preceptes bodhisattva

The Bodhisattva Precepts

There is a story that clearly illustrates the meaning of the bodhisattva precepts. An old master once traveled to central India, where a student approached him and said: “My parents, even though they follow the Way of the Three Treasures, have been very ill, and things aren’t going well for them. Our neighbors, on the other hand, although they make offerings involving animal sacrifice, are in good health and everything seems to go well for them. How is it that they are happy while we are so unfortunate?”

The master replied: “Why do you have doubts? The effects of our good and bad actions unfold over three periods of time. But people only see that peaceful people die young and that the violent live long lives, or that those without scruples prosper while the just fail.

Seeing this, they deny the law of cause and effect and claim that our actions have no consequences. These people do not understand that the shadows and echoes that follow our actions are never separate from those actions — not even by the width of a hair. The result of our actions does not disappear in a hundred, a thousand, or ten thousand years.”

Upon hearing these words, the young student was freed from his doubt. This is how the bodhisattva precepts and the Dharma should be studied: Do not ignore the law of cause and effect, do not ignore the connection between past, present, and future, and learn to distinguish between good and bad actions — without discrimination. Let us help all beings, as ourselves, to realize Awakening.

Dharma Workshop – The Bodhisattva Precepts

Sunday, July 20, 2025, at 5:00 PM at the Zen temple on Gran Via, a teaching by Zen teacher Lluís Nansen on the bodhisattva precepts. We will begin with a zazen session at 5:00 PM. Please be on time.

This workshop is required for those who wish to receive ordination during the August retreat.

Prices: €10 (members) €20 (non-members) Free for those enrolled in the Zen Dharma Course

The teachings from this workshop can also be found in the book:
Lluís Nansen Salas, Zen mediterrani, El despertar universal, 2022, Viena edicions, Barcelona

More info and registration: fill out the form below.

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