Returning vows

Forum for discussion of Tibetan Buddhism. Questions specific to one school are best posted in the appropriate sub-forum.
Post Reply
Gyaltsen Tashi
Posts: 138
Joined: Tue Aug 03, 2010 12:48 am

Returning vows

Post by Gyaltsen Tashi »

Dear all,

I made some vows I couldn't hold, and were inappropriate for me. Would rather not go into details. How does one go about returning vows?

Thanks.

Gyaltsen Tashi
elfin
Posts: 14
Joined: Sun Sep 26, 2010 9:40 pm

Re: Returning vows

Post by elfin »

Hi Gyaltsen,

What kind of vows are you talking about?

Best wishes,
elfin
plwk
Posts: 2932
Joined: Thu Feb 25, 2010 10:41 am

Re: Returning vows

Post by plwk »

Call the Lama...
User avatar
heart
Posts: 6288
Joined: Fri Jan 08, 2010 1:55 pm

Re: Returning vows

Post by heart »

Gyaltsen Tashi wrote:Dear all,

I made some vows I couldn't hold, and were inappropriate for me. Would rather not go into details. How does one go about returning vows?

Thanks.

Gyaltsen Tashi
Maybe this can be helpful http://www.dharmaling.org/en/teachings/ ... ommitments" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

/magnus
"We are all here to help each other go through this thing, whatever it is."
~Kurt Vonnegut

"The principal practice is Guruyoga. But we need to understand that any secondary practice combined with Guruyoga becomes a principal practice." ChNNR (Teachings on Thun and Ganapuja)
narraboth
Posts: 442
Joined: Wed Jun 09, 2010 1:18 pm

Re: Returning vows

Post by narraboth »

Better that you can explain what happen on you so that we can give you better advice; but it's up to you.

pratimoksha vows are said possible to be given up. The case happen in monks or nuns, not sure how lay people do it but should be possible.

If it's bodhisattva vows, there is no way to give it up, unless you give up bodhicitta, which is not something you should even consider. However, as long as you keep your bodhicitta and the willing to benefit others, it's more flexible in sense of keep the vows.

For samaya, there is also no method to give up, but if you have any practical problem, you can ask your lama and try to get permission from him, so it's also flexible.
Pratimoksha vows are the base of vajrayana vows and after empowerment they were turned into 'part of' vajrayana vows, so if you have received empowerment, you shouldn't just give up several vows just by yourself, better to consult your lama and see what you can do.

There must be a way to make things easier, just don't give up three jewels and bodhicitta, try to keep in the path still.
Ngawang Drolma
Founding Member
Posts: 2230
Joined: Tue Apr 07, 2009 8:44 pm

Re: Returning vows

Post by Ngawang Drolma »

plwk wrote:Call the Lama...
:good:
Gyaltsen Tashi
Posts: 138
Joined: Tue Aug 03, 2010 12:48 am

Re: Returning vows

Post by Gyaltsen Tashi »

My resident Rinpoche just say to regret it and do repentance.
narraboth
Posts: 442
Joined: Wed Jun 09, 2010 1:18 pm

Re: Returning vows

Post by narraboth »

Gyaltsen Tashi wrote:My resident Rinpoche just say to regret it and do repentance.
I think he means confession purification?
you mean regret your behaviour or regret that you received vows that you can't keep??
Gyaltsen Tashi
Posts: 138
Joined: Tue Aug 03, 2010 12:48 am

Re: Returning vows

Post by Gyaltsen Tashi »

There's a misunderstanding. Nobody gave me the vows. I vowed myself, and there are bad vows. I didn't specify to my Rinpoche what vows actually, I just said bad vows.

OK, one of them is that I vowed to follow a politician I don't like life after life to make sure he can never cause harm. I think it is a vengeful vow and something I should regret.

Also a psychic told me I took vows of poverty before. This one has certainly got to go.

There is one more vow but that one I wouldn't go into details.

Gyaltsen Tashi
Dhondrub
Posts: 210
Joined: Tue Sep 14, 2010 9:05 pm
Location: Germany

Re: Returning vows

Post by Dhondrub »

Dear GT,
in this case, as you didnt take the vows in front of a predecessor you can just give them back in the same setting as before. I still would prefer to talk to your Lama about it as it is also a good way of making a fool of yourself, which can be quite humbling. Its good to open up to your Guru and not try to make yourself look more representable then you are.
Anyway- when giving back the vows I would also say some Vajrasattva Mantras and maybe make some positive aspirations like " May I lead that politician to Buddhahood once I got there" or "May he always have Bodhicitta and never hurt beings again."

Hope that helps

Tashi
narraboth
Posts: 442
Joined: Wed Jun 09, 2010 1:18 pm

Re: Returning vows

Post by narraboth »

oh, you mean common worldly vows.

Well, the term vow in English is used as both religious and non-religious. However in Chinese or Tibetan, buddhist vows are 'disciplines' rather than vows. Only samaya also called vows but they are very different from normal vows.

If you break a vow you made in front of three jewels, it might bring you bad karma; however it's still far less serious than break the rules claimed by Buddha himself if you have received those rules as 'vows'.
Post Reply

Return to “Tibetan Buddhism”