The King of Concentration Sutra mentions:<\/p>\n
The merit from taking and keeping one precept for a day and night in this time when the Dharma is degenerating and the teaching of the Buddha is about to stop is much more than that from making offerings of food and drink, umbrellas, banners and lights to one hundred billion buddhas for eons equal in number to the sand grains of the ocean.<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Thus, taking the Eight Mahayana Precepts has great benefits.\u00a0 Let\u2019s look at the multiple benefits of taking the 8 precepts:<\/p>\n
\n
- Accumulate great merit
\n<\/b>Imagine this: One person makes a grand offering of butter as vast as Mount Meru, but another person who follows just one precept makes a modest offering with a tiny wick and a drop of oil. Surprisingly, the person observing even a single precept gains far more merit! Now, picture committing to all eight precepts. You\u2019re not just making a small gesture\u2014you\u2019re building an impressive reservoir of merit. As the King of Concentration Sutra reveals, the merit from keeping just one precept for a day is greater than making offerings to countless buddhas over eons. It\u2019s a powerful way to enhance your spiritual journey!<\/li>\n- Your prayers will succeed
\n<\/b>Ever felt like your prayers weren\u2019t quite hitting the mark? When you follow the 8 precepts, your prayers get a serious boost. Observing these vows with dedication makes your requests more likely to be answered. It\u2019s like having a VIP pass for spiritual requests. The strength of pure morality makes your prayers more impactful and ensures you get results during your time of observance.<\/li>\n- Attaining enlightenment your future lives<\/b>
\nBy practicing the 8 precepts, you\u2019re not just impacting your current life\u2014you\u2019re setting yourself up for a better rebirth. Just one day of observing these precepts ensures you\u2019ll come back in a special form, whether as a human or a deva, ready to continue your journey toward enlightenment.Taking the Eight Mahayana Precepts also has the benefit of enabling you to meet Maitreya Buddha\u2019s teachings. Maitreya Buddha said,
\n<\/i><\/p>\nDuring the time of Shakyamuni Buddha\u2019s teachings, whoever listens to the teachings with devotion and protects the eight precepts will be born as a disciple in my retinue.<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
What are the 8 precepts and their individual benefits?<\/h3>\n
\n
- Not killing any other sentient beings<\/b>
\nObserving this precept has the advantage of extending our lifespan in future human lives. It leads to good health and a strong appearance. However, breaking this precept can result in a shorter life, potentially leading to issues such as dying in the womb or suffering from numerous ailments.<\/li>\n- Not stealing<\/b>
\nObserving this precept offers the benefit of future enjoyment in subsequent lives and protection from disturbances caused by others taking our possessions. Conversely, breaking this precept can result in our belongings being stolen, even in this lifetime.<\/li>\n- Not engaging in sexual activities<\/b>
\nThe benefits of keeping it are that in many future lifetimes the shape of the person\u2019s body will always be beautiful with fine complexion. The person reborn with good physical features has created the cause, the karma, in previous lives, through the practice of morality and patience.<\/li>\n- Not telling lies<\/b>
\nObserving this precept ensures that in future human lifetimes, you will not be deceived by others’ lies. People will respect and trust your words\u2014just as some individuals are known for their credible and trustworthy speech. Conversely, lying and engaging in gossip with a negative mindset diminishes the purity and effectiveness of your speech. By maintaining honesty, your speech remains pure and straightforward, making your prayers more powerful and likely to bring success to both you and others.<\/li>\n- Not taking intoxicants<\/b>
\nWe must keep this precept and refrain from consuming intoxicants (unless for a Dharmic reason), as the mind will become unconscious, not remembering things easily, and lose perfect wisdom. We will create the cause to easily forget things in future lifetimes.<\/li>\n- Not sitting on high and rich thrones<\/b>
\nThis precept includes not sitting on high and rich beds such as those made of jewels and so forth, or on a bed with animal skins such as tiger skin, because the skins have a bad vibration due to the animal\u2019s mind being proud, angry, and so on. The result of keeping this precept is that it causes us to be admired in the next life and to have material comforts, but it is kept mainly for the purpose of enlightenment.<\/li>\n- Fasting<\/b>
\nFood may be consumed before noon, but only once per day, with the purpose of sustaining oneself to practice Dharma. This precept is to prevent the rise of attachment and to avoid generating negative karma through such attachment. It also serves to purify negative karma and is highly beneficial for meditation.We should also not take any black foods (onion, garlic, eggs and meat) as they affect the pure power of the mind, making us sleepy and unconscious. White foods such as curd, fruit, vegetables, wheat, rice, milk, cheese, and butter are alright to be taken.<\/li>\n- Not using perfumes and wearing jewels, and no singing and dancing<\/b>
\nThe benefits of not using perfumes and wearing jewels is that the person may be born with a body of beautiful shape and have many good physical qualities. Lastly, the benefits of not singing and dancing are that in other lives the person\u2019s mind and body will be very controlled and subdued. Also, the person can intuitively talk about Dharma.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\nConclusion<\/h3>\n