THE FIVE PRECEPTS FOR MORAL LIVING
“The moral code the Buddha
prescribed
for the laity consists of the Five Precepts,
which require abstinence from killing, stealing,
sexual misconduct, false speech, and the use of
intoxicating substances.
“The positive side of ethics is represented
by the inner qualities of heart corresponding to
these rules of restraint: love and compassion for
all living beings; honesty in one’s dealings with
others; faithfulness to one’s marital vows; truthful
speech; and sobriety of mind,” Bhikkhu Bodhi, the American Buddhist
scholar-monk said, speaking in the first official celebration of Vesak at the
United Nations on 15 May 2000 to mark the new millennium. (1)
“These are not the Buddha’s
commandments, the breaking of which entails sin, but they represent the
preliminary ideals of a virtuous life which a man is to accept whole-heartedly
if he is to call himself a Buddhist,” Ashin Thittila taught. “He does not
promise to the Buddha not to break the precepts, he gives the promise to
himself…” He simply undertakes to observe these five moral don’ts. (2)
Related to this ethical goal
of purity and nobility, is the development of the “spark of bodhi (wisdom) in the heart of every
sentient being”, the venerable Burmese Buddhist master stressed. In ordinary
beings “it has not been developed into its power by the weakening of selfish
desire, anger and ignorance,” he said.
Mahayana Buddhists call it
the light of Buddha-nature, the true, immutable and eternal nature of all
beings, because of which it is possible for all of them to attain enlightenment
and become buddhas through appropriate and skilful spiritual practice.
“Each life is a stage in the
pilgrimage from small to great, from less to more, and from ignorance to
enlightenment,” Ashin Thittila taught. (3)
“To win the final victory of
perfection it is necessary for each of us to defeat the three great internal
enemies, namely, selfish desire, anger and delusion.
“To defeat these three great
enemies it is necessary for each one of us to live a life of charity, to extend
his love towards all beings and to develop the spark of wisdom into its fullest
power…”
In the Sutra On Contemplation
of Amitayus (THE SUTRA ON VISUALIZATION
OF THE BUDDHA OF INFINITE LIFE), Shakyamuni Buddha said to Vaidehi, the
consort of King Bimbisara in Rajagriha, that all ordinary people can practise
the pure karma to be born in the Western Land of Utmost Bliss, the Buddha-land
of Amitayus (also known and revered as Amitabha Buddha). Those wishing to be
born in the Pure Land
Shakyamuni told Vaidehi that
these acts of merit are called the pure karma, and that they are practised by
all the Buddhas of the past, present and future as the right cause of
Enlightenment. (4)
The Five Precepts are also
observed by the Pure Land Buddhists who seek rebirth in Amitabha’s Pure Land
NOTES
1.
The Buddha and His
Message, by Bhikkhu Bodhi, p. 16. The first revised booklet size edition was
published for free distribution by Sukhi Hotu, Penang ,
May 2001, and printed with the support of kind donors in loving memory of Agnes
Ong Guan See.
Born in New York City Sri Lanka
2. The
Buddha & His Message, by Ashin Thittila, p. 6. Published for free
distribution by Sukhi Hotu,
2001. Born in 1896
in Myanmar England
taught in the West
from 1938 to 1983. He passed away at the age of 101 in 1997
.
3. Ibid., p. 9
4.
THE THREE PURE LAND SUTRAS,
by Hisao Inagaki with Harold Stewart, published by
Nagata Bunshodo, Kyoto
THE FIVE PRECEPTS
FOR MORAL LIVING
“Moral precepts are the foundation for Enlightenment,” Buddha Shakyamuni
said. (1)
Without a strong foundation in moral conduct, it is difficult to develop
skill in
meditation and to acquire the
genuine meditative concentration (samadhi)
that leads to
wisdom.
Said the Buddha: “Now I will describe the rules of conduct a householder should
follow to become a good disciple…
“Let him not destroy life nor cause others to destroy life, nor approve
of others’ killing.
Let him refrain from oppressing all
living beings in the world, whether strong or weak.
“Then because the disciple knows that it belongs to others, stealing
anything from any
place should be avoided. Let him
neither steal, nor approve of others’ stealing. All
stealing should be avoided.
