14 Happy Ways to Live Together
The fourteen precepts of the Order of Interbeing from “Peace Is Every Step” by Thich Nhat Hanh
These 14 steps come from Thich Nhat Hanh’s book “Peace Is Every Step.”
These steps can help you live more mindfully and compassionately with yourself and others.
If you’d like to learn more about Thich Nhat Hanh’s Buddhist teachings, read and save this list for later.
1. Be Open-Minded
It’s okay to learn new things and change your mind.
No one knows everything!
Even systems of thought are guiding means; they are not absolute truth.
2. Keep Learning
Always be curious and ready to learn new things from everyone and everything around you.
Avoid being narrow-minded and bound to present views.
Be ready to learn throughout your entire life and to observe reality in yourself and in the world at all times.
3. Be Kind to Others
Don’t make others believe what you believe. Share your thoughts nicely and listen to theirs too.
Do not force others, including children, by any means whatsoever, to adopt your views, whether by authority, threat, money, propaganda, or even education.
4. Care About Others
If someone is sad or hurt, try to help them feel better. Don’t ignore their pain.
Do not lose awareness of the existence of suffering in the life of the world.
Find ways to be with those who are suffering, by all means, including personal contact and visits, images, and sound.
5. Share What You Have
Don’t keep everything for yourself.
Share your toys, time, and kindness with others.
Do not accumulate wealth while millions are hungry.
Do not take as the aim of your life fame, profit, wealth, or sensual pleasure.
Live simply and share time, energy, and material resources with those who are in need.
6. Calm Down When Angry
When you feel mad, take a deep breath and think about why.
Try to understand how others feel too.
As soon as anger or hatred arises, turn your attention to your breathing in order to see and understand the nature of your anger or hatred and the nature of the persons who have caused your anger or hatred.
7. Enjoy the Moment
Pay attention to what you’re doing and find joy in little things like a flower or a funny story.
Practice mindful breathing in order to come back to what is happening in the present moment.
Plant the seeds of joy, peace, and understanding in yourself in order to facilitate the work of transformation in the depths of your consciousness.
8. Use Kind Words
Speak in a way that brings people together and makes everyone feel happy.
Do not utter words that can create discord and cause the community to break.
Make every effort to reconcile and resolve all conflicts, however small.
9. Tell the Truth
Always be honest.
If you’re not sure about something, don’t say it like it’s true.
Do not say untruthful things for the sake of personal interest or to impress people.
Do not utter words that cause division and hatred.
Have the courage to speak out about situations of injustice, even when doing so may threaten your own safety.
10. Be Fair
Don’t use your friends just to get what you want.
Help make the world a fair place for everyone.
11. Choose a Good Job
Pick a job that helps people and makes the world better.
Do not live with a vocation that is harmful to humans and nature.
Do not invest in companies that deprive others of their chance to live.
12. Be Gentle
Don’t hurt others.
Find ways to keep everyone safe and happy.
Do not let others kill.
Find whatever means possible to protect life and prevent war.
13. Respect Others’ Things
Don’t take what’s not yours and don’t buy things that hurt people or animals.
Possess nothing that should belong to others.
Respect the property of others but prevent others from enriching themselves from human suffering or the suffering of other beings.
14. Take Care of Your Body
Treat your body with respect.
Eat healthy food, get enough sleep, and be kind to yourself.
Sexual expression should not happen without love and commitment.
Be fully aware of the responsibility of bringing new lives into the world.
Thank you for reading.
If you’d like to learn more about Thich Nhat Hanh’s Buddhist teachings, read and save this list for later.
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