Questions on Five Precepts

Spnw07 SG

Will go check out the link you give and research on more methods to steer insects away when cleaning the house. The methods that you have posted above, I think only one about ants is easy to do for me and my family, for now.

You see, the ants in my house crawl about anywhere, regardless of whether there is food. It is not uncommon to even wake in the morning to find one or two ants that are drowned in the drinking pot inside the kitchen. It's just plain drinking water! But my mom, who's a Buddhist too, objects to designating any corner of the kitchen as a food corner for ants or pests.

My mom's terribly afraid of cokroaches and the best she can do now is not to kill them at sight with insecticides. Leaving beer cans is out of the question for her as she is a tidy person at the same time.

Mosquitoes incense is harmful to human beings as well, in the long run. So you save insects, but harm humans?

cycle SG

Hi, yah I also felt sadness reading about shooting the quails...

mmmh...how to put it...? I just wish to say that whenever you feel pain, despair, hopeless, or any immense sadness or emotional turmoil, please breathe slowly and deeply, and chant the name of Buddha or any Boddhisattva whom you have affinity with. Chant slowly and clearly word by word, imprint every sound you chanted ( can be silently) into your mind. Please try it.

Life is precious. It can be beautiful if we want it to.

cycle SG

Looks like you are very troubled by pests in your house. Smile

And since most methods you think are not suitable for you or you mom, then it seem that nothing can be done at the moment. In that case, I guess you just have to leave it as it is for the time being. Don't be too vexed by the problem since it is not so life threathening. Then try to live in harmony with them. Smile
Don't put ypurselves in a fix.

Well, long ago in our Kampong, everyone used to have ants n cokroacches everywhere inside our houses too. Just remember to put your food in the refrigerator or covered them up properly, rinse again your plates n bowls or cups n cutlery before using them, ok?

Spnw07 SG

I'm troubled because I have a small wish to take the 5 precepts in the future. I have been killing insects, mostly half-deliberately and half accidentally since I was small. The karma accumulated can be small in comparison to killing human beings, but nevertheless, the karma will eventually lead to a painful death or suffering in my present life or future rebirths.

But thanks for your advice and words of encouragement. Appreciate it. Smile

yamizi SG

Hi Spwn07,

For the quail part, to my surprise, there were other cadets who chose not to kill. I was among the first few who voiced our opposition. But well that's in the past.

So what is to take 5 precepts formally? Going through the right rituals? Or simply to start making a conscious effort in observing them? I can say that I convert to a buddhist when I was age 17. I'm 25 now. I only took my refuge and precept when I turned 22. But that to me was only a ceremony. I took it because I had wanted my parents to take refuge (they are illiterate folks) and don't really know what is Dhamma. So going through the ceremony becomes a faith-affirmation procedure for them to remember it.

I know of people, who took refuge, take precept, end up also convert to christianity upon marriage. What is the point of the ceremony then?

I believe the essential part of Buddhism is back to the quality of our hearts and minds. Ceremonies are just protocols, not saying they are insignificant, but is how we observe our minds and apply the buddhist teachings into our lives.

One of a Bhante I know, knew someone, who belongs to a unique religion in a certain region in the world, where to convert out of their original religion seems to be impossible as it is believed to be illegal. Somehow that guy came across Buddhism during his tertiary days and really find it a more logical and sound alternative. He asked the Bhante for a solution due to his trapped identity, the Bhante then told him, just observed the qualities of his heart and mind. And that to have kind thoughts and let the thoughts flow to be his actions and speechs. Ceremonies, putting buddhism on IDs, all these are not as important as looking after the state of his heart and mind.

I think it is a very good epitome of what Buddhism is.

If taking 5 precepts seriously really disturbed your mind, you should consider that whether or not you should relook into what precepts are and that why is your mind disturbed by them.

I remember I spoke to AEN's teacher before, she told me that "Xiu1 Xing2 Yin1 Kai1 Shi1 Kuai4 Le4 De1". Practising should be a happy experience. Of course we are bound to face hindrances but generally we should be happy. If we are unhappy with what we practice, we should really relook and reconsider why we are not.

An Eternal Now SG

Posted this in
Concerns about Dharma-Ending Age, but I think it has relevance to this thread so I'm posting again:

Originally posted by An Eternal Now:

'Awareness' does not have any requirements... if a murderer becomes aware, instantaneously he awakens his buddha nature.

On the other hand 'awareness' is able to 'guide' the mind in the sense of not letting it run lose in unwholesome thoughts. It becomes natural, without needing to force or emphasize anything.

BTW, coming to the topic of precepts. Precepts are only created due to the need of responding to the problems and troubles that the sentient mind creates. The Buddha did not set a fixed number of precepts from the beginning of his teaching career -- the number of precepts in his sangha gradually increase according to situations and needs.

So if we can grasp the root of the problem at its source -- the mind -- we can prevent all the problems. We do not even have to rely on precepts then -- because our mind, speech, and action are naturally in line with precepts, samadhi, and wisdom. What is important is 'awareness'. This does not mean that precepts are not important, not at all. It is an important training, but it is more important to grasp the problem at its root.

