Community Vows
Community Vows
I vow to view my fellow sangha as the disciples of Buddha Shakyamuni and Je Tsongkhapa and their retinue worthy of enlightened potential and respect.
I vow to study the teachings of Buddha in order to gain great mind transformations to benefit others continuously.
I vow to consistently and joyfully practice awareness and kindness with my sangha compatriots, serving them with happiness.
I vow to wholeheartedly honor my commitments to my fellow sangha and be consistent in my work, duties and commitments.
I vow not to engage in gossip, schism, casual negativity and instead speak with compassion, tolerance and love. To unify others and our goal with my speech and not create schism.
I vow to not be indulging in games of comparison, jealousy and competition to fulfill my desires for domination, status and consolation. I vow to let others win and help them to win in their spiritual practices.
I vow to relate to my fellow sangha from a place deep within me with friendliness and care so they can gain benefits from their spiritual practice and their interaction with me.
When my fellow sangha is speaking, I vow to listen with an open heart and mind. If they are different than my views to logically and patiently share my ideas so our environment can benefit from many ideas and experiences of diverse backgrounds.
I vow to accept full responsibility for my emotions and to improve them and to communicate directly and openly with my fellow sangha in order to keep our relationship alive and genuine.
I vow to respect all religions, all forms of Buddhism and all beings who do not believe in religion as well and look upon them as objects to love and fellow beings who deserve happiness same as myself.
I vow to share my wealth, knowledge and experience in ways that does not bring attention or ego boosts to myself.
I vow to improve my emotions, body language, speech and motivation better as time goes on and not remain stagnant falling prey to angst, laziness and mind games.
I vow to study, meditate, apply the teachings I have been given and taught by Buddha so I can generate internal results resulting in positive external environments.
I vow to control my petty small desires and emotions which are troublemakers with focusing on relieving the sufferings of others.
I vow to achieve the full Buddha awakening following in the footsteps of Lord Buddha and Je Tsongkhapa.
~Tsem Rinpoche
Dear Kecharians,
As we grow and our departments expand, so will the diversity of people and ideas coming in. As a spiritual organization we have to manage both secular and spiritual issues that crop up often whenever there are humans involved. We have to remember that whether we are in Kechara in a spiritual capacity or purely secular, we want to accomplish our works and have harmony with each other. Not all of us may have the same goals and ideals but we certainly want Kechara to succeed further since we are working together. Some of us working or volunteering in Kechara may not even be Buddhist and therefore the Buddhist vows don’t apply to you but the humanistic ones are something nice to understand what we all strive for.
A vow is a personal goal we make to ourselves and to our fellow compatriots. The discipline behind keeping the vows gives us deep integrity which invites the respect of all those around us creating a happy atmosphere. Integrity is urgently needed in our lives so we can have trust and work with others based on the calmness of that trust. We create disharmony when we don’t have trust because of lack of integrity. Not having integrity means our selfish ends are more important than everyone else’s needs. Also that breaking their confidence is of little concern to us.
When others respect us and we respect ourselves we are much happier individuals because we are in a harmonious environment. Happiness is what we want and to achieve true happiness we must have integrity based on respect for others. Respect for others means doing your part or more and finishing what you started. Discipline, consistency and keeping to our words is what makes us grow and create harmony within our environment. No one finds it easy to work with someone who changes their minds, their decisions and their goals based on moods, emotions and lack of responsibility, they affect others negatively. We won’t find it easy for ourselves either. We must finish what we start and overcome all adversity in the process. By doing so we win on so many levels. Spiritually beneficial too. We set the correct example for those around us, our family, our children, our friends and ourselves. We do want to set the right example because we want happiness for others and ourselves. Happiness is something to be earned and not handed to us.
Sangha are the ones around us working for the same goal and together with us. We make a vow to ourselves and to the sangha around us within our minds. To achieve a goal we are dependent on many around us and to give them our integrity and hold true to our words of honour are vitally important in today’s world. Reaching our ends is important but so is the journey. We don’t want to reach our goals and be alone because we alienated everyone in the process.
This is something we can read daily to remind us of what our goals are and why we are here in Kechara. To read with thoughtful contemplation is what helps us remember these points and apply. We must apply what we read. Very important, do not look for reasons to fail in your spiritual journey and works, but look for reasons to succeed. Do not blame others for your mind and emotions, but control your mind already. It’s easier to control one mind than all beings who come in contact with you. Remember, look for reasons always to succeed. I wish everyone well and wisdom.
