Precepts
1. Affirm Life ~ I respect all sentient and insentient beings and always act with compassion towards them. In order to live, it is necessary for me to take life. I do so with reverence for the life taken. In gratitude, I do not take my own life for granted.
2. Act Generously ~ I act with generosity and open-handedness. I receive only things that are freely given to me. I remember that clinging and attachment are the root of suffering.
3. Be Loving ~ I am conscious and loving in all of my relationships. In sexuality, I discern the difference between love and lust and do not take advantage of other human beings. I transform the arising of lust into true loving.
4. Manifest Truth ~ I honor honesty and truth. I speak with integrity from the depth of my heart.
5. Respect Clarity ~ I act at all times with mindfulness and clarity. I do not abuse my body or cloud my mind with the misuse of intoxicants.
6. Honor Silence ~ I remember the preciousness of silence. I see the perfection in others and refrain from gossip and frivolous conversation. I remain thoughtful and mindful of the effects of my speech.
7. Celebrate Others ~ I rejoice in the good fortune of others. I do not, through my thoughts, words or actions, separate myself from others through coveting, envy or jealousy.
8. Be Giving ~ I give generously of myself, sharing freely my love, my gifts, my talents and my abundance for the benefit of all. I do not selfishly withhold. I do not add any more suffering to the world.
9. Embody Compassion ~ I recognize and enlighten my greed, anger and ignorance. I transform my negative emotions and act with equanimity, sympathetic joy, compassion and loving kindness.
10. Steward the Earth ~ I hold sacred this planet Earth. I seek to understand Nature’s interconnections and celebrate my own interdependency. I work toward achieving a lifestyle that gives more back to this Earth than I take from it.
11. Manifest this Way ~ I hold precious this Sangha and the sacred life we embody, especially these three treasures:
This absolute purity of our Awakened Mind!
(Buddha)
This life filled with wisdom, compassion and skillful means!
(Dharma)
This never–ending mystery of life unfolding!
All brothers, all sisters, all beings!
(Sangha)
