JORGE RODRIGUES SIMAO

Do not pursue the past.

Do not lose yourself in the future.

The past no longer is.

The future has not yet come.

Looking deeply at life as it is

in the very here and now,

the practitioner dwells

in stability and freedom.

We must be diligent today.

To wait till tomorrow is too late.

Death comes unexpectedly.

How can we bargain with it?

The sage calls a person who knows

how to dwell in mindfulness

night and day

“the one who knows

the better way to live alone.”

 “The Sutra on Knowing the Better Way to Live Alone,” Bhadderkaratta Sutta (Majjhima
Nikaya 131)

Ironically, both Zen Buddhism and Twelve Step programs insist on “ego reduction” as vital to sanity and awakening. I side with Frederick Franck in believing that sanity comes from ego expansion-an expansion so great that it includes, or better, embraces everyone and everything.  Recovery is the development of the embracing and compassionate self, the self without other, as in Whitman:

Self is everywhere, shining forth from all beings,
vaster than the vast, subtler than the most subtle,
unreachable, yet nearer than breath, than heartbeat.

The Greek word enthousiasmos, the root of enthusiasm, comes from the adjective entheos, “having the god within.”

To be mindful is to have the heart/mind fully focused on the present moment. There is nothing extra. There is nothing lacking. When we are mindful, we are showing up for our lives. An ancient master said that one who lives in forgetfulness, dies in a dream. Thich Nhat Hanh says that to live mindfully is “to keep our appointment with life.” When the flower blooms, we see it. When our partner is suffering, we see it. Our heart/mind is fully present for all things and activities.

An old Zen saying cautions us not to mistake a fish’s eye for a pearl. If you think you’ve seen the light, check it out with someone who knows where the switches are.

The First Precept

Aware of the suffering caused by the destruction of life, I vow to cultivate compassion and learn ways to protect the lives of people, animals, plants and minerals. I am determined not to kill, not to let others kill, and not to condone any act of killing in the world, in my thinking, and in my way of life.

The Second Precept

Aware of the suffering caused by exploitation, social injustice, stealing, and oppression, I vow to cultivate loving kindness and learn ways to work for the well-being of people, animals, plants, and minerals. I vow to practice generosity by sharing my time, energy, and material resources with those who are in real need. I am determined not to steal and not to possess anything that should belong to others. I will respect the property of others, but I will prevent others from profiting from human suffering or the suffering of other species on Earth.

The Third Precept

Aware of the suffering caused by sexual misconduct, I vow to cultivate responsibility and learn ways to protect the safety and integrity of individuals, couples, family, and society. I am determined not to engage in sexual relations without love and a long-term commitment. To preserve the happiness of myself and others, I am determined to respect my commitments and the commitments of others. I will do everything in my power to protect children from sexual abuse and to prevent couples and families from being broken by sexual misconduct.

The Fourth Precept

Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful speech and the inability to listen to others, I vow to cultivate loving speech and deep listening in order to bring joy and happiness to others and relieve others of their suffering. Knowing that words can create happiness or suffering, I vow to learn to speak truthfully, with words that inspire self-confidence, joy, and hope. I am determined not to spread news that I do not know to be certain and not to criticize or condemn things of which I am not sure. I will refrain from uttering words that can cause division or discord, or that can cause the family or the community to break. I will make all efforts to reconcile and resolve all conflicts, however small.

The Fifth Precept

Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful consumption, I vow to cultivate good health, both physical and mental, for myself, my family, and my society by practicing mindful eating, drinking, and consuming. I vow to ingest only items that preserve peace, well-being, and joy in my body, in my consciousness, and in the collective body and consciousness of my family and society. I am determined not to use alcohol or any other intoxicant or to ingest foods or other items that contain
toxins, such as certain TV programs, magazines, books, films, or conversations. I am aware that to damage my body or my consciousness with these poisons is to betray my ancestors, my parents, my society, and future generations. I will work to transform violence, fear, and confusion in myself and in society by practicing a diet for myself and for society. I understand that a proper diet is crucial for self-transformation and for the transformation of society.

My understanding of these precepts today is that by transforming myself I am transforming society.