Precepts (sikkhāpada)
Includes tags: Precepts, Five Precepts, Eight Precepts
See also: Right Speech, Right Action, Intoxicants
5. “Eight Precepts illuminates the vanity within.’ Could you offer some encouragements or reflections on the beauty of the Dhamma as a remedy?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Eight Precepts] [Conceit] [Beauty] [Dhamma] // [Recollection/Dhamma] [Faith] [Learning] [Sutta]
Reference: Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 6: Recollection of the Dhamma.
Story: Ajahn Khao’s realization came from reflecting on rice. [Ajahn Khao] [Liberation] [Symbolism/metaphor] [Gratitude] [Bodhi Tree]
20. “Can you offer some inspiration to the group as to observing the Eight Precepts on the Uposatha Days? I’ve been observing every quarter moon, and it would be comforting to know that I’m part of a larger group. Please reflect on the value of restraint outside the retreat environment.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Eight Precepts] [Lunar observance days ] [Sense restraint] [Everyday life] // [Culture/Thailand] [Wat Pah Pong] [Wat Pah Nanachat]
Story: Ajahn Pasanno’s first Uposatha Day at Wat Pah Pong. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Lay life]
Sutta: AN 8.41: “Suppose the lay people spent a day and a night living like the arahants.” [Arahant] [Eight Precepts]
3. “I’d like to swap the order of precepts around when it gets dull. Is it a waste of effort?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Precepts] [Chanting]
11. “Besides my own Dhamma practice, raising my children is also very important to me. We want them to grow in wholesome dhammas. Currently, because they have shown interest in our keeping the Five Precepts, we talk about how the day went in keeping the precepts as we tuck them in at bedtime. They report on how it went, and so does each parent who is tucking them in, each of us looking at ourselves, our intentions and behaviors, and then sharing. Are there additional things we might do as parents to help our kids as we travel the path?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Children ] [Skillful qualities] [Five Precepts] [Right Intention] [Right Action] // [Ajahn Chah]
14. “The first time I was confronted with an English roundabout, I drove in the wrong way. I may still be going the wrong way, as I have murder in my heart. I want to eradicate an infestation of insects from my trees so they can bear fruit. Any suggestions for an approach that would keep me on track, at least an attempt at the Five Precepts?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Agriculture] [Killing ] [Animal] [Five Precepts] // [Virtue] [Culture/Thailand] [Environment]
Recollection: Dealing with termites at Wat Pah Pong. [Ajahn Chah] [Wat Pah Pong] [Lodging]
19. “What suggestions do you have when thoughts of transgression of sila arise. I cannot change the past, but I have regrets.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Precepts] [Restlessness and worry]
2. “During retreats I sometimes have dreams in which my actions are unskillful. Does one eventually keep the precepts even in dreams?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Precepts] [Dreams]
1. “A question regarding the 5 precepts. In daily life, I am really good about keeping #1, 2, 3 and 5; but somehow I found that the precept #4 is really hard. I find myself lying everyday such as: ‘Do I look good?’ → Yes, of course. ‘Do you want to eat some more?’ → No, thanks, I’m full (but in fact the food didn’t taste good). Or speaking at a wrong time, speaking too long, too short, too harsh or speaking with a wrong tone of voice. This is the hardest one for me. Kindly advise. Thank you.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Five Precepts] [False speech ] [Right Speech ] // [Monastic life] [Precepts ] [Pāli] [Learning]
Quote: “The function of the precepts in terms of practice is to provide a mirror so we can understand our own intentions and volitions.” [Precepts ] [Volition]
2. “What did the Buddha think following his teachings should mean or entail?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Three Refuges] [Precepts] [Buddhist identity ] // [Virtue] [Lay life] [Five Precepts] [Faith] [Generosity] [Association with people of integrity] [Hearing the true Dhamma] [Learning] [Practicing in accordance with Dhamma] [Conceit]
Sutta: AN 8.26 Jīvaka Sutta
7. Comments by Rik Center about the positive reputation of Buddhism in the West. [Culture/West] [Precepts] [Idealism] [Buddhist identity]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno.
