Fourteen Precepts Of Engaged Buddhism

by Thich Nhat Hanh



1. Do not be idolatrous about or bound to any doctrine, theory, or ideology, even Buddhist ones. All systems of thought are guiding means; they are not absolute truth.

2. Do not think that the knowledge you presently possess is changeless, absolute truth. Avoid being narrow-minded and bound to present views. Learn and practice non-attachment from views in order to be open to receive others' viewpoints. Truth is found in life and not merely in conceptual knowledge. Be ready to learn throughout our entire life and to observe reality in yourself and in the world at all times.

3. Do not force others, including children, by any means whatsoever, to adopt your views, whether by authority, threat, money, propaganda, or even education. However, through compassionate dialogue, help others renounce fanaticism and narrowness.

4. Do not avoid contact with suffering or close your eyes before suffering. Do not lose awareness of the existence of suffering in the life of the world. Find ways to be with those who are suffering by all means, including personal contact and visits, images, sound. By such means, awaken yourself and others to the reality of suffering in the world.

5. Do not accumulate wealth while millions are hungry. Do not take as the aim of your life fame, profit, wealth, or sensual pleasure. Live simply and share time, energy, and material resources with those who are in need.

6. Do not maintain anger or hatred. As soon as anger and hatred arise, practice the meditation on compassion in order to deeply understand the persons who have caused anger and hatred. Learn to look at other beings with the eyes of compassion.

7. Do not lose yourself in dispersion and in your surroundings. Learn to practice breathing in order to regain composure of body and mind, to practice mindfulness, and to develop concentration and understanding.

8. Do not utter words that can create discord and cause the community to break. Make every effort to reconcile and resolve all conflicts, however small.

9. Do not say untruthful things for the sake of personal interest of to impress people. Do not utter words that cause diversion and hatred. Do not spread news that you do not know to be certain. Do not criticize or condemn things you are not sure of. Always speak truthfully and constructively. Have the courage to speak out about situations of injustice, even when doing so may threaten your own safety.

10. Do not use the Buddhist community for personal gain or profit, or transform your community into a political party. A religious community should, however, take a clear stand against oppression and injustice, and should strive to change the situation without engaging in partisan conflicts.

11. Do not live with a vocation that is harmful to humans and nature. Do not invest in companies that deprive others of their chance to life. Select a vocation which helps realize your ideal compassion.

12. Do not kill. Do not let others kill. Find whatever means possible to protect life and to prevent war.

13. Possess nothing that should belong to others. Respect the property of others but prevent others from enriching themselves from human suffering or the suffering of other beings.

14. Do not mistreat your body. Learn to handle it with respect. Do not look on your body as only an instrument. Preserve vital energies (sexual, breath, spirit) for the realization of the Way. Sexual expression should not happen without love and commitment. In sexual relationships, be aware of future suffering that may be caused. To preserve the happiness of others, respect the rights and commitments of others. Be fully aware of the responsibility of bringing new lives into the world. Meditate on the world into which you are bringing new beings.
[Edited 10/14/08 22:35pm]

Excellent! Thanks for sharing this esa.

Thanks, Esa.

wonderful.

very cool. thanks for posting these

Thank you

Thank you esa. These are definitely precepts to live by.
[Edited 10/15/08 7:47am]

thanks

esa said:

Thank you, VERY much!!!

I wish there was more of stuff like this floating around....

I love this, thank you.

thank you so much for this thread.

My pleasure, everyone... I'm happy to see such a positive response.

sapphiregirl said:

Very nice to read these again

always a nice reminder

esa said:

My pleasure, everyone... I'm happy to see such a positive response.

sapphiregirl said:

I wish there was more of stuff like this floating around....

What did you have in mind...?

***bump***

Engaged Buddhism, also known as Socially Engaged Buddhism, is not a sect but a Buddhist movement. Founded by Vietnamese Zen monk Thich Nhat Hanh in the 20th century, Engaged Buddhism seeks to apply Buddhist teachings in a more activist and social manner than has been traditional.

Engaged Buddhism is a cross-denominational movement that involves the lay community as well as monks, western converts as well as eastern Buddhists. While maintaining the Buddhist emphasis on inward spiritual growth, Engaged Buddhism also aims to reduce social suffering and oppression through political and social reform.

The compassionate bodhisattvas of Mahayana Buddhism (who postpone their own enlightenment to assist others) are looked to as the ideal by engaged Buddhists.

The term "Engaged Buddhism" was coined by Thich Nhat Hanh in 1963, at a time when his country was ravaged by the Vietnam War. The highly-regarded monk, who now lives in a monastery in France, has remained a prominent leader of the movement. He has founded the "Order of Interbeing" to promote social causes, and there are many other Engaged groups as well.

you know, if it weren't for the fact that women are not permitted to serve in the temples, and the fact that the monks rely on others for their sustenance. why i'd buddhism entirely

PsychedelicGoof said:

XxAxX said:

you know, if it weren't for the fact that women are not permitted to serve in the temples, and the fact that the monks rely on others for their sustenance. why i'd buddhism entirely

XxAxX said:

you know, if it weren't for the fact that women are not permitted to serve in the temples, and the fact that the monks rely on others for their sustenance. why i'd buddhism entirely

Imago said:

XxAxX said:

you know, if it weren't for the fact that women are not permitted to serve in the temples, and the fact that the monks rely on others for their sustenance. why i'd buddhism entirely

The women rule is a monastic rule and can be democratically changed. I wish that it would be. There are Mahanist practices that recognize women in the monastic order, but more needs to be done.