Tsem Rinpoche
(Some of us volunteering/working in Kechara may not be Buddhist, but these vows simply means to be one with the God within ourselves. Or guidelines to create harmonious working conditions. You don’t have to read this daily, but you can understand what the vows mean and that is good enough. Being one with goodness and happiness and all that it represents are the goals of these vows for anyone in general.)
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To bring different individuals together is never going to be an easy task. I applaud the people who are courageous and compassionate enough to attempt some feat. In any community or organization, handling people will always be the biggest challenge. Rules, principles, vows are there to help safe guard us against ourselves. It is unfortunate but without rules, principles and vows we inevitably lead ourselves into chaos and self destruction.
If we recognize the weaknesses of our mind and the benefits of these rules, principles and vows, we will learn to respect them and in turn respect ourselves and others in the community. Happiness is not something that we can take, it is not something that others can give us. Happiness is something that we can create and then give to others.
Thank you Rinpoche for the sharing. I will want Kechara to succeed further and will try my best to kept the vows in my mind.
These vows are important. I will keep this in mind. Compassion and commitment.
I do believe the community vows will help Kecharians to be ever more harmonius and without harmony as an organisation growing and becoming better will be fraught with many problems. The community vows is also a way to help us keep improving our selves and the organisation.
Thank you Rinpoche for these vows as they act as a reminder on how we should and could control our body, speech and mind daily so that we will reap the right results for true happiness.
I like what Rinpoche wrote here; ” It’s easier to control one mind than all beings who come in contact with you. Remember, look for reasons always to succeed.”
This is true and good to remember daily because when we’re down, it is always easier to listen to our demons that corrupt our wisdom to see the positive limitless possibilities of our true nature that pure and good. We often forget, so these vows keeps us on the right track of living in harmony with ourselves and those around us.
The vow that strike me most at this moment, though it may probably change throughout my spiritual journey, is this… “I vow to improve my emotions, body language, speech and motivation better as time goes on and not remain stagnant falling prey to angst, laziness and mind games.”
This is because most of the time, we are not able to see how we behave and act towards others and often we let our emotions rule our actions which can be self-destructive and does not serve us well.
I have started reciting these vows and will continue to do so daily as part of my daily sadhana. Thank you Rinpoche for compassionately showing us ways to tame our minds consistently and creatively always. Without the Dharma, we’d be in a far worst state of mind and being.
I sincerely apologise for all the mistakes I have done to disappoint Rinpoche time and time again though Rinpoche has given me so much, mentally, emotionally and physically. I know apologies are empty without true practice and transformation where only results will show through actions. So I shall continue to strive to challenge and battle myself within and to commit to the happiness of others, starting with my own Kechara sangha, and create actions to fulfil that commitment in the face of all obstacles and opposition.
Rinpoche has played a huge part in my life that has literally change the course of my life’s journey, giving it some “purpose”. I think if I had never met Rinpoche, I would probably not be in Dharma, probably not have a conscious, and I would still happily continue my merry way collecting more negative karma, like as if I don’t already have enough of. I believe that everything Rinpoche does for all students is to wake them up to their realities and pains, though it’s really painful but at the same time gives light for them to see their true potential self of achieving something better for themselves and for others.
Rinpoche has once said that when Rinpoche looks at a person, Rinpoche does not see the person for who they were, knowing well who they were, but more of who they can become, their “potential Buddha nature”. That is why Rinpoche always compassionately and patiently accept, forgives, cares and help every monster like me that crosses path with Rinpoche. It is amazing when I look back at how many monster students that have crossed path with, even with those who have left, at least for that few years with Kechara, Rinpoche managed to plant seeds in them, give them Dharma and for that few years skilfully helped them to collect some merits to prepare for next life.
I also recall Rinpoche’s advice, as we grow, there will be more and more students who will fall out, who will drop off, like dropping out of class as we go on to the next level, e.g. from diploma, to degree to PHD. Naturally the higher the level, the less would be qualified, this qualifications is likened to “merits” we collect and our clean samaya with the Guru. Hence Rinpoche has time and time and again always request us to check our minds and maintain good Guru devotion which means to me, when we meet adversity/obstacles, we should always contemplate on our Guru’s kindness again and again. This is to ensure that we do not allow our Maras (inner demons) to easily appear and conquer us, this will rip us from our liberation. This is what I understand for every storm I created and face.
