Lesson Eleven The Unlosable Treasure Store
(Part 2)
The practice of the Five Precept s lies in your hand
Regard those who regularlybreak the Five
Preceptswiththesame disapprovalasthose
whodo not brush their teeth,taketheirbaths
on sweltering and humid days, or change their
dirtyclothes. If human society could do this,
it wouldbe on its way of evolving a perfect
civilization. Unfortunately, society not only
tolerates those who break the rules but
encouragesthem.
The man who boasts of his conquests with
women is not condemnedexcept by husbands
whose marriages he has broken up. Lying is
accepted from the highestdiplomaticcircles
tothe petty shopkeeperwhoadjusts his prices
to his customer 's appearances. Killing is
considered an admirable skill in hunting,
fishing, and shooting circles.If theftis done
on abig scaleand successfully, it becomes
respectable.
Moralityina country or societytends tobe
tied to its interest and codes of law. An
action is right so long as it does not break the
law. But these man made codes, unlike
universal moral codes, areflexible.
An Englishman who had killed a German in a
time of peace will be charged under the
Penal Code and punished accordingly.
Had he killed the same man and many,
many more in the Second World War, he
would not only have been hailed as a
national hero but would also have been
awarded a medal for his valor. Sure enough,
it may be argued that in the second
instance, the Englishman is acting in his
country’s interest. But such man-made
standards which are found in every
country, can offer no reliable guide to some
universal principles of morality.A. Sila (Buddhist Morality)Buddhist morality is not the invention of human
minds. Neither is it based on tribal ethics which
are gradually being replaced by humanistic
codes. It is based on the universal law of cause
and effect. An action is 'good' or 'bad' according
to the manner it affects oneself and others.
All other criteria are misleading. An action
which causes physical or mental pain to
another being cannot be interpreted as a good
one, even if it is to one's benefit.Lay Buddhist morality as embodied in the Five
Precepts may be considered at two levels.
Firstly, it enables men to live together in
civilized communities with mutual trust and
respect. Secondly, it is the starting point for the
spiritual journey towards Liberation. It was the
second aspect that the Buddha emphasized.Since speech and bodily actions originate in the
mind, it is intention or cetana which has to be
examined. In Buddhism, a person's first duty is
to cleanse himself of the mental defilements of
greed, hatred and delusion (Lobha, Dosa, and
Moha). And this is not done out of fear or desire
to please some divine beings. The uprooting of
these mental defilements, the source of all anti-
social acts, will bring great benefits to others in
the society as well as to oneself.2