Taking the 8 Precepts for a day

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Dave The Seeker
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Taking the 8 Precepts for a day

Post by Dave The Seeker »

I was reading that upon taking the 8 Precepts for a day, the Precept which states the abstinence from intoxicants includes tobacco and cafine. This is from the Daily Prayers book from FPMT.
Which states that these are mind altering substances and anything mind altering should be avoided when taking the Precepts.
I have tried to go without my coffee and smokes for a day before. The best I can do is cut back.
Any helpful opinions on this would be appreciated.

:namaste:
Dave
Everyday problems teach us to have a realistic attitude.
They teach us that life is what life is; flawed.
Yet with tremendous potential for joy and fulfillment.
~Lama Surya Das~

If your path teaches you to act and exert yourself correctly and leads to spiritual realizations such as love, compassion and wisdom then obviously it's worthwhile.
~Lama Thubten Yeshe~

One whose mind is freed does not argue with anyone, he does not dispute with anyone. He makes use of the conventional terms of the world without clinging to them
~The Buddha~
pemachophel
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Re: Taking the 8 Precepts for a day

Post by pemachophel »

Dave,

It's wonderful that you want to take the eight precepts, if even for a single day. Taking (and keeping) vows is such an effective way of generating great amounts of merit. So I rejoice in your intention. Even just thinking about doing this generates merit.

As for worrying about doing it perfectly, you can simply say that, under the 8th precept, you will avoid alcohol and so-called recreational drugs and that you will decrease your consumption of nicotine and caffeine. IOW, you are the one taking the vows and you can decide which vows to take and how strictly to vow keeping them. The merit earned may not be as great as if you could avoid caffeine and nicotine too, but something is better than nothing. You will still be generating a huge amount of merit. If you dedicate that for the sake of universal Enlightenment, then that merit will be multiplied infinitely and it will also become inexhaustible. As the old saying goes, don't let the perfect become the enemy of the good.

After you have completed this one-day set of vows, you might try progressively cutting down your intake of nicotine and caffeine so that, next time you want to take the eight precepts, you can take them completely according to the FPMT guidelines.

Good luck and best wishes.

:namaste:
Pema Chophel པདྨ་ཆོས་འཕེལ
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Dave The Seeker
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Re: Taking the 8 Precepts for a day

Post by Dave The Seeker »

Thank you for the reply, and all the great information.
I never considered either of those to be "intoxicants" before.
I know I should quit smoking and will in time.

:namaste:
Dave
Everyday problems teach us to have a realistic attitude.
They teach us that life is what life is; flawed.
Yet with tremendous potential for joy and fulfillment.
~Lama Surya Das~

If your path teaches you to act and exert yourself correctly and leads to spiritual realizations such as love, compassion and wisdom then obviously it's worthwhile.
~Lama Thubten Yeshe~

One whose mind is freed does not argue with anyone, he does not dispute with anyone. He makes use of the conventional terms of the world without clinging to them
~The Buddha~
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heart
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Re: Taking the 8 Precepts for a day

Post by heart »

pemachophel wrote:Dave,

It's wonderful that you want to take the eight precepts, if even for a single day. Taking (and keeping) vows is such an effective way of generating great amounts of merit. So I rejoice in your intention. Even just thinking about doing this generates merit.

As for worrying about doing it perfectly, you can simply say that, under the 8th precept, you will avoid alcohol and so-called recreational drugs and that you will decrease your consumption of nicotine and caffeine. IOW, you are the one taking the vows and you can decide which vows to take and how strictly to vow keeping them. The merit earned may not be as great as if you could avoid caffeine and nicotine too, but something is better than nothing. You will still be generating a huge amount of merit. If you dedicate that for the sake of universal Enlightenment, then that merit will be multiplied infinitely and it will also become inexhaustible. As the old saying goes, don't let the perfect become the enemy of the good.

After you have completed this one-day set of vows, you might try progressively cutting down your intake of nicotine and caffeine so that, next time you want to take the eight precepts, you can take them completely according to the FPMT guidelines.

Good luck and best wishes.

:namaste:

:good:
"We are all here to help each other go through this thing, whatever it is."
~Kurt Vonnegut

"The principal practice is Guruyoga. But we need to understand that any secondary practice combined with Guruyoga becomes a principal practice." ChNNR (Teachings on Thun and Ganapuja)
zerwe
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Re: Taking the 8 Precepts for a day

Post by zerwe »

Dave, in addition to Pema's advice, you can choose to take as many or as few of the precepts as you wish.
Shaun :namaste:
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Dave The Seeker
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Re: Taking the 8 Precepts for a day

Post by Dave The Seeker »

Thank you Shaun


:namaste:
Dave
Everyday problems teach us to have a realistic attitude.
They teach us that life is what life is; flawed.
Yet with tremendous potential for joy and fulfillment.
~Lama Surya Das~

If your path teaches you to act and exert yourself correctly and leads to spiritual realizations such as love, compassion and wisdom then obviously it's worthwhile.
~Lama Thubten Yeshe~

One whose mind is freed does not argue with anyone, he does not dispute with anyone. He makes use of the conventional terms of the world without clinging to them
~The Buddha~
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kirtu
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Re: Taking the 8 Precepts for a day

Post by kirtu »

Dave The Seeker wrote: I have tried to go without my coffee and smokes for a day before. The best I can do is cut back.
Any helpful opinions on this would be appreciated.