“The wise man should avoid a non-celibate life as he would a burning
charcoal pit. If
he is unable to lead a celibate life
fully, let him not transgress with another’s wife.
“Whether in an assembly or a public place let him not lie to another.
Let him neither
cause others to lie nor approve of
others’ telling lies.
“The householder who delights in self-control, knowing that intoxicants
destroy it,
neither takes intoxicants, nor would
he lead others to take them, nor approve of others’
doing so,,,” (2) 10.10.2004 1839
The Five Moral Precepts
In nearly half a century of preaching and
teaching, the Buddha must have spoken many times on the ethical and moral basis
of spiritual cultivation and development. In the Sutra on the White-Clad Disciple delivered to an audience of laymen
and laywomen led by Anathapindika at the Jeta Grove Monastery in Sravasti, the
Buddha taught the study and practice of the Five Wonderful Precepts (pancasila)
and the Four Contemplations (anusmrti).
Ω On the Five Precepts, the Buddha said: “Lay
students of the Buddha move away from killing,
put an end to killing, rid themselves of all weapons, learn humility in
themselves, practice love and compassion, and protect all living beings, even
the smallest insects. They uproot from within themselves any intention to kill.
In this way, lay students of the Buddha study and practice the first of the
Five Precepts
Ω “Lay students of the Buddha move away from taking what has not been given, put an
end to taking what has not been given. They find joy in being generous without
expecting anything in return. Their minds are not obscured by greed and
craving. They consciously guard their own honesty and uproot from within
themselves any intention to take what has not been given. In this way, lay
students of the Buddha study and practice the second of the Five Precepts.
Ω “Lay students of the Buddha move away from sexual misconduct, put an end to sexual
misconduct, and protect everyone – those under the care of their father,
mother, or both father and mother, their elder sister or elder brother, their
parents-in-law or other in-laws; those of the same sex; the wife, daughter,
husband or son of another, and those who have been raped, assaulted, or
tortured sexually, or who are prostitutes. Lay students of the Buddha uproot
from within themselves any intention to commit sexual misconduct. In this way,
lay students of the Buddha study and practice the third of the Five Precepts.
Ω “Lay students of the Buddha move away from saying what is not true, put an end to
saying what is not true. They say only what is true, and they find great joy in
saying what is true. They always abide in truth and are completely reliable,
never despising others. They have uprooted from within themselves any intention
to say what is not true. In this way, lay students of the Buddha study and
practice the fourth of the Five Precepts.
Ω “Lay students of the Buddha move away from drinking alcohol, put an end to drinking
alcohol. They uproot from within themselves the habit of drinking alcohol. In
this way, lay students of the Buddha study and practice the fifth of the Five
Precepts…” (3) 12.10.2004 2357
Master Hsuan Hua’s Commentary
The Buddha established the Five Moral
Precepts (pancasila) as basic
virtues for human life and the very essence of spiritual cultivation. (4)
- Do not kill.
We should not deliberately kill any living
creature, either by committing the act
ourselves,
instructing others to kill, participating in or approving of acts of killing.
One can avoid indirect involvement in killing
by eating only vegetarian food.
Compassion, mutual respect for life, and a
sense of oneness with all living creatures are compelling reasons for holding
this precept. (5)
- Do not steal.
If something is not given to us, we should not
take it. This precept applies not
only to
valuable items such as gold and silver, but even to things as small and
inexpensive as needles.
This injunction can also be interpreted as
living frugally and not wasting resources. (6) 13.10.2004 0350
- Do not engage in sexual misconduct.
Sexual activities with anyone other than our
lawful spouse are considered
promiscuous.
Promiscuous sex, or perverse sex, such as homosexuality and sexual
activity with animals, leads to rebirth in the lower realms of existence in
which one experiences much suffering.
Buddha said: “As to love and desire: no
desire is as deep-rooted as sex. There is nothing stronger than the desire for
sex.
“Fortunately, it is one of a kind. If
there were something else like it, no one in the entire world would be able to
cultivate the spiritual path.” (7)
On lust, Buddha said: “As long as lustful desire, however small, of man
for woman is not controlled, so long the mind of man is not free, but is bound
like a calf tied to a cow.” (8)
On adultery, Buddha warned: “Four things
happen to the thoughtless man who takes another man’s wife: he lowers himself,
his pleasure is restless, he is blamed by others, he goes to hell.” (9) 13,10,2004 0432
- Do not speak falsely.
