The Five Precepts ( Part 11/12 )

The Five Precepts

Buddhists don't believe in a god, how do you know right from wrong ?
So does Buddhism have a code of morality ?
But surely it is good to kill sometimes, eg disease-spreading insects ?
You Buddhists are too concerned about ants and bugs ?
The Third Precept says we should avoid sexual misconduct. Explain?
Is sex before marriage a type a sexual misconduct ?
But what about lying? Is it possible to live without telling lies ?
Well, what about alcohol? Surely a little drink doesn't hurt ?
Drinking a small amount wouldn't be really breaking the precept ?
The five precepts are negative. They don't tell you what to do ?


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Other religions derive their ideas of right and wrong from the commandments of their god or gods. You Buddhists don't believe in a god, so how do you know right from wrong?

Any thoughts, speech or actions that are rooted in greed, hatred and delusion and thus lead us away from Nirvana are bad and any thoughts, speech or actions that are rooted in giving, love and wisdom and thus help clear the way to Nirvana are good.

To know what is right and wrong in god-centred religions, all that is needed is to do as you are told. But in a man-centred religion like Buddhism, to know what is right and wrong, you have to develop a deep self-awareness and self understanding. And ethics based on understanding are always stronger than those that are a response to a command.
So to know what is right and wrong, the Buddhist looks at three things - the intention, the effect the act will have upon oneself and the effect it will upon others. If the intention is good (rooted in giving, loving and wisdom), if it helps myself (helps me to be more giving, more loving and wiser), then my deeds and actions are wholesome, good and moral. Of course, there are many variations of this. Sometimes I act with the best of intentions but they may not benefit either myself or others. Sometimes my intentions are far from good, but my actions helps others nonetheless. Sometimes I act out of good intentions and my acts help me but perhaps cause some distress to others. In such cases, my actions are mixed - a mixture of good and not-so-good. When intentions are bad and the action helps neither myself nor others, such an action is bad. And when my intention is good and my action benefits both myself and others, then the deed is wholly good.

So does Buddhism have a code of morality?

Yes it does. The five precepts are the basis of Buddhist morality. The first precept is to avoid killing or harming living beings. The second is to avoid stealing, the third is to avoid sexual misconduct, the fourth is to avoid lying and the fifth is to avoid alcohol and other intoxicating drugs.

But surely it is good to kill sometimes. To kill disease-spreading insects, for example, or someone who is going to kill you?

It might be good for you. But what about that thing or that person? They wish to live, just as you do. When you decide to kill a disease-spreading insect, your intention is perhaps a mixture of self-concern (good) and revulsion (bad). The act will benefit yourself (good) but obviously it will not benefit that creature (bad). So at times it may be necessary to kill but it is never totally good.

You Buddhists are too concerned about ants and bugs.

Buddhists strive to develop a compassion that is undiscriminating and all-embracing. They see the world as a unified whole where each thing and creature has its place and function. They believe that before we destroy or upset nature's delicate balance, we should be very careful. Just look at those cultures where emphasis is on exploiting nature to the full, squeezing every last drop out of it without putting anything back, conquering and subduing it. Nature has revolted. The very air is becoming poisoned, the rivers are polluted and dead, so many beautiful animal species are extinct, the slopes of the mountains are barren and eroded. Even the climate is changing. If people were a little less anxious to crush, destroy and kill, this terrible situation may have not arisen. We should all strive to develop a little more respect for life. And this is what the first precept is saying.

The Third Precept says we should avoid sexual misconduct. What is Sexul misconduct?

If we use trickery, emotioal blackmail or force to compel someone to have sex with us, then this is sexual misconduct. Adultery is also a form of sexual misconduct because when we marry we promise our spouse that we will be loyal to them. When we commit adultery we break that promise and betray that trust. Sex should be an expression of love and intimicy between two people and when it is it contributes to our mental and emotional well-being.

Is sex before marriage a type a sexual misconduct?

Not if there is love and mutual agreement between two people. However, it should never be forgotten that the biological function of sex is to reproduce and if an unmarried woman becomes pregnant it can cause a great deal of problems. Many mature and thoughtful people think it is far better to leave sex until after marriage.

But what about lying? Is it possible to live without telling lies?

If it is really impossible to get by in society or business without lying, such a shocking and corrupt state of affairs should be changed. The Buddhist is someone who resolves to do something practical about the problem by trying to be more truthful and honest.

Well, what about alcohol? Surely a little drink doesn't hurt!

People don't drink for the taste. When they drink alone it is in order to seek release from tension and when they drink socially, it is usually to conform. Even a small amount of alcohol distorts consciousness and disrupts self-awareness. Taken in large quantities, its effects can be devastating.

Drinking a small amount wouldn't be really breaking the precept, would it? It's only a small thing.

