Precept Essays: Introduction

Twice a year, our Sangha gathers to take Jukai and recommit to the Buddhist precepts. For reference, the precepts as we take them at the Center are as follows:

1. I resolve not to kill but to cherish all life.
2. I resolve not to take what is not given, but to respect the things of others.
3. I resolve not to misuse sexuality, but to be caring and responsible.
4. I resolve not to lie but to speak the truth.
5. I resolve not to cause others to take substances that impair the mind, nor to do so myself, but to keep the mind clear.
6. I resolve not to speak of the faults of others, but to be understanding and sympathetic.
7. I resolve not to praise myself and disparage others, but to overcome my own shortcomings.
8. I resolve not to withhold spiritual or material aid, but to given them freely where needed.
9. I resolve not to indulge in anger, but to practice forbearance.
10. I resolve not to revile the Three Treasures (Buddha, Dharma and Sangha), but to cherish and uphold them.

Before the last Jukai, I invited Sangha members to write something reflecting on a particular precept that was important to them. Some initial responses appear below.

To examine the precepts carefully is to rediscover our own efforts, and inevitably, our own shortcomings. While these efforts can be very personal, these writings are offered as a lens through which to see our efforts in their universality-- though the names and forms differ, much of what follows should sound quite familiar.

-JRL