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Five Precepts

Pali texts

Pali literature provides the scriptures and commentary for traditional Theravadin practice.

Pali training rules

The following are the five precepts (pañca-sikkhāpada) or five virtues (pañca-sīla) rendered in English and Pali:

1.	I undertake the training rule to abstain from taking life.	Pāātipātā veramaī sikkhāpada samādiyāmi.
2.	I undertake the training rule to abstain from taking what is not given.	Adinnādānā veramaī sikkhāpada samādiyāmi.
3.	I undertake the training rule to abstain from sexual misconduct.	Kāmesu micchācāra veramaī sikkhāpada samādiyāmi.
4.	I undertake the training rule to abstain from false speech.	Musāvāda veramaī sikkhāpada samādiyāmi.
5.	I undertake the training rule to abstain from fermented drink that causes heedlessness.	Surā-meraya-majja-pamādahānā veramaī sikkhāpada samādiyāmi.

For more on the first precept, see ahimsa. In some modern translations, Surā-meraya-majja-pamādahānā, is rendered more broadly, variously, as, intoxicants, liquor and drugs, etc.

Elaboration

In the Pali Canon, the following typifies elaborations that frequently accompany these identified training rules:

According to the Buddha, killing, stealing, sexual misconduct and lying are never skillful.

Motivation

In the Abhisandha Sutta (AN 8.39), the Buddha said that undertaking the precepts is a gift to oneself and others:

In the next canonical discourse, the Buddha described the minimal negative consequences of breaking the precepts.

Chinese texts

The format of the ceremony for taking the precepts occurs several times in the canon in slightly different forms, and each temple or tradition has slightly different ordination ceremonies.

One ceremonial version of the precepts can be found in the Treatise on Taking Refuge and the Precepts (歸戒要集):

As the Buddha refrained from killing until the end of his life, so I too will refrain from killing until the end of my life.

As the Buddha refrained from stealing until the end of his life, so I too will refrain from stealing until the end of my life.

As the Buddha refrained from sexual misconduct until the end of his life, so I too will refrain from sexual misconduct until the end of my life.

As the Buddha refrained from false speech until the end of his life, so I too will refrain from false speech until the end of my life.

As the Buddha refrained from alcohol until the end of his life, so I too will refrain from alcohol until the end of my life.

The same Treatise on Taking Refuge and the Precepts (歸戒要集) outlines the option of undertaking fewer than all five precepts, though nearly all modern ceremonies involve undertaking all five precepts. Certainly, committing more skillful and fewer unskillful actions is beneficial. But before entering nirvana, the Buddha said his disciples should take the precepts as their teacher, so few ceremonies are held for partial precept undertaking. There are exceptions, however.

Other precepts

Different Buddhist traditions adhere to other lists of precepts that have some overlap with the Five Precepts. The precise wording and application of any of these vows is different by tradition.

Eight Precepts

The Eight Precepts are the precepts for Buddhist lay men and women who wish to practice a bit more strictly than the usual five precepts for Buddhists. The eight precepts focus both on avoiding morally bad behaviour, and on leading a more ascetic lifestyle. The five precepts, however, focus only on avoiding morally bad behaviour.

In Theravada Buddhist countries such as Sri Lanka and Thailand, Buddhist laymen and laywomen will often spend one day a week (on the Uposatha days: the new moon, first-quarter moon, full moon and last-quarter moon days) living in the monastery, and practicing the eight precepts.

The Buddha gave teachings on how the eight precepts are to be practiced, and on the right and wrong ways of practicing the eight precepts.

I undertake to abstain from taking life (both human and non-human).

I undertake to abstain from taking what is not given (stealing).

I undertake to abstain from all sexual activity.

I undertake to abstain from telling lies.

I undertake to abstain from using intoxicating drinks and drugs which lead to carelessness.

I undertake to abstain from eating at the wrong time (the right time is eating once, after sunrise, before noon).

I undertake to abstain from singing, dancing, playing music, attending entertainment performances, wearing perfume, and using cosmetics and garlands (decorative accessories).

I undertake to abstain from luxurious places for sitting or sleeping.

Ten Precepts

The Ten Precepts (Pali: dasasila or samanerasikkha) refer to the precepts (training rules) for Buddhist samaneras (novice monks) and samaneris (novice nuns). They are used in most Buddhist schools.

Refrain from killing living things.

Refrain from stealing.

Refrain from un-chastity (sensuality, sexuality, lust).

Refrain from lying.

Refrain from taking intoxicants.

Refrain from taking food at inappropriate times (after noon).

Refrain from singing, dancing, playing music or attending entertainment programs (performances).

Refrain from wearing perfume, cosmetics and garland (decorative accessories).

Refrain from sitting on high chairs and sleeping on luxurious, soft beds.

Refrain from accepting money.

Sixteen Precepts

Within the Zen tradition there are generally sixteen precepts the first five of the last set of them being the standard
five precepts. Sometimes these precepts (especially the last ten) are called the Bodhisattva precepts. Additionally, in some traditions such as the white plum lineage the precepts have been formed in the affirmative instead of the negative.

(Three Treasures)

Taking refuge in the Buddha

Taking refuge in the Dharma

Taking refuge in the Sangha

(Three Pure Precepts)

Not Creating Evil

Practicing Good

Actualizing Good For Others

(Ten Grave Precepts)

Affirm life; Do not kill

Be giving; Do not steal

Honor the body; Do not misuse sexuality

Manifest truth; Do not lie

Proceed clearly; Do not cloud the mind

See the perfection; Do not speak of others errors and faults

Realize self and other as one; Do not elevate the self and blame others

Give generously; Do not be withholding

Actualize harmony; Do not be angry

Experience the intimacy of things; Do not defile the Three Treasures

Traditional praxis

The laity undertake to follow these training rules at the same time as they become Buddhists. In Mahayana countries a lay practitioner who has undertaken the precepts is called an upasaka. In Theravada countries any lay follower is in theory called an upasaka (or upasika, feminine), though in practice everyone is expected to take the precepts anyway.

Additionally, traditional Theravada lay devotional practice (puja) includes the daily taking of refuge in the Triple Gem and undertaking to observe the five precepts.

Interpretations

The precepts are considered differently in a Mahayana context to that of the Theravada school of thought.

According to Theravada, killing, stealing, sexual misconduct and lying are never skillful. Some schools of Mahayana Buddhism disagree with this. For example, they might condone the act of murdering a mass murderer.

Contemporary Theravada scholar-monk Bhikkhu Bodhi takes that position that, while non-dualistic philosophies assert that enlightened beings are beyond the proscriptions of conventional moral codes, in the Pali Canon the Buddha's teaching maintains a clear distinction between moral and immoral behaviors, a distinction that applies as much to the arahant as to the layperson.