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THE FIVE MINDFULNESS TRAININGS
(Awakening Heart version)
► Download a copy of the Five Mindfulness Trainings
Sisters and brothers in the community, this is the moment when we
enjoy transmitting, receiving, and reciting the Five Mindfulness
Trainings together. The Five Mindfulness Trainings represent the
Buddhist vision for a global spirituality and ethic. They are a
concrete expression of the Buddha's teachings on the Four Noble
Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path, the path of right
understanding and true love, leading to healing, transformation,
and happiness for ourselves and for the world. To practice the Five
Mindfulness Trainings is to cultivate the insight of interbeing, or
Right View, which can remove all discrimination, intolerance,
anger, fear, and despair. If we live according to the Five
Mindfulness Trainings, we are already on the path of a
bodhisattva. Knowing we are on that path, we are not lost in
confusion about our life in the present or in fears about the
future.
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1. 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.
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2. 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.
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3. The Third Mindfulness Training
— True Love (AH version):
Aware of the suffering caused by sexual irresponsibility, 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 the same as love,
and that sexual activity motivated by craving can harm myself as
well as others, I am determined not to engage in sexual relations
without mutual understanding, true care, deep respect, and a loving
commitment to the long-term wellbeing of myself and others, in
harmony with 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 irresponsibility. 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.
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4. 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.
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5. The Fifth Mindfulness Training
— Nourishment and Healing (AH version):
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 intoxicants 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.
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