The 8 Precepts

LavenderWu SG

Hi All Dharma Brothers & Sisters,
This is with reference to 1 of my female Malaysian friend staying in Malaysia and wanted to take the 8 Precepts. She already taken her 5 Precepts which is good enough for lay people like us.
I advice her the 8 Precepts is more for monks and nuns. Or why don’t she try out living the 8 precepts for a week to see if she suitable first, she got angry with me.
She is a married woman staying in a landed property in Malaysia with a rich husband.
(See below)

The Eight Precepts
1. I undertake the precept to refrain from destroying living creatures.
2. I undertake the precept to refrain from taking that which is not given.

3. I undertake the precept to refrain from sexual activity. (This is different from the 5 Precepts. In the 5 Precepts we refrain from sexual misconduct, easy lah, just be faithful to your spouse/boyfriend. But this 8 Precept term – to refrain from sexual activity – meaning no copulation, no masturbation, even no indulging in petting. But she is married, so how can her husband take it right?) Unless you are a nun or monk then you forever don’t have sex but a married woman how to undertake this?

4. I undertake the precept to refrain from incorrect speech.
5. I undertake the precept to refrain from intoxicating drinks and drugs which lead to carelessness.

6. I undertake the precept to refrain from eating at the forbidden time (i.e., after noon). Not even drinking of milk which is considered solid food as it is very nourishing. I ask her can she tahan or not as she is a tai tai housewife got good food, supper etc.

7. I undertake the precept to refrain from dancing, singing, music, going to see entertainments, wearing garlands, using perfumes, and beautifying the body with cosmetics. This also means no reading of fashion magazines, no watching of films at home, no movies and no playing games or computer games. I ask her again, you are so use to being a tai tai for so many years at home. Wouldn’t your life be so boring after noon cannot eat, at home cannot do all these above to past time?

8. I undertake the precept to refrain from sitting, lying on a high or luxurious sleeping place. She is tai tai living in landed property of course got nice comfy double bed. I ask her then how? Is she going to sleep on the floor mat (like monks and nun do after taken the 8 precepts) while her husband sleep alone on the double bed?

Hence I told her my own opinion. The 8 precepts is more for monks and nuns ready to renounce the world and live in temple. For us lay person still living in flats or even private propertys luxury, how to enforce the 8 precepts?

yhjow SG

Actually, the 8 precepts is not practised everyday, but rather practised on the Buddhist fasting period (known as Uposatha days 齋戒日). For Chinese Mahayana Buddhist, the 6 fasting period 六齋 tends to fall on the lunar calender of 8, 14,15,23,29 and 30 of each month. A lay buddhist can practise these 8 precepts on these fasting period or alternatively, he can practise it once a week. In addition, there are one-day program in Chinese buddhist temples in Singapore for practising 8 precepts (known as 八關齋戒). A lay buddhist who has practised the 8 precepts is known as 優婆塞 (upsaka) and 優婆夷（Upāsikā）.

Yes, the 8 precepts are like those practised to become monks and nuns. However, the sangha communities are even stricter. For monks, it's around 250 precepts. For nun, it's around 340..

The no.3 of 8 precepts generally mean no sex. Masturbation is considered to be a sexual misconduct for Upsaka (one who practises 8 precepts). I'm personally practising no masturbation and limited sex with my wife.

no.6 - eating once a day (before noon)

no.7 - no exposure to any form of entertainment media.

no. 8 - no sleeping on comfortable luxurious bed.

I personally think the 8 precepts can be practised. It's good if one wants to progress from 5 precepts to 8 precepts. In fact, I'm going to participate in a one-day program 八關齋戒 in my temple during October where one day of no speech is practised.

It's like practising the life of a monk and nun on those days. You need not practise it everyday. But it can be practised once a week or during those Uposatha days.

Leogirldreamer SG

very simple to solve lah....your friend only see the great merits in keeping the 8 precepts, wait till you tell her what will happen if she fails to keep them well. She may have second thoughts.

Any way, she can consider the Bodhisattva Precepts if she is keen to be a living Bodhisattva....haha

Dawnfirstlight SG

I went for observance of 8 precepts for 1 day 1 night yesterday. It ended this morning at 8 am. May be you have mistaken your friend. Is your friend referrring to temporary observance of 8 precepts. Many Buddhist temples used to hold it every now and then. it can be 1 day or continuously for 3 days. I find it very good to observe 8 precepts for 1 to a few days in a month. I shall post the merits of observing 8 precepts later.

LavenderWu SG

Thanks Yhjow, Leo and Dawn for the insight.
Ya, maybe I misunderstood my friend that she wanted to take long term 8 Precepts.

yhjow SG

Any way, she can consider the Bodhisattva Precepts if she is keen to be a living Bodhisattva....haha

Yes, if she wants to progress most further, she can consider Bodhisattva precepts. It's the highest level of precepts for lay buddhist. My relative has taken the Bodhisattva precepts and if I'm not wrong, you have to practise strict vegetarian, 6 big precepts and 28 small precepts (which include practising the 8 precepts during the Uposatha days). If you really want to become a true bodhisattva, the Bodhisattva precepts are recommended (but do take note that it's not easy to practise in daily life..)