five precepts

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Chinese-English Precepts E-Book

for

Buddhist Five Precepts

Transmitted by Living Buddha Lian-sheng

Compiled by Alice Yang

Published in the padmakumara.org/forum

Published on January 27, 2011Copyright 2011 by Living Buddha Lian-sheng

All rights reserved

This e-book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission


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Table of Content

............................................................................................................ 3

About Living Buddha Lian-sheng ............................................................................. 4

................................................................................................................... 5

.................................................................................................................... 7

Five Precepts ............................................................................................................10

..................................................................................................12The Methods of Taking Refuge ...............................................................................13


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About Living Buddha Lian-sheng

His Holiness Living Buddha Lian-sheng is the Root Guru

of True Buddha School. He is referred to as Grand Master

by his disciples, and he is regarded as the emanation ofAmitabha Buddha.

As the lineage holder of the Nyingma, Kagyu, Sakya and

Gelug schools of Tibetan Buddhism, Living Buddha Lian-

sheng has attained the highest fruition in those schools

including the Great Perfection, Mahamudra, Lamdre, and

Yamantaka Sadhana.

Living Buddha Lian-sheng teaches both exoteric and

esoteric Buddhism, and also incorporates elements of Zen

and Daoism into his teachings. He emphasizes actualpractice and encourages students to integrate his Buddhist

teachings into their daily lives. The quintessence of his

personal journey, his methods of cultivation and his

realization are embodied in the True Buddha Tantric Dharma, which is an inspiring, practical, and

powerful teaching that is well-suited for people in modern society. Living Buddha Lian-sheng leads a

disciplined life which includes spiritual practice, teaching, writing, and painting. He is an excellent model

for spiritual cultivators in this degenerated age.

As of today, over five million people have taken refuge in True Buddha School. With over 400 chapters

worldwide, True Buddha School is recognized as a major Buddhist group today. Living Buddha Lian-

sheng has written over 200 books in Chinese on topics ranging from Vajrayana Buddhism to Feng Shui,Zen Buddhism, and Daoism. Many of these books are now being translated into English and various other

languages.


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104

China Town

China Town


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Five Precepts

Transmitted by Living Buddha Liang-sheng

Translated by Lianhua Zhi-weiEdited by Harmony, Alice Yang

Proofread byRene Cordsen

(Excerpt from Living Buddha Lian-shengs Book 28:Reflections by aTranquil Spring--From Heavenly

Beings to the Other Shore of Buddhahood.)

1. Refrain from Killing:We should have a compassionate heart and exercise compassion towards all sentient beings. Treat

them fairly without discrimination. Do not kill or persecute any beings. Shakyamuni Buddha found

that all beings possessed the same Buddha-nature and the potential to become Buddhas. Also,

Buddhism advocates salvaging the world through compassion. Hence, the Buddha taught us not to

kill fellow sentient beings. Confucius once said, Hearing its cries, one does not have the heart to

consume its meat. Compassion is the basis to attain enlightenment. Therefore, we need to have

compassion towards all living beings. Do not kill them and avoid generating the karma of animosity.

Let sentient beings live out their natural life so acts of conflict and hatred can be eliminated. By doing

this, an ideal peaceful world may be realized.

2. Refrain from Stealing:Cultivators must observe righteous behavior and be vigilant in guarding their pure hearts from being

corrupted. If they regard fame and fortune like passing clouds, they will not be seduced by the

material world and commit fraud, embezzlement, theft, robbery nor other wrongful deeds. They must

not take anything that does not belong to them. Hence, taking anything that is not given, not earned,

or not allocated are all considered stealing. Based on my observation, sentient beings do not abide by

this precept, and many of them have lost their hearts of justice. Newspapers are full of cases of

stealing through scheming and force. If everyone observes this rule of non-stealing, then society will

have peace.

