- Not to engage in any form of sexual misconduct
- Not to lie or use false speech
- Not to consume or distribute intoxicants
- Not to discuss the faults and misdeeds that occur by any Buddhist
- Not to praise oneself or disparage others
- Not to be stingy or abusive towards those in need
- Not to harbor anger or resentment or encourage others to be angry
- Not to criticize or slander the three jewels
You may be thinking: "Tom! These precepts seem awfully difficult! How will you ever do them perfectly?!" You should know that for me, the point is not to do them perfectly - I know I'll fail to do them perfectly and owning that failure and being aware of my own limitations is what matters. If I only took the vows in the belief that the goal is to do them perfectly, I feel I'd be sorely mistaken in my view and that it would only lead me to more suffering when I failed at my task of perfection. Failure and awareness of my shortcomings in light of these vows is my practice. This importance on failures is also how I understand the oneness of practice-enlightenment. Practice enlightens me to the delusions I have and from there I can clearly see who I am , make peace with it and let it go.
What is your practice with the precepts?
My practice?
ReplyDeleteMy form of practice is no practice at all. It's more of a way of life and a way to experience it.
I meditate every waking moment- asking questions and tips from my higher self and giving it the most absolute trust.
I trust with my solar plexus. Love with my mind and soul. See with my third eye..and speak with my heart.
I don't live by a list or commands to tell me what will make me purely happy and enlightened and a dutiful person to god/the source/the universe/etc.
Life is a spiritual journey that is full of lessons to learn for me. I choose to love all and everything with all my heart just like a mother would for her child. To be able to fully love to the greatest capacity towards everything is my ultimate goal in my entire spiritual/body evolution while at the same time experiencing and learning lessons and gaining all knowledge of the universe. When that moment happens, then I'll know I'm completely done with my journey.
- Megan Krix