For a Future to Be Possible: Buddhist Ethics for Everyday Life, Rev. Ed.

Thich Nhat Hanh

"A beautiful, wise, sensitive book for Buddhists and those open to learning from other traditions. Highly recommended." — Library Journal

The Five Wonderful Precepts — "protecting life, acting with generosity, responsible sexual behavior, deep speaking and listening, and avoiding substance abuse" — are the basic statement of ethics and morality in Buddhism. Thich Nhat Hanh discusses how these precepts can heal our personal lives and the life of our society.

Introduction by Joan Halifax. Afterword by Jack Kornfield.

REVIEWS

"Nhat Hanh's meditations illuminate the connection between spirituality and social action and point us to the value of mindfulness in everyday life." — Publisher's Weekly

"The great and gentle strength of Thich Nhat Hanh's teaching is to show us that a vision of a world in peace is not only possible, but that it begins here, begins now, with each one of us looking deeply within, and honoring our limitless potential." — Sogyal Rinpoche

"Good medicine for our wayward minds and forgetful hearts." — Joan Halifax

Thich Nhat Hanh's deep understanding of the precepts [trainings] and his actual contact with today's suffering make these rewordings profound." — Turning Wheel

The insightful and penetrating commentaries on the precepts, by one of the wisest and most compassionate spiritual guides of our times, offer challenging responses to the most difficult moral dilemas we face." — Fellowship in Prayer

"Thich Nhat Hanh has written a strong version of the Five Buddhist Mindfulness Trainings; it will inspire us and our difficult end-of-the-Twentieth-Century world. His thinking has gone through fire, war in and outside of Vietnam, the destruction and building of communities, the conditions of life in the East and in the West. These are the precepts of Buddhism as they have evolved through the most exacting tests." — Maxine Hong Kingston

"This avatar of a life of compassionate engagement and mindfulness, or simple awareness of our surroundings and the ramifications of our every action, has written dozens of books. None are more powerful, nor more central to his teachings, than For a Future to be Possible: Buddhist Ethics for Everyday Life. This exquisite little book explains the heart of the Buddha's teachings on engagement and responsibility for the individual, and they are as relevant today as they were in the Buddha's time..." — Powells.com

ISBN: 978-1-888375-66-4, Pocket-size Paperback, 148 pages.

Sample Chapter

First Mindfulness Training, Reverence for Life
Second Mindfulness Training, Generosity
Third Mindfulness Training, Sexual Responsibility
Fourth Mindfulness Training, Deep Listening and Loving Speech
Fifth Mindfulness Training, Diet for a Mindful Society

Afterword: Happiness Comes from the Heart, Jack Kornfield.
Appendix 1, Frequently Asked Qutestions, Sr. Chan Khong
Appendix 2, The Five Mindfulness Training Ceremonies
Transmission of the Precepts
Recitation of the Mindfulness Trainings

The Five Mindfulness Trainings

First Precept: Aware of the suffering caused by the destruction of life, I vow to cultivate compassion and learn ways to protect the lives of people, animals, plants, and minerals. I am determined not to kill, not to let others kill, and not to condone any act of killing in the world, in my thinking, and in my way of life.

Second Precept: Aware of the suffering caused by exploitation, social injustice, stealing, and oppression, I vow to cultivate loving kindness and learn ways to work for the well-being of people, animals, plants, and minerals. I vow to practice generosity by sharing my time, energy, and material resources with those who are in real need. I am determined not to steal and not to possess anything that should belong to others. I will respect the property of others, but I will prevent others from profiting from human suffering or the suffering of other species on Earth.

Third Precept: Aware of the suffering caused by sexual misconduct, I vow to cultivate responsibility and learn ways to protect the safety and integrity of individuals, couples, families, and society. I am determined not to engage in sexual relations without love and a long-term commitment. To preserve the happiness of myself and others, I am determined to respect my commitments and the commitments of others. I will do everything in my power to protect children from sexual abuse and to prevent couples and families from being broken by sexual misconduct.

Fourth Precept: Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful speech and the inability to listen to others, I vow to cultivate loving speech and deep listening in order to bring joy and happiness to others and relieve others of their suffering. Knowing that words can create happiness or suffering, I vow to learn to speak truthfully, with words that inspire self-confidence, joy, and hope. I am determined not to spread news that I do not know to be certain and not to criticize or condemn things of which I am not sure. I will refrain from uttering words that can cause division or discord, or that can cause the family or the community to break. I will make all efforts to reconcile and resolve all conflicts, however small.

Fifth Precept: Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful consumption, I vow to cultivate good health, both physical and mental, for myself, my family, and my society by practicing mindful eating, drinking, and consuming. I vow to ingest only items that preserve peace, well-being, and joy in my body, in my consciousness, and in the collective body and consciousness of my family and society. I am determined not to use alcohol or any other intoxicant or to ingest foods or other items that contain toxins, such as certain TVprograms, magazines, books, films, and conversations. I am aware that to damage my body or my consciousness with these poisons is to betray my ancestors, my parents, my society, and future generations. I will work to transform violence, fear, anger, and confusion in myself and in society by practicing a diet for myself and for society. I understand that a proper diet is crucial for self-transformation and for the transformation of society.

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