5 Precepts according to Thich Nhat Hanh

bohiruci SG

The view of Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh

THE FIVE WONDERFUL PRECEPTS

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1. Aware of the suffering caused by the destruction of life, I vow to cultivate compassion and to learn the ways of protecting the lives of people, animals and plants. I am determined not to kill, not to let others kill, and not to condone any act of killing in the world, in my thinking, and in my way of life.

2. Aware of the suffering caused by exploitation, social injustice, stealing and oppression, I vow to cultivate loving-kindness and learn ways to work for the well-being of people, animals and plants. I vow to practice generosity by sharing my time, energy, and material resources with those who are in real need. I am determined not to steal and not to possess anything that should belong to others. I will respect the property of others, but I will do everything in my power to prevent others from human suffering of other species.

3. Aware of the suffering caused by sexual misconduct, I vow to cultivate my responsibility and learn ways to protect the safety and integrity of individuals, couples, families and society. I am determined not to engage in sexual relations without love and long-term commitment. To preserve the happiness of myself and others, I am determined to respect my commitments and the commitments of others. I will do everything in my power to protect children from sexual abuse and to protect families from being broken by sexual misconduct.

4. Aware of suffering caused by unmindful speech and the inability to listen to the suffering of others, I vow to cultivate loving speech and deep listening in order to bring joy and happiness to others and relieve others of their suffering. Knowing that words can create happiness or bring suffering, I vow to learn to speak truthfully, with words that can inspire self confidence, joy and hope. I am determined not to spread news that I do not know to be certain, and not to criticize or condemn things I am not sure of . I will refrain from uttering words that can cause division or discord, or that can cause the family or the community to break. I willmake every effort to reconcile and resolve all conflicts, even small.

5. Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful consumption, I vow to cultivate good health, both physical and mental, for myself, my family, and my society by practicing mindful eating, drinking, and consuming. I vow to ingest only items that preserve peace, well-being and joy in my body, in my consciousness, and in the collective body and consciousness of my family and society. I am determined not to use alcohol or any other intoxicants, or to ingest foods or other items that contain toxins, such as certain T.V. programs, magazines, books, films and conversations. I am aware that to damage my body and my consciousness with these poisons is to betray my ancestors, my parents, my society, and future generations. I will work to transform violence, fear, anger, and confusion by practicing a diet for myself and for society. I understand that a proper diet is crucial for self-transformation, and for the transformation of society.

bohiruci SG

There are two kinds of Precepts : those for lay practitioners and those for the renounced. In Mahayana Buddhism, those precepts which pertain to lay practitioners are : the Five Precepts, the Eight Precepts, and the Bodhisattva Precepts.

Where in the upholding of the Five Precepts is similar to observance of the Five Moral Virtues advocated by Confucius. They constitute the fundamental way of being a good person in society the Eight Precepts are precepts targeted towards the expulsion of eight specific evils. By adhering to the precepts, the practitioner is guarded against committing most types of unwholesome action, speech, and thought, and guided along the way of goodness which leads towards the exit from the cycle of rebirth. Thus the Eight Precepts have sometimes been referred to as a shortcut along the Buddhist path. Also, because proper adherence to the Eight Precepts generally requires departure from home, they have also been described as a means of allowing the practitioner to familiarise themselves with the monastic way of life.

The Eight Mahayana Precepts

1. Abandoning the taking of life/killing.

2. Abandoning taking that which is not given/stealing.

3. Abandoning the sexual act.

4. Abandoning lies/false speech.

5. Abandoning intoxicants.

6. Abandoning ornamental and extravagant attire.

7. Reveling in music and dancing.

8. Abandoning large and high beds and thrones/sleeping in a bed of excessive dimensions and comfort.

bohiruci SG

the high thrones bit by some comes under (6) but I think should be added to com fortable bed in ( Cool but I could be wrong..someone will let you/me know...Tsering Lhamo

The practitioner who takes acceptance of the Eight Precepts may also follow the additional practice of refraining from eating after midday.

Notice that the first five abstentions are actually identical to the Five Precepts, other than the upgrade of (3) from abstention from sexual misconduct to abstention from sexual activities. This means that the practitioner of the Eight Precepts must refrain even from sexual activities with his/her spouse.

This leaves only(6), (7), ( Cool requiring more detail.
(6) and (7) collectively aim at removing the delusive influences of form, sound and fragrance from the practitioner's mind. By attiring oneself simply and not indulging in the dissipated pleasures through sight and hearing, the practitioner moves away from craving. He/she would then more readily turn to the path of purity which will induce the primary karmic effects of a properly developed body and mind as well as the secondary karmic effects of a favourable environment for further cultivation.

( Cool is quantified in the Sutra according to the following measurements (feet): 1.6 (height) / 4 (width) / 8 (length). Anything greater is defined excessive. Ideally, the practitioner's feet should touch the ground when sitting on the edge of the bed. However, the focus of this abstention should not be so much in the geometry, but rather on the implication that the practitioner should not place excessive concern on physical comfort. Only by reducing the needs of the body and hence living a life of simple material requirements can the practitioner improve more rapidly on the spiritual path.
Regarding the additional practice of not eating after midday, this method trains the body to sustain on less and reduce its craving for food.

The duration for practice of the Eight Precepts is at least for a day and a night. It is usually practised in one of the six days of purification in the Lunar month, namely the eighth, fourteenth, fifteenth, twenty-third, twenty-ninth, and thirtieth. It is said in the Sutra that the Four Deva Kings would send their envoys on these days to survey the earth, and they would be delighted to see sentient beings practising charity, precepts and filial piety, hence the choice of these days for cultivation. In fact, the Eight Precepts can be practised on other days, especially on commemorative days such as the birthdays of the Buddhas or of one's parents. It is common practice for monasteries to decide on the days of practice to suit the convenience of the devotees. After notice has been given, the public can register for acceptance. Procedures of the ceremony usually include eight parts :

Request for guidance of the teacher.
A discourse on the precepts.
Request for the witness of the vow.
Repentance.
Thrice summoning of the congregation.
Announcement on the form of Precepts.
A discourse on the Great Vows.
Administering blessings.
It is common practice that a Dharma Master should preside over the ceremony as witness to the acceptance of these precepts. But as stated in the Abhidharma, the Eight Precepts can still be practised in the absence of a Master if the vow is taken in front of the image of the Buddha.

It is not necessary for the practitioner to wear the same kind of robe as the monastic although this is considered a one-day renunciation. They only need to wear the common robes for lay Buddhist followers.

Anyone who wishes to denounce any of the Precepts during the observance period can do so without notifying the Master who gave the initial acceptance. But the intention must be let known to someone.

There is no limitation on the actual duration of the practice. After one day and night, the practice can be extended for a further period. The length of time for which it is extended is purely dependent on the wish of the practitioner.

People often wonder whether the merit derived from upholding the Five Precepts for life is greater than that from the observance of the Eight Precepts for a short period. According to the Sutra, it is more important in any kind of observance to sincerely embrace the precepts and be dedicated to their practice. The actual length of time in the practice is not as relevant.