Lay Vows

Question: In our last Discovering Buddhism class we talked about Lay Vows. What are the Lay Vows and what are the different ways you can take them ? Thank You.

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Have a look at this previous blog post on the Pratimoksha Vows.

What I was referring to as Lay Vows in class can also be called precepts. Lay Vows (Skt. Upasaka/Upasika; Tib. Genyen) are taken on the basis of the Refuge Vow. You should take them from a qualified master who is keeping pure morality.

Several of our students have taken them in recent years from Geshe Ngawang Dakpa, resident teacher for our San Francisco center, who is learned in scripture and protocol as well as being very stable in his own conduct.

If there are enough students who want to take them now, we can invite Geshe-la to give them at our center. Otherwise, you can connect with the program coordinator at Tse Chen Ling to go up there and take them.

Some masters only give all 5 precepts at once; others let you take the ones you are ready to take.

- Drimay