24 Hour Mahayana Precepts

Theckchen Sojong, or 24-hour Mahayana Precepts, will be observed on every third Sunday, unless listed differently in the calendar, before Sunday teachings; check calendar for dates.

This gives us a good solid morning dedicated to practice and meditation. Sunday morning at sunrise, participants will take the Thekchen Sojong, or 24-hour Mahayana Precepts, and spend about 3 hours in morning meditation before Sunday classes. There will be regular breaks.

A vegetarian meal is taken before noon; Sunday class will break early for those observing the vows. The vows are released at sunrise on the following Monday.

Our founder, Ven. Geshe Gyeltsen, considered this a beneficial and powerful practice in which we can accumulate tremendous merit and purify negativities. Whether we take on the vows individually, at home, or collectively, Geshe-la explained that the undertaking of lay Mahayana vows in our current degenerate era is roughly equivalent to pledging monastic vows during the historical time of Buddha Shakyamuni.

There are eight precepts to be kept during the 24 hours of the observance. Participants are not to kill, steal, lie, eat more than one meal, take intoxicants, commit sexual activity, sit or sleep on high beds/thrones, wear jewelry/make-up or sing/dance during this period.