If we are no longer controlled by our mind, if we are constantly aware of the activities of our mind and able to be completely disidentified/nonattached, not giving rise to sentient thoughts, then we will no longer need to rely on any fixed set of precepts. 'Keeping precepts' or 'breaking precepts' already becomes irrelevant, just like if there are no crimes why the need for laws? If the sentient mind no longer runs wild, then one is no longer affected by these things.

The great patriarch Bodhidharma said, (http://www.abuddhistlibrary.com/Buddhism/C%20-%20Zen/Ancestors/The%20Zen%20Teachings%20of%20Bodhidharma/The%20Zen%20Teachings%20of%20Bodhidharma/THE%20ZEN%20TEACHINGS%20OF%20BODHIDHARMA.htm)

Buddhas dont save Buddhas. If you use your mind to look for a Buddha, you wont see the Buddha. As long as you look for a Buddha somewhere else, youll never see that your own mind is the Buddha. Dont use a Buddha to worship a Buddha. And dont use the mind to invoke a Buddha." Buddhas dont recite sutras." Buddhas dont keep precepts." And Buddhas dont break precepts. Buddhas dont keep or break anything. Buddhas dont do good or evil.

To find a Buddha, you have to see your nature." Whoever sees his nature is a Buddha. If you dont see your nature, invoking Buddhas, reciting sutras, making offerings, and keeping precepts are all useless. Invoking Buddhas results in

good karma, reciting sutras results in a good memory; keeping precepts results in a good rebirth, and making offerings results in future blessings-but no buddha. If you dont understand by yourself, youll have to find a teacher to get to the bottom of life and death. But unless he sees his nature, such a person isnt a tea6er. Even if he can recite the Twelvefold Canon he cant escape the Wheel of Birth and Death. He suffers in the three realms without hope of release. Long ago, the monk Good Star 21 was able to recite the entire Canon. But he didnt escape the Wheel, because he didnt see his nature. If this was the case with Good Star, then people nowadays who recite a few sutras or shastras and think its the Dharma are fools. Unless you see your mind, reciting so much prose is useless.

And what is our Buddha Nature? Bodhidharma says, Buddha is Sanskrit for what you call aware, miraculously aware. Responding, arching your brows blinking your eyes, moving your hands and feet, its all your miraculously aware nature. And this nature is the mind. And the mind is the Buddha. And the Buddha is the path. And the path is Zen. But the word Zen is one that remains a puzzle to both mortals and sages. Seeing your nature is Zen. Unless you see your nature, its not Zen.

We shouldn't worry too much about the future and just practice.. if we do, then we will create the conditions of continually getting to know the dharma.

It is very possible to be awakened in this very lifetime too.. as many have done so.

An Eternal Now SG

Yes, by all it means it should be discussed as it is still the basics and fundamentals.

Spnw07 SG

I understand what you're trying to say. However, usually, when we say we are Buddhists, people or fellow Buddhists would have expected us to have gone through the refuge taking ceremony and for some, precept undertaking at the same time.

I think being a Buddhist or taking the 5 precepts formally involves both going through the ceremony and starting to make a conscious effort to observe the appropriate behaviour.

In fact, I am relooking into what precepts are and why my mind is disturbed by them. That's why I'm asking so much here, with the understanding that all comments are references and are not representative.

I think you are quite a filial son in a way by introducing the dhamma to your parents, becoming a Buddhist and observing precepts all entirely of your own will.

I agree with you that there are some people who are Buddhists, and have taken precepts, but ended up as Christians upon marriage. However, I will interpret it as the Buddhist community (everyone of us) has room for improvement in disseminating and explaining basic Buddhist teachings (like cause and effect and precepts) to the outside world.

That's to say, we don't wait for them to come in front to ask us, we continue to attract and hold their attention by sharing with them Buddhism is not entirely ascetism or very restrictive or inflexible when applied in their daily lives. We have to give specific examples of how Buddhist teachings can be practically applied (without causing unnecessary trouble to ourselves or others) in our daily lives in our modern age.

Hmm, as a side-note, I think I should chant the Buddha's name and dedicate the merits to the quails that you've mentioned.

yamizi SG

Hmm don't know they reborn until where liao.

Anyway, a side note to that, why we were made to kill the quails because for the particular day, lunch is two packets of biscuits (you guys should know the small ones with either butter or chocolate flavour one) plus the quail that you kill. So I ended up only with the biscuits. I had a good buddy who offered a wing to me. I told him I can't eat such meat because I had witnessed its killing. This buddy, though ain't exactly know buddhist concept, ended up give me one packet of his biscuits.

Huan Nan Jian Zhen Qing

=)

Spnw07 SG

Wat seh! your buddy damn good, never laugh or tease you. Give you biscuit some more. This kind of buddy better put in your close friends list man. Smile

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