Eight Mahayana Precepts on Lhabab Düchen Holy Day 2024

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6:15 am Friday, November 22, 2024

On this Lhabab Düchen holy day - a merit-multiplying day - Geshe Gelek will offer the Eight Mahayana Precepts at Kadampa Center.

Students who wish to take precepts for the very first time, please register HERE.

Students who have taken precepts previously do NOT need to register.  You are, however, encouraged and welcome to attend the precepts ceremony at the Center with Geshe-la and other students (alternatively. you may choose to take the precepts at home in front of your home altar).

SCHEDULE FOR TAKING PRECEPTS ON LHABAB DÜCHEN HOLY DAY 

  • Before deciding to take the Eight Mahayana Precepts for the very first time, new students are encouraged to read and learn about the commitments involved in taking the precepts (see below for more information).

  • 6:00 am -- Kadampa Center opens

  • 6:15 am -- Students taking precepts should arrive no later than 6:15am for a brief orientation about what to expect

  • 6:30 am -- Geshe Gelek arrives and the precepts ceremony will begin

  • After the ceremony, the Center closes and reopens at 12:30 pm

  • NOTE: Kadampa Center will not provide breakfast after the precepts ceremony.  Please enjoy your breakfast of preference in the comfort of your own home, and then join us for Lamrim meditations with Geshe-la at 1:00 pm.

  • 12:30 pm -- Kadampa Center reopens

  • 1:00 pm -- Geshe Gelek arrives and leads lamrim meditations and practices ~ everyone is welcome to attend regardless of having taken precepts or not

THE EIGHT MAHAYANA PRECEPTS

The Eight Mahayana Precepts are a set of vows that are taken for 24 hours, from first light before dawn to sunrise of the following day. The only prerequisite is that the first time one takes precepts it should be from a qualified teacher who has received the oral transmission of the practice. Thereafter you can perform the ceremony at first light yourself, reciting the prayers before an image of your teacher or the Buddha, imagining you are taking the vows from Buddha himself.

 It is good to take them on full and new moon days, and especially beneficial on Buddha Holy Days, when Karmic results are multiplied exponentionally, according to Lama Zopa Rinpoche, citing the Vinaya text Treasure of Quotations and Logic.

These Mahayana Precepts enable you to live in the essence of pure moral conduct, and since you take them with the strong motivation of cherishing and wishing to benefit all others, their value is immeasurable. Taking the precept vows is a powerful and effective way for you to build, maintain and increase deep propensities for spiritual practice and attainment and thus is a profound method for giving meaning to this precious human life. 

The essence of this practice is to recall the Mahayana motivation: to take these precepts to become enlightened in order to lead all sentient beings to enlightenment.

The eight precepts are:

  1. Not to kill, even insects.
  2. Not to steal (not to take what has not been offered).
  3. Not to engage in sexual contact.
  4. Not to lie.
  5. Not use intoxicants: alcohol, tobacco and drugs (except for medicinal purposes).
  6. Not to eat at wrong times.*
  7. Not to sit on high, expensive beds or seats with pride. Avoid sitting on animal skins.
  8. Not to wear jewelry, perfume, or makeup; and not to sing, dance, or play music with attachment.

*It is alright to eat a light breakfast before or after the precepts. Avoid eating black foods: meat, eggs, onions, garlic, and radishes. The main meal of the day is to be finished by midday.  After that, one can take light drinks, but not undiluted whole milk or fruit juice with pulp, nor any food until sunrise of the following day.

Learn more about the Eight Mahayana Precepts HERE.

Learn more about Lama Zopa Rinpoche offering the Eight Mahayana Precepts online HERE. 

Location at Kadampa Center: 
Gompa