Conduct and Observance

From his 19th year to his 30th year, Shakyamuni Buddha, the benevolent father, the great teacher, practiced pure conduct and observance of the precepts. It was this conduct and observance that realized the way simultaneously with the Earth and all sentient beings.

Into the 80th year of his life, the Buddha still maintained the practice in the mountains and the forests, and maintained the practice in monasteries, never returning to the royal palace, never assuming control over the wealth of his land. He did not stay alone for a single hour or a single day. Throughout his life, he retained one single begging bowl and never replaced it. He did not refuse offerings idly served to him and patiently endured the insults of non-Buddhists.

In sum, his whole life of teaching was conduct and observance. The forms practiced by the Buddha, washing his robe and begging for food, are all nothing other than conduct and observance.