3. Refrain from Sexual Misconduct:Cultivators should practice celibacy to avoid committing the offense of sexual misconduct which

refers to sexual relationships with anyone else beside your legal spouse. Cultivators should regard

sexual pleasure as dangerous as a ferocious tiger and it should be feared and avoided. Husband and

wife should treat each other with respect. We should regard elder women as our mothers and younger

women as our sisters. Therefore, we should not have any deviant sexual thoughts. One must know


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that, Bodies of beautiful women are naturally smooth and soft;

With sharp swords by their waists decapitating mundane men; Even though you dont see any heads

roll, their marrow is already covertly wilted and dried.

In theAdvice for Longevity (Chinese folk wisdom), it is said that:

Men should ask themselves whether they have properly stored their natural endowed vital energy.

Did they squander it during their youth? Did they guard it after getting married? Men should not

have mistresses, nor should they visit prostitutes or engage in sexual activities with homosexuals,

minors, animals, etc. Regardless of what sexual misconduct they might have engaged in, their

bodies are already depleted of their vital energy. Human bodies are not made of steel and cannot

withstand these types of daily abuses. With added worries from their life, their bodies will age

quickly and further decrease their vital force.

Hence, not only can men gain longevity by avoiding sexual misconduct, but also attain realization

because their hearts are not contaminated by deviant habits.

4. Refrain from Lying:It is important to practice honesty because honesty is the fundamental principal of achieving harmony

with heaven and earth. In order for mens hearts to be harmonious with that of heaven, they must be

honest. Dishonesty is disrespect. Men who are dishonest but still making claims of great cultivation

and diligent practice are like men who try to get blood from a turnip. They use schemes to fool

others and deceive others by lying and giving false claims and testimonies. Exaggeration should also

be avoided because that is considered false speech and will create negative verbal karma.

5. Refrain from Taking Intoxicants:Cultivators should be in full possession of their mental faculty. Folk wisdom teaches us, Dont saythat alcohol makes a man feel immortal; Many mistakes are committed when one is drunk; Oneinvites troubles, causing conflict and loss of trust. It is too late to feel regret when sober.

Cultivators must maintain a calm mind and avoid consuming alcohol and other intoxicating

substances. Alcohol and intoxicants are like hallucinogens. Getting intoxicated develops a flaw in

your character. Many misdeeds are committed after getting intoxicated. Therefore, cultivators should

maintain calmness of their mind and should abstain from alcohol and other intoxicating substances.


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Grand Master Sheng-yen Lu

17102 NE 40th Ct.

Redmond, WA 98052, USATel: 425-885-7573Fax: 425-883-2173


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The Methods of Taking Refuge

In Writing:

At 7:00 a.m. (your local time), on either the first or the fifteenth of every lunar month, face thedirection of the rising sun. With palms joined, reverently recite the Fourfold Refuge Mantra three times:

Namo Guru bei, Namo Buddha ye, Namo Dharma ye, Namo Sangha ye. Seeking Living Buddha Lian -shengs guidance, I am taking refuge in the True Buddha, and prostrate three times.

Send a letter to the True Buddha Foundation to indicate your wish to receive the refugeempowerment. State your name, address, age, and enclose a voluntary offering to the contact address of

Living Buddha Lian-sheng. Upon receiving the letter, the True Buddha Foundation will process yourrequest. The address is:

Grand Master Sheng-yen Lu17102 NE 40th Ct.Redmond, WA 98052, USA

Tel: 425-885-7573Fax: 425-883-2173

Upon receiving the refuge request letter, the True Buddha Foundation will send you a refugecertificate, a picture of Living Buddha Lian-sheng, and instructions on how to start cultivation of the Four

Preliminary Practices.

In Person:

You may obtain refuge empowerment personally from Grand Master Lu, or from a True Buddhaacharya who confers the empowerment on behalf of Grand Master, by visiting a True Buddha temple,

chapter, cultivation group, or by attending a True Buddha ceremony.

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