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Five Mindfulness Trainings
The Five Mindfulness Trainings
… for Lay Practitioners
The Five Mindfulness Trainings represent the Buddhist vision for a global spirituality and ethic. They are a concrete expression of the Buddha’s teachings on the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path, the path of right understanding and true love. They lead to healing, transformation and happiness for ourselves and for the world. To practice the Five Mindfulness Trainings is to cultivate the insight of interbeing, or Right View, which can remove all discrimination, intolerance, anger, fear, and despair. If we live according to the Five Mindfulness Trainings, we are already on the path of a bodhisattva. Knowing we are on the path, we are not lost in confusion about our life in the present or in fears about the future.
In the Plum Village tradition, lay members receive the Five Trainings as a commitment to practice mindfulness in our daily lives. We must recite them regularly – at least once a month, and preferably every two weeks – so that their transmission remains alive in our practice and in our actions. It is most nourishing to gather as a Sangha for the recitation, and at the Sangha of the Falling Rain, we perform the recitation ceremony together on the fist Tuesday of each month.
Usually, one of the members of the Sangha will be Reciter, and another will be Bell Master. If the recitation is taking place on line, the Bell Master may wish to modify their meeting settings, so that noise cancellation of the audio is set to “low”. This allows the voice of the bell to be faithfully reproduced for the community.
You may enjoy this introduction to the Five Mindfulness Trainings, by Sister Dang Nghiêm.
Reciting the Trainings
Reciting the Five Trainings is a beautiful practice. The one who reads the text becomes a channel of transmission for the trainings, and brings with her or his voice the renewal of our aspirations. He or she stands in the stead of Thầy and the historical Buddha, smiling on the Sangha.
To begin the recitation ceremony, the Bell Master invites the bell to bring the participants back to their breathing in the present moment. Then, the Introductory Words are read, followed by a quiet “awakening” of the bell
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The Reciter reads each of the Trainings, stating the title, reading the text slowly and clearly. When complete, he or she reads a line to the community, to contemplate their engagement with the training during the past period of time. The Bell Master invites the bell, and the community takes three mindful breaths and silently responds to the text. The Bell Master then “awakens” the bell, and the Reciter knows to continue with the next training.
Recitation takes about fifteen minutes. For easier facilitation, and the ability to listen wholeheartedly while the trainings are read, the Bell Master can be attentive to the following words, which conclude each of the trainings:
First: … dogmatism in myself and in the world.
Second: … stop contributing to climate change.
Third: … continue beautifully into the future.
Fourth: … that lie deep in my consciousness.
Fifth: … my family, my society and the Earth.
The structure of the recitation ceremony follows.
Introductory Words
Dear Sangha, this is the moment when we enjoy reciting the Five Mindfulness Trainings together.
The Five Mindfulness Trainings represent the Buddhist vision for a global spirituality and ethic. They are a concrete expression of the Buddha’s teachings on the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path, the path of right understanding and true love. They lead to healing, transformation and happiness for ourselves and for the world. To practice the Five Mindfulness Trainings is to cultivate the insight of interbeing, or Right View, which can remove all discrimination, intolerance, anger, fear, and despair. If we live according to the Five Mindfulness Trainings, we are already on the path of a bodhisattva. Knowing we are on the path, we are not lost in confusion about our life in the present or in fears about the future.
Please listen to each mindfulness training with a serene mind. Breathe mindfully and answer “yes” silently each time you see that you have made an effort to study, practice and observe the mindfulness training read.
Click the headings below to read the full text of each Training:
Aware of the suffering caused by the destruction of life, I am committed to cultivating the insight of interbeing and compassion and learning ways to protect the lives of people, animals, plants, and minerals. I am determined not to kill, not to let others kill, and not to support any act of killing in the world, in my thinking, or in my way of life. Seeing that harmful actions arise from anger, fear, greed, and intolerance, which in turn come from dualistic and discriminative thinking, I will cultivate openness, non-discrimination, and non-attachment to views in order to transform violence, fanaticism, and dogmatism in myself and in the world.
This is the first of the Five Mindfulness Trainings. Have you made an effort to study, practice, and observe it during the past four weeks?
