The Ten Great Vows By Hrukti Maat

Introduction During the Three Treasures Ritual, we have all announced the Ten Great Vows Due to the intensity of the ritual, most of us do not remember the contents of the Ten Great Vows The Ten Great Vows are necessary because they are the expressions of our sincerity for the beseeching of Tao (that we do not have ulterior motives)

Introduction Transmission Master needs to witness the making of the vows before he or she can transmit the Three Treasures The Ten Great Vows also serves as the guiding posts for our spiritual journey The transgression of any of the vows can endanger our spiritual progress

First Vow Uphold with Sincerity Uphold the contents of the Three Treasures with earnest devotion (to never forget the contents of the Three Treasures) To strive to fully understand the insights of the Three Treasures and apply them in our spiritual cultivations (and obtain the grace of God and earn our place in the highest heaven) Meitreya Buddha has assured us that this is the true path and will enable enlightenment

Second Vow Earnestly Repent (or Cultivate) As we exist in the human form, it is very easy for us to transgress against our own divinity Therefore, as we seek enlightenment, we should whole-heartedly repent for any of our wrong doings (or thoughts) Penitence should be a constant practice (or at least twice a day—morning and evening prayers)

Second Vow Earnestly Repent (or Cultivate) Constant cultivation is another important practice in our spiritual progress Identifying our own spiritual blockages is the first step in cultivation Through the practice of internal and external cultivation, we sought to release all our blockages and attain spiritual enlightenment

Third Vow Do Not Harbor False Deception True devotees of Tao act truthfully and with sincerity. Do not have deceptive motives in the participation of Three Treasures or temple activities (i.e. financial gain, political influence or romantic pursuits) Righteous spiritual and physical actions will result in removing any insincerity and deceit from your personality

Fourth Vow Do Not Withdraw from Advancement Do not withdraw from spiritual advancement despite adversities Trials are parts of true spiritual breakthrough Understand that these trials and tribulations are our growing pain; they serve to fortify our spirits and enable our accomplishments Setbacks will happen, it is the continuous effort that counts (do not give up)

Fifth Vow Do Not Renounce the Great Teachers Any words or actions that show disrespect or dishonoring of the teachers are considered as offenses (i.e. seeking other spiritual teachers) Teachers are our divine guides for Ascension, so they deserve our utmost respect The love Teacher Je-Gong have for us is like the love of parents; he bear our Karmic debts, while we cultivate and earn merits, until we are able to repay them ourselves

Sixth Vow Do Not Disrespect the Elders We respect those predecessors who have served in the temple community and act as our spiritual leaders Temple community is built upon the sacrifices of members who have carried the torch of Tao throughout the tradition Some of these members may be less knowledgeable or educated than we are, but their contributions still deserve our respect Any words or actions against these members are considered as offenses

Seventh Vow Do Not Disobey Temple Etiquette Any intentional violation of the temple’s etiquette is considered an offense The rituals and etiquette serve as the guiding posts for the practice of Tao Temple rituals are established by the High Guardians to sustain order and foster a positive energy for the temple Following these etiquette will ensure a peaceful and harmonious temple community

Eighth Vow Do Not Divulge Heavenly Secrets Do not divulge the contents of Heavenly secret (i.e. Three Treasures) Understand that there is a Divine order in all things and the divulging of Heavenly secrets alters the Divine order, which is an offense Revealing Heavenly secrets under the wrong circumstance can cause confusion, frustration, and suffering to those who are not ready

Ninth Vow Do not Conceal the True Tao Do not intentionally conceal the Tao or actively prevent someone from receiving the Three Treasures Just as it’s a great merit to help someone to receive the Three Treasures, it is also a great karmic debt to prevent someone from receiving Understand that only God knows who is ready for receiving, so we should allow God to work through us to accomplish this great mission

Tenth Vow Act According to Capacity (or Cultivate Accordingly) Act according to your capacity and assist with the temple community The universal divine nature for unselfish service, acts of kindness, and love for others manifests itself in the practice of Tao Take ownership of temple responsibility will ensure our divine rank for the future

Tenth Vow Act According to Capacity (or Cultivate Accordingly) cultivate with earnest sincerity to eradicate any spiritual blockage Spiritual individuals strive to be in the best “holy” light irrespective of the changing circumstances (release of our spiritual blockage is the path to enlightenment)

Conclusion The Ten Great Vows are the fundamental vows of Tao During the Three Treasures ritual, the Transmission Master pronounces: “if you do not fulfill your vows, it’ll be difficult to return home” Three Treasures provides lifelong protection and redemption under the grace of God and our Holy Teachers’ blessings and assistances The understanding of our vows assists in the understanding of our heavenly missions and the realization of the purpose of our lives

Questions?