The Five Mindfulness Trainings
The First Mindfulness Training: Reverence For Life
Aware of the suffering caused by the destruction of life, I am committed to cultivating the insight of interbeing and compassion and learning 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 support any act of killing in the world, in my thinking, or in my way of life. Seeing that harmful actions arise from anger, fear, greed, and intolerance, which in turn come from dualistic and discriminative thinking, I will cultivate openness, non-discrimination, and non-attachment to views in order to transform violence, fanaticism, and dogmatism in myself and in the world.
The Second Mindfulness Training: True Happiness
Aware of the suffering
caused by exploitation, social injustice, stealing, and oppression, I
am committed to practicing generosity in my thinking, speaking, and
acting. I am determined not to steal and not to possess anything that
should belong to others; and I will share my time, energy, and material
resources with those who are in need. I will practice looking deeply to
see that the happiness and suffering of others are not separate from my
own happiness and suffering; that true happiness is not possible
without understanding and compassion; and that running after wealth,
fame, power and sensual pleasures can bring much suffering and despair.
I am aware that happiness depends on my mental attitude and not on
external conditions, and that I can live happily in the present moment
simply by remembering that I already have more than enough conditions
to be happy. I am committed to practicing Right Livelihood so that I
can help reduce the suffering of living beings on Earth and reverse the
process of global warming.
The Third Mindfulness Training: True Love
Aware
of the suffering caused by sexual misconduct, I am committed to
cultivating responsibility and learning ways to protect the safety and
integrity of individuals, couples, families, and society. Knowing that
sexual desire is not love, and that sexual activity motivated by
craving always harms myself as well as others, I am determined not to
engage in sexual relations without true love and a deep, long-term
commitment made known to my family and friends. 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. Seeing that body
and mind are one, I am committed to learning appropriate ways to take
care of my sexual energy and cultivating loving kindness, compassion,
joy and inclusiveness – which are the four basic elements of true love
– for my greater happiness and the greater happiness of others.
Practicing true love, we know that we will continue beautifully into
the future.
The Fourth Mindfulness Training: Loving Speech and Deep Listening
Aware
of the suffering caused by unmindful speech and the inability to listen
to others, I am committed to cultivating loving speech and
compassionate listening in order to relieve suffering and to promote
reconciliation and peace in myself and among other people, ethnic and
religious groups, and nations. Knowing that words can create happiness
or suffering, I am committed to speaking truthfully using words that
inspire confidence, joy, and hope. When anger is manifesting in me, I
am determined not to speak. I will practice mindful breathing and
walking in order to recognize and to look deeply into my anger. I know
that the roots of anger can be found in my wrong perceptions and lack
of understanding of the suffering in myself and in the other person. I
will speak and listen in a way that can help myself and the other
person to transform suffering and see the way out of difficult
situations. I am determined not to spread news that I do not know to be
certain and not to utter words that can cause division or discord. I
will practice Right Diligence to nourish my capacity for understanding,
love, joy, and inclusiveness, and gradually transform anger, violence,
and fear that lie deep in my consciousness.
The Fifth Mindfulness Training: Nourishment and Healing
Aware of the
suffering caused by unmindful consumption, I am committed to
cultivating good health, both physical and mental, for myself, my
family, and my society by practicing mindful eating, drinking, and
consuming. I will practice looking deeply into how I consume the Four
Kinds of Nutriments, namely edible foods, sense impressions, volition,
and consciousness. I am determined not to gamble, or to use alcohol,
drugs, or any other products which contain toxins, such as certain
websites, electronic games, TV programs, films, magazines, books, and
conversations. I will practice coming back to the present moment to be
in touch with the refreshing, healing and nourishing elements in me and
around me, not letting regrets and sorrow drag me back into the past
nor letting anxieties, fear, or craving pull me out of the present
moment. I am determined not to try to cover up loneliness, anxiety, or
other suffering by losing myself in consumption. I will contemplate
interbeing and consume in a way that preserves peace, joy, and
well-being in my body and consciousness, and in the collective body and
consciousness of my family, my society and the Earth.