In general, there are four kinds of incorrect
speech: lying, irresponsible speech
(such as
gossip and talk which upsets people’s emotions), abusive speech (such as
harshly berating others), and backbiting (which causes dissension and discord
among people). (10)
- Do not take intoxicants.
Alcohol, illicit drugs, stimulants, or
depressants, and even tobacco are all considered intoxicants. They harm the
body, confuse our spirit, and cause us to be dull-witted. (11)
The moral path to
spiritual liberation
Buddha warned: “He who destroys life, who
utters lies, who takes what is not
given to
him, who goes to the wife of another, who gets drunk with strong drinks – he
digs up the very roots of his life.” (12)
Master Hsuan Hua has taught us that the moral
precepts of Buddhism are rooted in self-respect (especially cherishing one’s
spiritual nature) and in respect for others…
Whether one is a lay person or a monk or
nun, morality constitutes the essential foundation for any genuine spiritual
understanding and experience…
By upholding the moral prohibitions we
purify the activities of body and speech, thereby laying a firm foundation for
transforming the more deeply rooted and subtle habits of the mind. Meditation
develops concentration. This in turn enhances our innate clarity of mind,
allowing us to see through the transient and superficial to the heart of
things… (13)
In a recent text on Tibetan Buddhism
written for students in the West, the Berkeley-based Nyingma Institute teaches
very clearly and emphatically:
“The self-discipline of keeping
the precepts produces powerful merit (described as the power of virtuous
action) especially when it is free from any taint of self-centered interest.
“Such pure action possesses effectiveness in
five ways. The deed itself is pure; the attendant mental events are pure; the
deed generates no disturbing emotions; it is associated with mindfulness of the
Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha (the Three Jewels); and it leads toward nirvana…” (14) 14.10.2004 0615 17.10 0251 1159
19.10.2004 1551 25.10.2004 2347
NOTES
1.
Flower Adornment
Sutra, Chapter 10, quoted by Tripitaka Master Hsuan Hua in BUDDHISM: A Brief Introduction (p.26),
a Buddhist text in English based on the Compassionate Teachings of the
Venerable Tripitaka Master Hsuan Hua, published by Buddhist Text Translation
Society, Burlingame , CA
2.
Sutta
Nipata/Dhammika Sutra, quoted in BUDDHISM:
A Brief Introduction
In The Mind and the Way (p. 140), published by Wisdom Publications, Boston
An American monk ordained in Thailand England West Sussex , the first Buddhist forest monastery in the
West.
In Buddhist, Hindu, and
Jainist philosophy, ahimsa is the
law of reverence for, and nonviolence to, every form of life.
Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948),
Indian political and spiritual leader and social reformer, embraced it from
early in his life. In his book AN
AUTOBIOGRAPHY (p. 26), published by Navajivan, Ahmedabad , India
“When such Ahimsa becomes all-embracing, it
transforms everything it touches. There is no limit to its power.” 10.10.2004 1904
Having expressed his conviction
that “there is no other God than Truth” (“the God of Truth”), he went on to
state that “…the only means for the realization of Truth is Ahimsa” (p. 463). 12.10.2004 2303
3.
The Sutra on
the White-Clad Disciple, also known as the Upasaka Sutra, was translated from
Sanskrit into Chinese by
Gotama Sanghadeva in the years 397-398, more than one thousand and six
hundred years ago. The above
extract is taken from Thich Nhat Hanh’s translation of the Chinese text for
commentaries on the Five Wonderful Precepts in For A Future To Be Possible (pp. 209-216), published by Parallax
Press, Berkeley, California, 1995. 13.10.2004 0027 19.10.2004 1515
Nhat Hanh has commented (p.
223): “The Sutra on the White Clad
Disciple establishes the foundation for the lay practice of Buddhism and
clearly states the objects of a lay Buddhist’s faith and confidence that lead
to the path of happiness and liberation for oneself and others…”
And, he has added (p. 224):
“The Five Precepts are not only the art of living; they are also the basis of
our faith and confidence. The Buddha taught that if we know how to practice the
Five Precept-Dharmas, we will know how to be happy in the present moment.”