Aware of the suffering caused by exploitation, social injustice, stealing, and oppression, I am committed to practicing generosity in my thinking, speaking, and acting. I am determined not to steal and not to possess anything that should belong to others; and I will share my time, energy, and material resources with those who are in need. I will practice looking deeply to see that the happiness and suffering of others are not separate from my own happiness and suffering; that true happiness is not possible without understanding and compassion; and that running after wealth, fame, power and sensual pleasures can bring much suffering and despair. I am aware that happiness depends on my mental attitude and not on external conditions, and that I can live happily in the present moment simply by remembering that I already have more than enough conditions to be happy. I am committed to practicing Right Livelihood so that I can help reduce the suffering of living beings on Earth and stop contributing to climate change.
This is the second of the Five Mindfulness Trainings. Have you made an effort to study, practice, and observe it during the past four weeks?
Aware of the suffering caused by sexual misconduct, I am committed to cultivating responsibility and learning ways to protect the safety and integrity of individuals, couples, families, and society. Knowing that sexual desire is not love, and that sexual activity motivated by craving always harms myself as well as others, I am determined not to engage in sexual relations without mutual consent, true love, and a deep, long-term commitment. I resolve to find spiritual support for the integrity of my relationship from family members, friends, and sangha with whom there is support and trust. I will do everything in my power to protect children from sexual abuse and to prevent couples and families from being broken by sexual misconduct. Seeing that body and mind are interrelated, I am committed to learning appropriate ways to take care of my sexual energy and to cultivating the four basic elements of true love – loving kindness, compassion, joy, and inclusiveness – for the greater happiness of myself and others. Recognizing the diversity of human experience, I am committed not to discriminate against any form of gender identity or sexual orientation. Practicing true love, we know that we will continue beautifully into the future.
This is the third of the Five Mindfulness Trainings. Have you made an effort to study, practice, and observe it during the past four weeks?
Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful speech and the inability to listen to others, I am committed to cultivating loving speech and compassionate listening in order to relieve suffering and to promote reconciliation and peace in myself and among other people, ethnic and religious groups, and nations. Knowing that words can create happiness or suffering, I am committed to speaking truthfully using words that inspire confidence, joy, and hope. When anger is manifesting in me, I am determined not to speak. I will practice mindful breathing and walking in order to recognize and to look deeply into my anger. I know that the roots of anger can be found in my wrong perceptions and lack of understanding of the suffering in myself and in the other person. I will speak and listen in a way that can help myself and the other person to transform suffering and see the way out of difficult situations. I am determined not to spread news that I do not know to be certain and not to utter words that can cause division or discord. I will practice Right Diligence to nourish my capacity for understanding, love, joy, and inclusiveness, and gradually transform anger, violence, and fear that lie deep in my consciousness.
This is the fourth of the Five Mindfulness Trainings. Have you made an effort to study, practice, and observe it during the past four weeks?
Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful consumption, I am committed to cultivating good health, both physical and mental, for myself, my family, and my society by practicing mindful eating, drinking, and consuming. I will practice looking deeply into how I consume the Four Kinds of Nutriments, namely edible foods, sense impressions, volition, and consciousness. I am determined not to gamble, or to use alcohol, drugs, or any other products which contain toxins, such as certain websites, electronic games, TV programs, films, magazines, books, and conversations. I will practice coming back to the present moment to be in touch with the refreshing, healing and nourishing elements in me and around me, not letting regrets and sorrow drag me back into the past nor letting anxieties, fear, or craving pull me out of the present moment. I am determined not to try to cover up loneliness, anxiety, or other suffering by losing myself in consumption. I will contemplate interbeing and consume in a way that preserves peace, joy, and well-being in my body and consciousness, and in the collective body and consciousness of my family, my society and the Earth.
This is the fifth of the Five Mindfulness Trainings. Have you made an effort to study, practice, and observe it during the past four weeks?
Concluding Words
Dear respected Sangha, we have recited the Five Mindfulness Trainings, the foundation for happiness for the individual, the family, and society. We should recite them regularly so that our study and practice of the mindfulness trainings can deepen day by day.
Upon hearing the sound of the bell, please stand up and touch the Earth three times to show your gratitude to the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha.
Bowing in gratitude to the Buddha in me, I touch the Earth
Conclude the ceremony with a bow to the gathered community, and three sounds of the bell.