The Sixteen Bodhisattva Precepts
 
Taking Refuge in the Triple Treasure
I take refuge in the Buddha
I take refuge in the Dharma
I take refuge in the Sangha
 
The Three Collective Pure Precepts
With purity of heart, I vow to abstain from the unwholesome.
With purity of heart, I vow to do the wholesome.
With purity of heart, I vow to benefit all beings.
 
The Ten Grave Prohibitory Precepts
A disciple of the Buddha abstains from the willful taking of life.

A disciple of the Buddha abstains from stealing.
A disciple of the Buddha abstains from indulging in sexual greed.
A disciple of the Buddha abstains from telling lies.
A disciple of the Buddha abstains from indulging in harmful intoxicants or drugs.
A disciple of the Buddha abstains from speaking ill of others.
A disciple of the Buddha abstains from extolling the self while slandering others.
A disciple of the Buddha abstains from being avaricious in the bestowal of teachings or materials.
A disciple of the Buddha abstains from the harboring of hatred, malice or ill-will.
A disciple of the Buddha abstains from the denouncing the Triple Treasure.
 
Receiving the Precepts

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Prairie Mountain Zen Center offers the transmission of the Bodhisattva Precepts to sincere practitioners of the Buddha Way.  The ceremony to receive the precepts (Jukai) is available, with Rev. Jodo Cliff Clusin as the authorized preceptor.

There are two options available for the precept ceremony.

The first is layperson ordination, which involves sewing a rakusu (a small buddhist robe).  Prairie Mountain Zen Center is very lucky to have Judith Putnam as our sewing teacher.  She is one of only a few dozen recognized sewing teachers in America in the Soto Zen tradition.   Judy has experience helping practitioners from around the country sew with on line guidance.

Once an candidate for ordination has sown their rakusu,  Rev. Clusin picks a traditional Japanese (with English meaning) Dharma Name for them and inscribes their name and transmission date on the back of the Rakusu.  The rakusu and precepts are then received from Rev. Clusin in a public ceremony.   The ceremony is currently being adopted to occur remotely, online.

The other option is that a candidate can receive the Bodhisattva Precepts at the public ceremony without sewing a rakusu and without receiving a dharma name.  A parchment is presented, listing the precepts, and the names of the preceptor and the receiver and the date of the ceremony.

In either case, receipt of the precepts is open to those with some familiarity with Buddhist practice, who wish to publicly acknowledge their ongoing commitment to these precepts.  Participants are requested to read the following books:
Being Upright by Reb Anderson and Waking Up to What You Do by Diane Rizzetto. They are encouraged to discuss their questions about the precepts with Rev. Clusin.  Please contact Cliff  at info@pmzc.org if you are interested in receiving the precepts.

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