Scudder Falls Zen

Taking Refuge (Shelter) in the Three Jewels
The offering of refuge or shelter in the Three Jewels – the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha – is one of the services offered by the Scudder Falls Zen sangha. Taking refuge is the first formal step onto the path of the buddhas and bodhisattvas, the path of awakening. This is universally so, despite all of the great diversity within global Buddhism. And it has been so for more than two thousand years. It is often a meaningful and memorable moment for a person, especially for people who grew up outside of a Buddhist family or a traditionally-Buddhist country.

Any Scudder Falls teacher may offer the three refuges to a sincere person at any time. You need not be a member or active participant of the sangha. We also offer occasional formal ceremonies at our regular meetings. Contact a teacher (either in person or by email) if you want to take refuge.

Taking Precepts
The second formal step on the path of awakening is taking the five lay precepts, a set of vows upon which to repeatedly reflect on and struggle with in our daily lives. The five precepts are the foundation of our aspirations and practice. For more than two thousand years, everywhere that Buddhism has spread, these have included some formulation of refraining from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, and intoxication.

Scudder Falls offers formal precept ceremonies to any person who has taken refuge in the Three Jewels and sincerely resolves to reduce the suffering of themselves and others. You need not be a formal member or active participant in the sangha to request the precepts. If you wish to take the precepts, review them below, reflecting on whether you can sincerely strive to uphold them (while recognizing that you will at times fail). If you can, then contact a Scudder Falls teacher (either in person or by email). You may take both refuge and precepts at the same ceremony.

In the East Mountain Buddhist community, we formulate the five precepts thusly:

1. I vow to support all living creatures and to refrain from killing.
2. I vow to respect the property of others and to refrain from stealing.
3. I vow to regard all beings with respect and dignity and to refrain from objectifying others.
4. I vow to be truthful and to refrain from lying.
5. I vow to maintain a clear mind and to refrain from harming myself or others with intoxication.

Before the ceremony, reflect on how each of these precepts plays out in your own life. We all have unique struggles and conditions. Some precepts will offer greater difficulty than others. Over months and years, you will find new layers of the precepts to engage.

The following book might help your reflection on the precepts:

Rizzetto, Diane Eshin. Waking Up to What You Do: A Zen Practice for Meeting Every Situation with Intelligence and Compassion. Boston: Shambhala, 2006.