This is an old post, and not currently reflecting the practice I undertake precisely. I share this in case it is helpful.
Take care not to feel towards the inhuman, as they feel towards men.
How do we know if Telauges was not superior in character to Socrates? For it is not enough that Socrates died a more noble death, and disputed more skilfully with the sophists, and passed the night in the cold with more endurance, and that when he was bid to arrest Leon of Salamis, he considered it more noble to refuse, and that he walked in a swaggering way in the streets- though as to this fact one may have great doubts if it was true. But we ought to inquire, what kind of a soul it was that Socrates possessed, and if he was able to be content with being just towards men and pious towards the gods, neither idly vexed on account of men's villainy, nor yet making himself a slave to any man's ignorance, nor receiving as strange anything that fell to his share out of the universal, nor enduring it as intolerable, nor allowing his understanding to sympathize with the affects of the miserable flesh.
Marcus Aurelius – Meditations Book 7
Friends
The practice I have undertaken is not an easy one, it has many rules, what these are, are methods of developing the practice in daily life.
The Training Rules I live by may be few in comparison to Bhikkhus but they are important in training in Satipatthana practice with some extra rules (amount in brackets) added as a means of developing the training more fully from the Vinaya.
These are my personal interpretation of the 8 precepts of a Upasaka (with amount of rules next to them)
I undertake to abstain from harming or taking life. (5)
I undertake to abstain from taking what is not given. (5)
I undertake to abstain from sexual misconduct. (3) (Changing too no sexual activity on Uposatha days)
I undertake to abstain from false speech.(13)
I undertake to abstain from the use of intoxicating substances. (2)
I undertake to abstain from eating outside appropriate meal times. (30)
I undertake to abstain from the use of intoxicating hobbies. (3)
I undertake to abstain from indulging in high and luxurious Behaviour. (59)
It is not enough to live life in the world with ideals and preaching about these ideals as though they are the route to freedom by holding the ideal but it is essential to practice these in a disciplined manner.
The Buddha called his path the Dhamma and Vinaya or Truth and Discipline both are part and parcel of the path, it is a gift the Dhamma the contents and the Vinaya its packaging.
At the end of the day I may be right, I may be wrong, but I share this hoping I am one, the other, both, or neither.
With Metta
Take care not to feel towards the inhuman, as they feel towards men.
How do we know if Telauges was not superior in character to Socrates? For it is not enough that Socrates died a more noble death, and disputed more skilfully with the sophists, and passed the night in the cold with more endurance, and that when he was bid to arrest Leon of Salamis, he considered it more noble to refuse, and that he walked in a swaggering way in the streets- though as to this fact one may have great doubts if it was true. But we ought to inquire, what kind of a soul it was that Socrates possessed, and if he was able to be content with being just towards men and pious towards the gods, neither idly vexed on account of men's villainy, nor yet making himself a slave to any man's ignorance, nor receiving as strange anything that fell to his share out of the universal, nor enduring it as intolerable, nor allowing his understanding to sympathize with the affects of the miserable flesh.
Marcus Aurelius – Meditations Book 7
Friends
The practice I have undertaken is not an easy one, it has many rules, what these are, are methods of developing the practice in daily life.
The Training Rules I live by may be few in comparison to Bhikkhus but they are important in training in Satipatthana practice with some extra rules (amount in brackets) added as a means of developing the training more fully from the Vinaya.
These are my personal interpretation of the 8 precepts of a Upasaka (with amount of rules next to them)
I undertake to abstain from harming or taking life. (5)
I undertake to abstain from taking what is not given. (5)
I undertake to abstain from sexual misconduct. (3) (Changing too no sexual activity on Uposatha days)
I undertake to abstain from false speech.(13)
I undertake to abstain from the use of intoxicating substances. (2)
I undertake to abstain from eating outside appropriate meal times. (30)
I undertake to abstain from the use of intoxicating hobbies. (3)
I undertake to abstain from indulging in high and luxurious Behaviour. (59)
It is not enough to live life in the world with ideals and preaching about these ideals as though they are the route to freedom by holding the ideal but it is essential to practice these in a disciplined manner.
The Buddha called his path the Dhamma and Vinaya or Truth and Discipline both are part and parcel of the path, it is a gift the Dhamma the contents and the Vinaya its packaging.
At the end of the day I may be right, I may be wrong, but I share this hoping I am one, the other, both, or neither.
With Metta
| eight_precepts_and_suplimentary_rules.pdf |
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