If you go searching, there are many other ways these four vows are written, but they are
all telling the same thing, in this order.
As anyone may observe from the outside, the most influential people in the world today
are not Buddhists. On top of that anyone from a Non-Buddhist city, will tell you that
they have not heard from a Buddhist about why that path is best.
It is a sickness is the Buddha communities today to ignore the first vow, and try to
move
on to 2,3, and 4. By the very means of the vows, step 2 cannot be done without
first
completing step 1. Step 1 is in fact, an earthly desire. The Four Main Vows are a
harmonious right of passage that must be balanced in action towards their completion.
Therefore, the way of the Buddha should be to renounce all worldly desires IN ORDER TO
save all people, and to learn all teachings IN ORDER TO save all people, and that once
these steps are completed perfect enlightenment will be attained. This means that these
tasks are in harmony. As one renounces more wordy desires to spend more time saving
people, one learns teachings to improve how they go about saving others, and rides the
collective path towards enlightenment.
However, instead of following this path and order, Buddhists today are known as people
continually meditating. Struggling to awaken and renounce all worldly desires, and
instead all acting to each other like they are farther along the path. I believe
Buddhism has become a sick game of ineffective spiritual ego stroking.
I am not saying that the Men and Women who have become great at
meditating for hours and wholly living a minimalist life have not gone further down
their path of enlightenment, instead that it is very sad that so much potential is
moving towards the wrong place for the world to awaken and be saved. It is a fact these
people who realize their potential to follow the first vow will be some of the strongest
Buddhas there are.
The funny thing about tech entrepreneurs who are rapidly changing the future, and
Buddhism is that these tech entrepreneurs are slowly learning the way of the Buddha in
order to optimize themselves. They are reaching new paths of enlightenment. Instead of
referring to their actions as the Buddha way, they are learning the teachings of Buddha
in order to be more effective.
A few examples of parallel movements to the 10 precepts are:
- Not to engage in licentious acts or encourage others to do so. A monk is expected to
abstain from sexual conduct entirely.
- Not to use false words and speech, or encourage others to do so.
- Not to trade or sell alcoholic beverages or encourage others to do so.
- Not to harbor anger or encourage others to be angry.
