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Mindful Manners: Guarding Precepts, Preventing Wrongdoing
When you walk mindfully—knowing each step with your right and left foot—your manner becomes naturally inspiring, without any forced performance. Opening and closing a door mindfully, sitting, smiling and refraining from alcohol, lying or violence all arise from the same substance: mindfulness. Giới (precepts) and uy nghi (mindful manners) share this common ground, yet mindful manners serve especially to prevent the breaking of precepts.
- Manifestation of mindful living
- Preventive practice to avoid wrongdoing
Two kinds of wrongdoing are identified:
- Tính tội – wrongdoing by nature (e.g., killing creates immediate suffering).
-
Già tội – allowing a path toward wrongdoing (e.g., the first glass of wine that may lead to excess).
Just as avoiding the first drink blocks the third, mindful manners—such as nuns traveling accompanied or not sleeping alone in a man’s house—prevent accidents before they occur.
Embraced wholeheartedly, precepts and mindful manners become the vital elements of a monk’s or nun’s life—their blood and bone—nourishing our capacity to understand and love, and blooming like fruit on the tree.