The notion of taking vows has generally lost its significance. I say this because it used to be that when one took a vow, especially a religious vow, one did so with an understating that to break such a vow was a serious matter with serious consequences. Today, many people shrug their shoulders as they walk away, ignoring what they swore to do.

A vow is more than a simple promise. It isn’t something undertaken only to be followed when convenient or when there is nothing better to do. When we take vows in Buddhism, whether it is vows to uphold our faith, as in jukai, or the Four Great Vows, we are saying directly to the Buddha, “With my whole heart and being, I will do these things.”

Each day we should repeat the Four Great Vows as a pledge we make to the Buddha, a pledge we will carry out. We vow to strive with every ounce, every molecule of our life. It is tempting to make excuses or even forget about these vows. That is a serious mistake.