Yes, it is only a small thing and if you can't practise even a small thing, your commitment and resolution isn't very strong, is it?

The five precepts are negative. They tell you what not to do. They don't tell you what to do.

The Five Precepts are the basis of Buddhist morality. They are not all of it. We start by recognizing our bad behaviour and striving to stop doing it. That is what the Five Precepts are for. After we have stopped doing bad, we then commence to do good. Take for example, speech. The Buddha says we should start by refraining from telling lies. After that, we should speak the truth, speak gently and politely and speak at the right time. He says:
"Giving up false speech he becomes a speaker of truth, reliable, trustworthy, dependable, he does not deceive the world. Giving up malicious speech he does not repeat there what he has heard here what he has heard there in order to cause variance between people. He reconciles those who are divided and brings closer together those who are already friends. Harmony is his joy, harmony is his delight, harmony is his love; it is the motive of his speech. Giving up harsh speech his speech is blameless, pleasing to the ear, agreeable, going to the heart, urbane, liked by most. Giving up idle chatter he speaks at the right time, what is correct to the point, about Dhamma and about discipline. He speaks words worth being treasured up, seasonable, reasonable, well defined and to the point".

How To Avoid Lying?

Once there was a thief,he went to stole at palace and got caught. And the king was going to kill him ... so the thief suddenly remembered the buddha ... thought that " only the buddha can help me now" ... so he said i m buddha's niecethen the king said if it is true then i ll let u go ... if it is not then i ll kill u ...And the king sent his man to see the buddha and asked the buddha ... when they reached there they asked the buddha wheather it is true or not that the thief is his niece?so the buddha thought if i said the truth he will ve to die juz for stoling ...if i dun tell the truth then i m telling lie ... so at last he said to the king's man " who said that he is not my niece " . Then the king let the thief go ...
The thief became one of the monk at the buddha monastry ...


Telling the truth is good but not always ...
If it is good for both party then say it, do it ...
If it is not good for both party dun say it ,do it ...

I heard this story from the monk cuz ppl asked how can we avoid lying ...

The Three White Lies! ( The Power Of Love - Two )

Three White Lies The words " I Love You " mean so much, but how many people have been led astray by hearing those three words? All three words are likely to lead to delusion. Personality-view is the supporting condition for all the other mental defilement. It is not wrong to use the words "I", "me" , or "mine" if we use them in the conventional sense, and understand that they are just conventions. However, it never stops there. If we have not eradicated personality-view, we take what is impermanent to be permanent, we regard what is unsatisfactory and painful as satisfying and pleasant, and we believe what is insubstantial and uncontrollable to be substantial and subject to our control. In the ultimate sense "I" ia a lie, "me" is a lie, and "mine" is a lie, i.e. they are false and misleading. In the conventional sense they are not false, but they support the false idea of a permanent self. A wise person is not led astray by them, but the foolish majority usually take things personally. When we use the word "you" in talking to someone else, it is also true only in the conventional sense. The listener will most probably become puffed up with pride if the words are pleasing, or upset if they are unpleasant. He or she is unlikely to realise that the speaker's praise or criticism is just a personal opinion, and so is likely to take any comments personally.Human beings are social beings and it is only natural to want to be liked by others . Some American psychologists conducted tests on unsuspecting students. A hidden camera was set up in an elevator. Everyone except the students who were the "victims" of the experiment, was told to face towards the back of the elevator or entering it. the hidden camera showed that all of the victims soon became very uncomfortable when facing to the front of the elevator, as people usually do. Because everyone else was facing the wrong way _ towards the back of elevator-- they soon responded by turning round to face the wrong way! This proves that though we should listen objectively to criticism or praise, we must face the right way (or do the right things), whether others agree with us or not. The word "love" covers many meanings. When a man loves a woman, or a woman loves a man, it is normally rooted in sensual desire or lust-- which is not love. When someone loves their parents or children it is rooted in affection and attachment-- which is not love either. If someone loves a religion or an ideology it is rooted in attachment to view, and that is also not love. Pure, unconditional love (metta) is the wish for the well- being of others, without any discrimination or partiality. It includes the wish for one's own well-being too, no less and no more than the wish for the well-being o others. It is more mature than just wanting to make others happy in the short term. King Pasenadi married Mallika, a poor flower girl who showed him a great kindness when he was in danger and exhausted from battle. To reassure her and to express his love for her, he told her that he loved her more than anyone else. The king then asked Mallika who she loved most of all, expecting the answer that she loved him the most. However, Mallika truthfully replied that she loved herself most of all. The king was taken aback and told the Buddha about it, but the Buddha praised Queen Mallika words of wisdom. Pleasing Others is not Love A comedian once asked the Buddha where comedian were reborn after death. The Buddha refused to reply at first, but on being pressed he replied that.....