Intention is All

It’s The Life of the Precepts retreat this week-end.

The dharma talks (during the retreat) will address in practical terms how we can apply the Precepts in daily life and how the practice of the Precepts is inextricably interconnected with mediation and true wisdom. Taken from the 2007 Retreat Programme flyer.

Many people are here who will be attending Jukai next spring. Jukai is a week-long retreat with a number of ceremonies including The Receiving of the Precepts, which in so doing people formally become a Buddhist. People who do not, or are not able to, attend Jukai are no less Buddhist if the Sixteen Precepts are practiced whole heartedly.

The journey to the monastery, priory, meditation group or temple to receive basic instruction about the practice is perhaps the most important ‘ceremony’ of all. In fact we say the first ceremony of Jukai IS the journey to the monastery.

Trog waiting at Dinas station on the Welsh Highland line with one of his human family.

I think this little dog is exhibiting bright attention, which is important in terms of following the Precepts and practice in general. My thought for the week-end is ‘intention’, the Precepts are all about intention: to follow, to refrain, to relinquish, to open to Compassion. And the intention to do the very best one can. It is enough.

That’s the last Trog picture for now.

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2 thoughts on “Intention is All”

  1. Great post, Rev Mugo.

    Sometimes your posts seem to open up a can of worms of thoughts in me, and I have trouble distilling them down to something coherent that I can reply with.

    I think that my first ceremony was daring to seriously approach the religion section of Blackwells in Basildon 15 years ago. It may sound a pretty easy act to most people, but I felt what I can only describe as mortal fear. I just followed my nose, and ended up buying a copy of The Spirit of Zen by Alan Watts.. and here I am now.

    The fear of approaching those books. The reluctance I often have to sit down and meditate. Invisible barriers. But I’ve got through a couple at least.

  2. I love this picture & this dog! The ‘bright attention’ is wonderful. I do quite often observe dogs doing this & their owners not seeing it. More Trog!

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