The Three Treasures and Eight Vows

Buddhist

I vow to take refuge in the Buddha

I vow to take refuge in The Dharma

I vow to take refuge in the Sangha

Interfaith

I vow to take refuge in Oneness

I vow to take refuge in Diversity

I vow to take refuge in Harmony

Avalokiteshvara

I vow to embrace each moment with Not-Knowing, the Practice of Presence and Service as a way of being.

I vow devotion to Zazen, to awakening and to embodying a field of enlightenment.

I vow to transform suffering and anger into wisdom and compassionate action.

I vow to speak from the heart, to listen wholeheartedly, and to seek the wisdom of council.

I vow to cultivate respect and dignity in all relationships.

I vow to use discernment from a perspective of unity and to nurture a culture of cooperation.

For myself and for all humanity, I vow to seek what is needed responsibly, to share generously, to work well with what I have, and to take only what is freely given.

I vow to promote solidarity and a just economic order.

I vow to care for the sacred elements – earth, water, air and fire, to deeply respect the Net of creation, from micro-organisms to the great whales, from weed to rain forest, the infinite forms of life and energy that co-create our precious earth and universe.

I make these vows in oneness with the Zen Garland Community and cultivate its practices for the wellfare of all creation.