Another advise from Rinpoche which I always keep close to heart is that “whatever obstacles we face, we must “never give up in Dharma”.
So I thank Rinpoche from the bottom of my heart for much patience, tolerance and courage to have us monster students, to even attempt to help and transform our minds, is clear sign of a true Boddhisattva that only flourish when take on poisonous plants.
Dear Rinpoche,
The vows look simple to follow, yet seems difficult when we apply it to ourselves. It is good to read them and understand and work on keeping the vows. As written, it is a community vow, although the words sangha appears in most of the vows, when we change it and apply to other faiths or religions, it still makes a lot of sense, since it is ultimately teaching us how to gain more knowledge in this spiritual path, and making more friends and loving all beings.
I really love the part of the vow that mentions respecting all religion and all beings with no religion, as the world seems to be crumpling apart with religious wars or criticism against other religions, openly or not.
I will follow Rinpoche’s words to respect everyone and all beings, and respecting also ourselves, and thus creating a harmonious environment. Harmony is really the key to true happiness, freedom and love.
Thank you Rinpoche.
Vows are said to be inner commitments which we should focus our minds towards achieving our spiritual goals! As spiritual aspirants, successful keeping of these vows represent the direct outcome of our sincere aspirations. Most importantly as said, do not look for reasons to fail but steadfastly, only for reasons to only succeed. In all effect, we should be guarding our vows like we do for our precious eyes, and hold them well. By being vigilant of our minds and emotions, there is no reason why we should not succeed! Thank you Rinpoche for your well wishes and encouragment. Om mani padme hung.
Great vows and will strive to uphold them. I particularly like the part about listening with open mind and heart. I find that while many of us are capable to listen with open minds, more often than not, our hearts are not open to what others are really saying. We accept what the other person is saying on a rather superficial level and not wholeheartedly or with real understanding. Listening with an open heart is harder for me but am practicing. 🙂 Thank you for yet any gem, Rinpoche.
I will follow this skillfully and with a joyful heart. <3
Whether is is on the spiritual capacity or secular matters, it is best that we should learn to live and work in harmony because it is better to spread peace and love around than to create schism and war that creates sufferings.
Working and living in a community require a lot of patience, tolerance and understanding which is a good practice for all. Thank you, Rinpoche, for the commitment vows to remind us daily that we should not falter but to succeed
Thank you so much Rinpoche for offering us these precious Community Vows. I will read them daily to apply them in my daily work in the community I am serving. Those wows are universal wows and can be apply so well to all of us wishing to be guide by dharma motivations.
Thank you Rinpoche for the valuable teaching.
Yes. Jealousy, selfishness, ego and disharmony are always the obstacles in our life. If everyone, irrespective of race, nationality and religion can eliminate these bad character, the world will be a better place to live in.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing these vows. I will keep these in mind. These vows would not only help Dharma practice but would also be beneficial to the corporate world.
Thank you Rinpoche for these vows , will constantly remind myself of these
Thank you Rinpoche for reminding us about our pratice I will keep that in mind and try our best to follow all these vows.
It is very timely for these vows to be made public as Kechara is expanding, and thus more volunteering works are expected. It will set as a guideline for all, so that Kechara will have a conducive environment for practitioners to practice and as well as mutually supporting each other, spiritually. Talking about integrity, it reminded me of H.E trip to Bangkok where H.E spoke about integrity in details and how it closely relates to holding vows. Both are equally important. Hope the bottom link will help…
https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/integrity-a-talk-at-the-floating-market-in-thailand.html
Yes, working and sometimes staying together as a community needs interaction, tolerance, giving, patience, effort, etc leading to mutual understanding and harmony. I like what Rinpoche wrote:
‘Very important, do not look for reasons to fail in your spiritual journey and works, but look for reasons to succeed.’
Dear Rinpoche,
Thank you very much for this. This would be of great help for our working life in the corporate world. We are afraid of creating bad casues without even knowing because of being lack of wisdom. The Community Vow helps us.
Rinpoche,
I believe these vows encompasses what everyone wants to achieve and not just limited to those of Buddhist faith only. Living and working in harmony with everyone around us is very crucial because history have taught us that all the wars being fought in various countries of this world stemmed from disharmony. Thank you Rinpoche for imparting these purposeful teachings.
Thank You Rinpoche, I will bear this in mind. Pray that every one will succeed in their spiritual journey.