The Four Contemplations are
the Contemplation of the Buddha (Buddhanusmrti),
the Contemplation of the Dharma (Dharmanusmrti),
the Contemplation of the Sangha (Sanghanusmrti)
– the community of disciples and followers including monks, nuns, laywomen and
laymen, and the Contemplation of the Precepts (Silanusmrti).
According to the Buddha, those
who diligently and successfully practice the Five Precepts and the Four
Contemplations “abide happily in the present moment, with ease and without any
hardship.” And they become stream-enterers (srotapanna), entering the spiritual mainstream leading to
emancipation and enlightenment.
“Having entered the stream,
they cannot help but go in the direction of right awakening,” said the Buddha.
“They will only need to return to the world of gods and humans seven more times
before they arrive at the frontiers of complete liberation and the ending of
sorrow.”
4. Commentary on the Five
Precepts is copied from Master Hsuan Hua’s insightful book BUDDHISM: A Brief Introduction, pp. 24-26. Tripitaka Master Hsuan
Hua (1918-95) was the Abbot of Gold Mountain Monastery in San Francisco Pure Land
Comments on the Five Precepts
in Notes by Pure Land Master Chin
Kung are taken from his three-part
commentary on The Contemplation Sutra
(http://www.amitabha/teachers/chin-kung/teachings/3)
Comments by Sangharakshita, a
leading Western Buddhist as well as a prolific writer, are extracted
from his book
A Guide to the Buddhist Path
(pp. 130-131), published by Windhorse Publication,
5.
Commenting on the First Precept: Do not kill.
Master Chin Kung: “The spirit
of this precept is to nurture a heart of compassion. We should not, by
intent, wish harm or death
upon another living being, whether human or animal. We should not delight
in the suffering of others,
but regard them with compassion. We ourselves should not commit any act
of killing; we should not
advise others to kill; and we should not approve of, or participate in any act
of killing…”
Sangharakshita: “The first of
the Five Precepts is abstention from harming living beings. This is the
literal translation.
“Although sometimes rendered
as ‘not to kill’, it is really abstention not only from killing but from
harming in any way. It
conveys the meaning of abstention from all forms of violence, all forms of
aggression, all forms of
injury.
“Violence is wrong because
ultimately it is based, directly or indirectly, on an unskillful mental state,
i.e.
on the state of hatred or
aversion, and if we indulge in violence this unskillful mental state, of which
violence is the natural
expression, will become stronger and more powerful than it is already.
“The positive counterpart of
abstention from violence is, of course, the practice of maitri (Pali metta),
love or friendliness. Here, maitri is not just an emotion or a
feeling, but maitri as embodied in
deed –
as put into actual
practice. It is not enough simply to feel
goodwill towards others. It must be expressed
in action…”
6.
Commenting on the Second Precept: Do not steal.
Master Chin Kung: “The spirit
of this precept is to prevent greed and promote honesty and contentment. If
something is not given to us, we may not take it. We should not take the
property of others by force, by stealth, or by fraud. This prohibition includes
tax evasion and the failure to pay fees.
“We should treat the property
of others with respect and care, and see it as more important than our own
property…”
Sangharakshita: “The second of
the Five Precepts is abstention from taking the not-given. This, again, is a
literal translation. It is not just abstention from theft. That would be too easy to evade or to circumvent.
“The second Precept involves
abstention from any kind of dishonesty, any kind of misappropriation or
exploitation, because all these things are expressions of craving, or selfish
desire.
“The positive counterpart of
abstention from taking the not-given is, of course, dana, or generosity. Here, again, it is not simply the generous
feeling, the will to give, that is meant, but the generous act itself. Dana is something which all those who
have contact with living Buddhism for any length of time quickly come to
understand.”
7.
Sutra in 42
Sections, quoted in BUDDHISM: A Brief
Introduction, pp. 25-26
8.
BUDDHA’S TEACHINGS (verse 284, p. 55),
translated by Juan Mascaro, published by Penguin, 1995
9.
