| The 10 precepts of Mahayana Buddhism comprise | | | | contrary to nor do they make constraints upon your |
| one of the three legs on which Buddhist teaching and | | | | fundamental nature. Rather they are an expression of |
| practice stand. The other two are zazen and | | | | the awakened Buddhist mind, a description of the way |
| enlightenment-wisdom. These three are intimately | | | | in which a highly evolved being acts. |
| related. The strongest effort to keep the precepts can | | | | To live by the precepts is to travel the way of unity |
| be only partially successful if it is divorced from zazen; | | | | and harmony in which the road is smooth, few |
| and a zazen apart from the precepts is weak and | | | | obstructions exist, and the scenery is strikingly beautiful. |
| uncertain. It is true zazen, supported by the precepts, | | | | To transgress the precepts is to take a side road that |
| that awareness of our true nature is raised to | | | | appears interesting but would soon become bumpy, |
| consciousness, and in this true nature the precepts, | | | | monotonous, and ends in the dead-end of regret and |
| zazen, and enlightened wisdom are grounded. | | | | apprehension. |
| While it is common upon first seeing the 10 precepts of | | | | The fundamental purpose of the precepts, is to enable |
| Buddhism to think of the 10 Commandments of | | | | one to steadfastly carry on Zen training with the aim |
| Christianity, to compare them is to distort both. For | | | | of realising one's intrinsic buddhahood. Without the |
| each can only be comprehended in its own religious | | | | equilibrium which their observance provides, few could |
| context. Understand that the precepts are not a moral | | | | walk the Way with energy and conviction. |
| list handed down from above. Neither are they | | | | |