The 10 Precepts of Shingon Buddhism

Note: This is not to be confused with the 10 Precepts of Theravada Buddhism.

Again, this is kind of a reference post, but in Shingon Buddhism, there are ten “precepts” followers are encouraged to follow called the jūzenkai (十善戒):

1. I will not harm life.
2. I will not steal.
3. I will not commit adultery.
4. I will not tell a lie.
5. I will not exaggerate or gossip.
6. I will not speak abusively.
7. I will not equivocate.
8. I will not be greedy.
9. I will not be hateful.
10. I will not lose sight of the Truth.

However, this is not something invented in Shingon Buddhism only. The basis for this is actually the Agamas/Pali Canon. For example, in the Saleyyaka Sutta (MN 41), you can see the Buddha very clearly spelling out a very similar set of guidelines. Actually, in the case of the sutra, these are not precepts in the monastic or lay person sense, but voluntary good conduct one strives for.

Interestingly, the Ten Precepts are grouped into three categories:

• Body – Abstaining from killing, stealing or sexual immorality (adultery, rape, etc).
• Speech – Abstaining from lying, exaggerating, harsh or divisive speech.
• Mind – Abstaining from hatred or greed, and focusing on the truth.

This notion of Mind, Body and Speech is important not just to Shingon Buddhism, but probably Buddhism overall. The Buddha, when teaching these ten good conducts, divided them up the same way in the sutra. The message here is that in practicing Buddhism, you have to take speech, action and mind all into account. You can’t neglect any one of the three.

Namuamidabu

P.S. More on the history of the precepts in Japanese Buddhism in a later post.