Maintaining the Buddha vows helps me keep a peaceful mind free of unnecessary chit-chat. But I broke some vows. How to deal with the broken vows?

Answer:

Before we discuss what to do about broken vows, it is important to first recognize whether the vow was broken or was an old, unwholesome habit pattern dispassionately noticed as a first arising. 

• • Vows are broken by the I-sense reacting to a first arising.
  • Vows are not broken just by noticing a memory of the past unwholesomeness arise as a first thought and feeling guilt about the past.

These are two completely different aspects. The first step is to recognize which of the two it was.

Did you react to the first arising? Or did you just notice an old habit pattern thought arise and feel guilty about it arising? 

Habit patterns arise as the first arising that spontaneously appear from the flow. If you do not give in to the first arising, then you have not broken a vow, but you have recognized an old habit pattern arising and successfully distanced yourself from it by not reacting.

If a particular vow is broken, it could be the first arising that appears from the flow. If you do not give in to the first arising, then you have not broken a vow, but you have recognized an old habit pattern arising and successfully distanced yourself from it by not reacting. Take the vow again. Go back to your journal entry. Rewrite attitude change and behaviour change. 

If a vow was truly broken by reaction, then:

• • Maintain a ‘Broken-Vow Jar’ where you keep adding $1 or $10 or $100, per broken vow [your choice] OR
  • Find an online charity where you can donate the same amount regularly [if you feel shy to maintain the jar].

Benefits of broken-vow jar:

• • Maintain inner purity, which ensures a calm and balanced mind.
  • Helps get over self-blame, guilt, remorse, anger, etc.
  • By the end of the year, you will know exactly which vows are work areas for you.
  • Helps maintain accountability because memory always finds excuses.
  • Prevents the mind from making excuses for opting out of the spiritual path and breaking the commitment made to oneself.

Retake the vow by rewatching the Buddha vows video:
Gnyana Sangha website: https://tinyurl.com/BuddhaVows-GS
Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/BuddhaVows-YT

From now on, be firm about your resolve. Inner purity helps with silent Samadhi, especially seeing the collapse of the ‘I’ and realizing Annatta! Keep chugging, I am right by your side.

Happy Saumyataa! Happy inner softness!