Those Who Entered the Path of Dharma…

“Keep the vows you have taken pure, without breaking them,” — such was the main message of Kundeling Tatsak Rinpoche to those who entered the path of Dharma. During his recent pastoral visit to Kalmykia, at the request of the faithful, the venerable Teacher granted individual lay vows (genin vows) to those who wished to take them. These involve the observance of 5 basic commitments: not to kill, not to steal, not to lie, not to commit adultery, not to drink alcohol, and they are taken for life. But a practitioner may take any number of these five vows.

Kundeling Rinpoche spoke in great detail about each of them, and about how the observance of the vows contributes precisely to the accumulation of an immeasurable amount of merit. It was gratifying to see so many people who wished to take them, especially young people. Visualizing the Great Buddha before them and making prostrations before him, the faithful asked for a blessing on the beginning of a new spiritual life. “I am infinitely glad that today so many people have consciously decided to accept the basic code of Buddhist ethics, for at the foundation of observing these five vows lies the principle of non-harming,” the Teacher noted.

According to the venerable Kundeling Rinpoche, these are important steps in the development of Buddhism in Kalmykia. Addressing the faithful, he emphasized the need both to preserve the Teaching, and to practice it and pass it on from generation to generation.