Approach the precepts with interest and investigation, holding them lightly and non-dogmatically, recognizing that refraining from harming others ultimately benefits your own well-being and leads to a happier life.
Understand and embody non-harm as the overarching theme of the precepts, guiding your actions and interactions in all aspects of life.
Approach Buddhist precepts as flexible guides, not strict rules, and personally investigate what they mean and how they apply to your unique life.
Engage in a continuous inner dialogue about how the precepts apply to your life in every moment, fostering mindfulness and presence from waking.
When you notice you are lost in thought or not present, gently “begin again” without judgment, honoring things as they are.
Prioritize self-care and self-centering, understanding that this selfless act enables you to better care for and act on behalf of others.
Cultivate a listening practice focused on understanding others, rather than formulating your response, to foster genuine connection and appropriate reactions.
Develop the ability to be solitary and comfortable alone, as this is essential for loving others authentically without using them as an escape.
Engage in radical self-love and self-care, understanding that nurturing yourself is fundamental to being able to genuinely connect and love others.
View renunciation not as self-denial, but as a beneficial practice of dropping addictions, which is ultimately in your self-interest.
Expand your understanding of “intoxicants” beyond substances to include activities like work or social media, and investigate their impact on your well-being.
Practice by reflecting on the sequence of view, intention, and action, working backward from deeds to understand underlying intentions and perspectives, ensuring non-harming words and actions.
Challenge the belief that all your thoughts are uniquely “yours,” recognizing that many are cultural or conditioned, and avoid claiming them as personal property.
Create space to reclaim your true self by recognizing and questioning how cultural ideas and biases may have “colonized” your mind and thoughts.
Refrain from claiming emotions like anger as uniquely “yours,” as this can be a “misappropriation of public property” and fuel suffering.
Recognize that much of who you are and what you express comes from ancestors and lineage, fostering a sense of honoring rather than claiming everything as solely your own.
Be aware that even the thought process of harming can be considered “breaking a precept,” encouraging mindfulness of intentions.
Extend the principle of non-harm to conversations by avoiding cutting people off or dominating the discussion, which can “kill” their thoughts or limit connection.
Investigate your dietary choices, not just in terms of eating animals, but considering the entire system of food production and how it aligns with non-harm and sustaining the earth.
When discussing dietary choices, engage in non-self-righteous conversations, understanding others’ situations rather than imposing your views.
Evaluate your relationship with intoxicants (including alcohol) to ensure they don’t lead to heedlessness or take you out of your “true nature,” causing harm.
Be open to feedback from your community (family, friends, sangha) about how certain substances or behaviors affect you, especially if you don’t recognize their negative impact yourself.
For laypeople, consuming substances like wine is not breaking the precept if it does not lead to harm for oneself or others.
Regularly check in with your intentions for work, social media, and other activities, asking if you are acting on behalf of non-harm or feeding the ego.
While aspiring to help all beings (Bodhisattva path), start by applying non-harm and investigation to your immediate surroundings and community.
Practice selflessness by refraining from insisting your way of thinking, values, or morals onto others, recognizing this as a form of dominance.
Approach interactions and situations with spaciousness and patience, taking time to understand without rushing or seeking immediate gratification, which can be a subtle addiction.
Internally investigate and discern the difference between loneliness and being alone (solitary), using this understanding to identify true internal needs and avoid using others as an escape.
Interpret and embody the precept of refraining from sexual misconduct in a way that honors your personal path and self, even as a layperson.
Engage in sexual activity with full presence and consent, ensuring you are truly with the other person and not using them as a means of escape, fostering a flow of non-harm.
Speak your truth while remaining open to feedback and understanding that what you consider “right speech” might be perceived differently by others, avoiding conversational dominance.
Engage in right speech (avoiding judgmental, dogmatic, or inattentive communication) as an act of self-compassion, reducing internal turmoil and fostering a calmer mind.
Develop a “meta-protective field” (Brahma Vihara) around your mind, heart, and body to protect yourself when engaging in harmful situations, doing so for the benefit of all, including those causing harm.
Recognize and accept when it is not the appropriate time to engage with certain individuals or situations, for your own well-being and the situation’s dynamics.
Practice engaging with external sounds and distractions as they arise, without getting upset, and understand their impact on your internal state.