13. “Should someone who follows the five precepts and meditates but has their own faith and belief call themselves a Buddhist?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Five Precepts] [Meditation] [Faith] [Spiritual traditions] [Buddhist identity ] // [Dhamma] [Truth] [Eightfold Path] [Happiness]
4. “What do you recommend for pet owners with aging, sick pets? Do they get to live out their lives or is a merciful end at the hands of a vet OK?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Animal] [Ageing] [Sickness] [Euthanasia] [Precepts]
1. “What are the consequences of breaking a precept?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Precepts ] // [Pāli] [Learning] [Volition] [Ajahn Chah]
The root of hiri and otappa. [Conscience and prudence ] [Translation] [Truth] [Kamma] [Respect]
13. “When you’re living on the precepts, how do I relate to (for example) a friend who tells me about an affair they are having?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Jotipālo. [Precepts] [Spiritual friendship] [Sexual misconduct] // [Skillful qualities] [Admonishment/feedback] [Discernment] [Right Speech] [Vinaya] [Abhayagiri]
Quote: “Don’t admonish your fellow monks before the meal.” — Ajahn Chah. Quoted by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Monastic life] [Food] [Eating after noon]
4. “Does a sotāpanna keep the precepts perfectly?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Stream entry ] [Precepts] // [Virtue]
12. “It’s a common phrase: “If you see the Buddha on the road, kill him.” Obviously it’s using hyperbole for effect but I think it means to trust only in your own experience. At what point do the guidelines and precepts leave off and the way to proceed on findings begins? I know it’s not a linear path, but I’d appreciate your thoughts.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Direct experience] [Precepts] [Trust] [Long-term practice] // [Zen] [Vinaya] [Dhamma] [Relinquishment] [Middle Path]
Quote: “The Vinaya and the precepts are for holding on, and the Dhamma is for letting go. When you learn how to balance those two, then you will be free from dukkha.” — Ajahn Chah to Ajahn Sumedho. [Ajahn Chah] [Ajahn Sumedho] [Precepts] [Liberation]
17. “I grew up in an environment where any difference was met with hostility. I was bullied, I was robbed a few times, I didn’t feel safe. No wonder the idea of refuge always resonated with me....However, even after living in very tolerant California and generally feeling myself safe here, when I am outdoors practicing walking meditation, whenever I see or hear strangers approaching me, my mind begins rushing in anticipation that this encounter would turn hostile. Being on precepts makes me feel particularly vulnerable. Could you share some teaching about protecting qualities of the Dhamma and how I can feel less fear while keeping the precepts? Could some of the monastics share their stories of receiving unexpected kindness from seemingly hostile strangers or stories of resolving physical or verbal attacks while wearing the robes and keeping precepts?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Discrimination] [Abuse/violence] [Fear] [Three Refuges] [Meditation retreats] [Precepts] [Dhamma] [Monastic life] [Stories] [Generosity] // [Human] [Truth] [Compassion] [Abhayagiri] [Almsround]
Story: A football hooligan has a sharing session with a monk on a train.