Ibid., verse 309, p. 60
Commenting on the Third
Precept: Do not engage in sexual misconduct:
Master Chin Kung: “Desire is
the cause of our suffering in the cycle of birth and death. It is also a great
obstacle to our practice on the path of Awareness and Understanding
(Buddhahood)…
“If you have a family, sexual
activities should take place only between you and your spouse. You should
respect your commitments and the rights of others, and preserve your energies
for the practice of the Way (Spiritual Liberation and Enlightenment)…”
Sangharakshita: “Thirdly,
abstention from sexual misconduct. In the sutras the Buddha makes it clear, in
the context of the Five Precepts, sexual misconduct comprises rape, abduction,
and adultery. All these are unskillful because they are expressions,
simultaneously, of both craving and violence…
“The positive counterpart of
abstention from sexual misconduct is samtushti
(Pali santutthi), or
contentment. In the case of the unmarried, contentment means contentment with the
single state; in the case of the married, it means contentment with one’s
recognized, socially accepted sexual partner.
“Here contentment is not just
passive acceptance of the status quo. In modern psychological terms, it means a
positive state of freedom from using sex to satisfy neurotic needs in general
and, in particular, using it to satisfy the neurotic need for change.” 13.10.2004 0453
10.
Commenting on the Fourth Precept: Do not speak
falsely.
Master Chin Kung: “The spirit
of this precept is to practice positive and constructive speech for the benefit
of living beings. We should not say things we know to be untrue, either for
personal benefit or to impress people. We should use our speech to promote harmony
and understanding, guiding others toward kindness and wisdom…”
Sangharakshita: “Fourthly,
abstention from false speech. False speech is that which is rooted in craving,
hatred or fear. If you tell a lie, it is because you want something, or because
you wish to harm or hurt someone, or because for one reason or another you are afraid
of telling the truth. Untruthfulness, therefore, is rooted in unskillful mental
states. This requires no demonstration.
“The positive counterpart of
abstention from false speech is satya (Pali
sacca), truthfulness.”
Konrad Lorenz (1903-89), the Austrian
zoologist who founded ethology (the study of animal behaviour) and won the
Nobel prize for physiology or medicine in 1973, has commented in his book The Waning of Humaneness (p.223),
published by Unwin Hyman, London, 1988: “…It is most certainly an evil for
human society when its citizen members lie to one another, with the intention
of gaining advantages over one another.
“I believe that the lying done
by individual humans evokes in us a negative value perception of a different
and other sort than does the lying classifiable as collective, political (such
as government propaganda and indoctrination) or economic (such as commercial
advertising)…
“I believe in all seriousness that
human society as a whole would experience a complete and beneficently
reoriented organization if the lie, the personal as well as the collective,
were to be assessed as it actually deserves.” (pp. 227-228)
11.
Commenting on the Fifth Precept: Do not take
intoxicants.
Master Chin Kung: “This is a
precept of prevention. Intoxicants can delude and confuse the mind, harming our
seeds of wisdom. The Buddha established this concept to prevent the breaking of
the other four Precepts when one loses good conscience after intoxication.
Intoxicants include alcohol, drugs, and the like…
“These Five Wonderful Precepts
are the basic guidelines of conduct for those on the Path to Awareness and
Understanding. If they are practiced sincerely, and are made a reality in one’s
life, they bring great benefit and insights to the cultivator.”
Sangharakshita: “Fifthly,
abstention from drinks and drugs the taking of which results in loss of
awareness (or self-control)… The positive counterpart of the (Fifth) Precept
is, of course, smrti (Pali sati), mindfulness or awareness…”
The above are the five pairs
of don’ts (the five abstentions) and do’s (the five positive counterparts) in
moral conduct. And the five positive qualities are for moral cultivation –
compassion or loving kindness, generosity, contentment, truthfulness, and
awareness or mindfulness.
12.
BUDDHA’S TEACHINGS, verses 246-247,
pp. 48-49
13.
BUDDHISM: A Brief
Introduction, pp. 29-30
14.
Ways of
Enlightenment, published by Dharma Publishing, Nyingma Institute, Berkeley , California
Nirvana is the final goal
of Buddhist cultivation, attained with the extinction of all the evil passions
and the realization of the highest wisdom. 19.10.2004 1503 17.2.2005 0302
25 Selasar Rokam 40
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