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Precepts Are Mindfulness
This year, dwelling in the long spring, fruits like olives and plums hanging heavily on the branches remind us of the abundance of life. The walking meditation in the plum garden evokes the fullness of the present moment and the joy of sharing with the autumn sangha. In the last year, when the Buddha was 80 years old, he taught about the Three Trainings—precepts, concentration, and insight—the three essential elements leading to liberation and enlightenment. The gatha in the novice monk’s code, “From precepts arises concentration, from concentration arises insight,” reminds us to practice precepts in order to give rise to mindfulness, which in turn gives rise to concentration and then insight.
The Novice Monk’s Handbook consists of four parts:
- The Essential Daily Vinaya, with dozens of gathas—“Each Step is a Lotus Blooming”—to practice mindfulness
- An introduction to the ten novice precepts for monks and nuns
- Twenty-four chapters on deportment—demeanor, conduct, and the lifestyle of a monastic
- Admonitions to remind us to practice monastic life properly
Precepts are not merely prohibitions, but are mindfulness itself, the living expression of mindfulness in every step, standing, lying down, and sitting. The Five Mindfulness Trainings are presented as the fruit of mindfulness, each precept accompanied by the insight into the suffering caused by unskillful actions. Keeping the precepts—whether in the Buddha’s way or in the rules of the road—arises from love and mindfulness, bringing freedom and peace right in the present moment.