Monks by necessity need to rely on others. At the time of the Buddha's , those in religious institutions enjoyed a level of prestige in society not unlike monks and other men of the cloth in Europe during the dark and middle ages.

The Buddha wanted to ensure that the monks realized that they weren't above others in their community. He disdained the religious practices of the Brahmans at the time, and he didn't condone their caste system. As a result, he required his monks to beg for food and the robes on their backs from their community to keep them humble. It was a way for him to show the monks that the life they lived was not a leisurely withdrawal from the world, but one in which they shared a symbiotic relationship requiring compassion for all parties.


But I agree, there needs to be more by way of women's roles in Buddhism--especially Theravardin buddhism. The beauty in this religion is that there is no stopping or discourageing a women's movement in Buddhism. It's sad that societies haven't caught up to that. There's no reason a female Dali Lama could not exist.

CarrieMpls said:

XxAxX said:

you know, if it weren't for the fact that women are not permitted to serve in the temples, and the fact that the monks rely on others for their sustenance. why i'd buddhism entirely

agreed. for the most part, I can dig it.

XxAxX said:

CarrieMpls said:

agreed. for the most part, I can dig it.

we should start our own philosophy. ORGism. ben could have tax free status and, as temple members, we would be blessed.

XxAxX said:

CarrieMpls said:

agreed. for the most part, I can dig it.

we should start our own philosophy. ORGism. ben could have tax free status and, as temple members, we would be blessed.

XxAxX said:

XaXaX said:

XaXaX said:

i just have trouble embracing a philosophy that discourages its followers from striving after tangible physical goals. i think the observable universe strives constantly and changes in the process.

bah. my spirit is not peaceful enough for buddhism

benni said:

benni said:

XxAxX said:

well, aside from the obvious gender issues, i find i just could never agree that the path to enlightenment involves sitting under a tree for months on end meditating. what's up with that? i understand the need for humility but this world/realm/planet is an active/dynamic organism (for lack of a better word).

Keep in mind that when the Buddha sat under the Bodhi Tree, he had already tried several different techniques for understanding "suffering". He was determined to find the meaning for suffering and the way to end suffering.

He had lived a very protected life in a palace, in which he was never allowed to see suffering of any kind. One day, he left the palace and he saw all kinds of suffering in the world, including that of old age and death. Imagine how that had to impact him. Imagine having never witnessed anything but happiness and good, no suffering whatsoever in any shape, form, or fashion, and to suddenly discover that it was not the same for everyone. That bodies grow old and die. That people are beaten, murdered, that people suffer mentally and emotionally. It's mind blowing to think what that had to have been like. Most of us grow up seeing suffering all around us, so much so that even our entertainment involves the brutatilty of our "reality". We become complacent about suffering, and may such things as "Well, that's just life." But the Buddha knew that it didn't have to be that way. He had lived quite a few years of his life having never experienced the suffering that most people see on a daily basis. Why had he never experienced suffering? What made it so different, his world inside the palace with no suffering, compared to the world outside of the palace?

So he was determined to ease the hearts and minds of people, to find what caused suffering and how to end suffering. Such compassion that involves! Everything he tried, up until the point of sitting under the Bodhi Tree had not revealed this to him. He finally decided to "sit" and ponder this until he came up with the answer. This is why he sat for so long.

What was revealed to him are taught now as The Four Noble Truths and the path to understanding was The Eightfold Path.



One does not have to "sit under a tree passively".
There are walking meditations one can engage in. However, sitting with yourself for at least 20 minutes twice a day is a good start. It's always interesting to me, that as a society we engage in all of these "activities" to "find ourself", yet we never just take the time to sit with ourself, without the distractions of the "outside world".

XaXaX said:

i just have trouble embracing a philosophy that discourages its followers from striving after tangible physical goals. i think the observable universe strives constantly and changes in the process.

bah. my spirit is not peaceful enough for buddhism

There is no "disparaging" of followers from striving after physical goals. If you wish to go after a physical goal, then that is your choice to do so. What Buddhism teaches is non-attachment. Suffering arises from desire. What happens when you strive after something, and put all of your time and energy into getting it, and then you don't receive it? You become upset, maybe depressed, maybe start with the mental criticism and questioning. You become "unbalanced" because you desired a particular goal, and that goal was not realized.

Within Buddhism, non-attachment basically is a flowing. Change occurs, and if we become attached to something, if it changes and we are attached to what was, we do not flow easily with what has become. There are Buddhists who have gained great fame and wealth, however, they are not attached to this fame and wealth because they know it is not permanent. One day it is here, the next day it is gone. Now a business man, who has earned large sums of money, and has acquired many possessions, but practices attachment to that money, his success, his acquisitions, will become despondent, depressed, and possibly suicidal if suddenly it were all taken from him. A Buddhist, would simply flow with the loss of his acquisitions, wealth, fame, knowing it was not permanent to begin with.

XxAxX said:

i have read the buddha's story, studied his doctrine and i still disagree. i think i am more in tune with the navajo sphilosophy.