Story: Ajahn Gunha wanders into a Communist base on tudong. [Ajahn Gunha] [Tudong] [Politics and society] [Rains retreat]
Story: Ajahn Sudanto goes almsround each day in White Salmon. [Ajahn Sudanto] [Pacific Hermitage]
7. “I have doubts about the concept of personal property. How does activism following the Five Precepts work in a country whose water supply has been bought out by private interests?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Politics and society] [Environment] [Five Precepts] // [Community] [Virtue] [Discernment]
Story: Ajahn Pasanno investigates a logging operation at Dtao Dtum. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Culture/Thailand] [Dtao Dum]
18. “For the sake of the precepts, what’s the definition of gossip?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Precepts] [Malicious speech] [Idle chatter]
20. “Is the point of the precepts to create as much well-being and as little pain in your environment as possible?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Precepts ] [Happiness] // [Non-contention] [Communal harmony] [Trust]
1. “Why are the precepts worded as things not to do rather than as aspirations?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Precepts ] [Vinaya] // [Dhamma]
Quote: “You can’t mandate goodness.” [Precepts ]
11. “Is refining the Five Precepts sufficient for lay practice to be transformative?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Five Precepts ] [Lay life] [Ajahn Chah] // [Vinaya] [Mindfulness] [Right Intention] [Relinquishment] [Compassion] [Truth]
13. “Can you talk about evolution and growth in regards to the precepts as opposed to just following rules?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Five Precepts] [Precepts] [Attachment to precepts and practices] // [Pāli] [Etymology] [Learning] [Suffering] [Doubt] [Self-identity view]
4. “Can you explain the rhythm and scanning of the seventh of the Eight Precepts (Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 135)?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Eight Precepts] [Entertainment and adornment] [Chanting] [Pāli]
5. Comment: I also get tripped up chanting the fifth precept (Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 130). [Five Precepts] [Intoxicants] [Chanting] [Pāli]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Thai]
6. “When we accidentally break the Eight Precepts, once we realize it, what’s the proper response in the mind?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Eight Precepts] // [Volition] [Virtue] [Renunciation]
4. “You spoke about the teachings and the training. What is the training for a lay practitioner other than the Five Precepts?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Amaro. [Dhamma] [Vinaya] [Lay life] [Five Precepts] // [Meditation] [Communal harmony] [Right Livelihood] [Family] [Work] [Politics and society] [Spiritual friendship]
10. “We can control unwholesome acts of body and speech through precepts, but whatever pops up in the mind we mostly can’t control. But how is kamma formed in the mind? Should we control that thing or should it be let go?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Precepts] [Nature of mind] [Kamma] // [Suffering] [Relinquishment] [Ajahn Chah] [Volition]
Sutta: MN 19: Two Kind of Thought
5. “During the Buddha’s time do you know anything similar to the precepts or did the precepts come after the Buddha?” Answered by Ajahn Amaro. [Precepts] [Buddha/Biography] // [Tipiṭaka]
Follow-up: “People practiced a lot before the Buddha’s time. Did they establish something like the precepts?” [Precepts] [Geography/India]
Comment: The Jain movement had quite strong ethical conduct. [Jainism]
7. “What are the benefits of observing the Eight Precepts in relation to just the Five Precepts?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Eight Precepts ] [Five Precepts] // [Renunciation] [Virtue] [Simplicity]
9. “It’s interesting that the Buddha usually speaks of wholesome qualities in the negative, like non-greed, non-hatred, non-delusion. Even the precepts are phrased in the negative. Could you say that’s pointing towards emptiness?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Amaro. [Skillful qualities] [Precepts] [Emptiness] // [Western psychology] [Language] [Teaching Dhamma]
11. “I’m curious about the timeline when the Buddha established the Five Precepts for householders.” Answered by Ajahn Amaro. [Buddha/Biography] [Five Precepts] [Lay life] // [Vinaya]
Vinaya: Mahāvagga 2.1: The Buddha establishes the Uposatha observance for the Saṅgha. [Lunar observance days] [Saṅgha]
Sutta: AN 8.41: Observing the Eight Precepts on Uposatha days. [Eight Precepts]
Sutta: AN 8.39: The eight streams of merit. [Merit] [Three Refuges] [Five Precepts] [Generosity]
Follow-up: “Did the ritual of requesting the Five Precepts originate in the time of the Buddha?” Answered by Ajahn Amaro and Ajahn Pasanno. [Five Precepts] [Ceremony/ritual] [Culture/Thailand] [Tipiṭaka]
12. “The eight training precepts that some monastic traditions ask you to take as a lay person when you are reading suttas or attending Dhamma classes—do different Theravāda forms include this?” Answered by Ajahn Amaro and Ajahn Pasanno. [Lay life] [Precepts] [Bhante Gunaratana] // [Culture/Sri Lanka] [Culture/Thailand] [Right Speech]