:namaste:
Dave
Just do your best. One of my lamas would ask me and a few other people if they wanted coffee during retreats, which often meant that lama wanted coffee. So we often had coffee. I don't remember him doing this during Eight Precept days but I have often had coffee during those days. But if you are "addicted" or have a strong craving, first notice it and sit or be with it. Then have the coffee. As or smoking, please try to give it up in the future.

Kirt
“Where do atomic bombs come from?”
Zen Master Seung Sahn said, “That’s simple. Atomic bombs come from the mind that likes this and doesn’t like that.”

"Even if you practice only for an hour a day with faith and inspiration, good qualities will steadily increase. Regular practice makes it easy to transform your mind. From seeing only relative truth, you will eventually reach a profound certainty in the meaning of absolute truth."
Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.

"Only you can make your mind beautiful."
HH Chetsang Rinpoche
muni
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Re: Taking the 8 Precepts for a day

Post by muni »

Dave The Seeker wrote: I know I should quit smoking and will in time.
I made it a costume as well as yought, I mean to smoke. But it was stinking and not to recommend so I decided to stop. First day I allowed to have half one, next day only two smoke-puffies...On the fourth day, fortunately then I lived in a house with doors and you cannot imagine how helpful that is.
I smashed them.
Sooner than thought, there was silence in the house and the air was fresh.

All the best. :smile:
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Dave The Seeker
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Re: Taking the 8 Precepts for a day

Post by Dave The Seeker »

Thank you both Kirt and Muni.
I greatly appreciate the input


:namaste:
Dave
Everyday problems teach us to have a realistic attitude.
They teach us that life is what life is; flawed.
Yet with tremendous potential for joy and fulfillment.
~Lama Surya Das~

If your path teaches you to act and exert yourself correctly and leads to spiritual realizations such as love, compassion and wisdom then obviously it's worthwhile.
~Lama Thubten Yeshe~

One whose mind is freed does not argue with anyone, he does not dispute with anyone. He makes use of the conventional terms of the world without clinging to them
~The Buddha~
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yan kong
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Re: Taking the 8 Precepts for a day

Post by yan kong »

Wait. This means one should not drink tea while upholding the eight precepts, correct?
"Meditation is a spiritual exercise, not a therapeutic regime... Our intention is to enter Nirvana, not to make life in Samsara more tolerable." Chan Master Hsu Yun
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kirtu
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Re: Taking the 8 Precepts for a day

Post by kirtu »

freakpower70 wrote:Wait. This means one should not drink tea while upholding the eight precepts, correct?
I'm told that in Thailand for Eight Precept Days, many people have an "energy tea" in the evening. Is the tea you are drinking a luxury? Can you see through it (technically this is a requirement).

Kirt
“Where do atomic bombs come from?”
Zen Master Seung Sahn said, “That’s simple. Atomic bombs come from the mind that likes this and doesn’t like that.”

"Even if you practice only for an hour a day with faith and inspiration, good qualities will steadily increase. Regular practice makes it easy to transform your mind. From seeing only relative truth, you will eventually reach a profound certainty in the meaning of absolute truth."
Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.

"Only you can make your mind beautiful."
HH Chetsang Rinpoche
JKhedrup
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Re: Taking the 8 Precepts for a day

Post by JKhedrup »

My feeling is that this energy drink might be considered "medicinal" according to Vinaya guidelines, and thus acceptable for laypeople taking temporary precepts. There are certain tonics that monks are permitted to drink in Thailand, and I remember there was debate over whether Ovaltine for example should be permitted as an evening drink or not.
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kirtu
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Re: Taking the 8 Precepts for a day

Post by kirtu »

JKhedrup wrote:My feeling is that this energy drink might be considered "medicinal" according to Vinaya guidelines, and thus acceptable for laypeople taking temporary precepts. There are certain tonics that monks are permitted to drink in Thailand, and I remember there was debate over whether Ovaltine for example should be permitted as an evening drink or not.
My evening drink (my "energy tea")/"medicine" is Dr. Pepper or Pepsi. :tongue:

Kirt
“Where do atomic bombs come from?”
Zen Master Seung Sahn said, “That’s simple. Atomic bombs come from the mind that likes this and doesn’t like that.”

"Even if you practice only for an hour a day with faith and inspiration, good qualities will steadily increase. Regular practice makes it easy to transform your mind. From seeing only relative truth, you will eventually reach a profound certainty in the meaning of absolute truth."
Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.

"Only you can make your mind beautiful."
HH Chetsang Rinpoche
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