The thief goes in constant fear of discovery.
When he is exposed, he is branded as a thief
and his shame is seen by all. Few people will
trusthim and fewer still will be willing to give
him employment or associate with him.
Do not think that Buddhists are opposed to the
accumulation of wealth. A Buddhist may
acquire wealth honestly to any_ amount, but
he should use it to altruistic ends. As the
Buddhasaid to Anathapindika: "It is not life
and wealth and power that enslave a man, but
the cleaving to them. He who possesses wealth
and uses it rightly will bea blessing unto his
fellow beings."
Third Precept:
Kamesu micchacara veramani sikkhapadam
samadiyami
I take the precept to abstain from sexual
misconduct.The closest approximation to the meaning of
the term 'Kamesu micchacara' is sexual
misconduct or adultery. The offence is that of
taking sexual pleasure from a woman who is
under protection of her parents andguardians
oris the wife of another man.
"Kamesu" also signifies excessive sensual
indulgence of any kind. All sexual desires are
rooted in craving and passionthey are, in fact,
the strongest and most difficult to eradicate.
Sex is one of the fundamental passions,
common to all sentient beings in the human
and animal worlds.
It is not immoral for a married couple to
maintain a healthy sexual relationship between
themselves. There were cases in the Buddha's
time of some people who attained sainthood
while they were still householders. However,
for a person who is steeped in spiritual
purification, sexual passion can impede
progress.
The Buddhist solution to deal with sexual
passion is not suppression of the instinct as
was done in the West one or two generations
ago. The present tendency of being too
engrossed in sex is the consequence and a
reaction of the repressive measures of the
past.
Man can harness the fiercest mountain stream,
but he cannot dam the humblest rivulet
without providing an outlet for its energy. So, it
is with the impersonal, creative force, which is
as natural as water in a riverbed, but as
restless and tremendous as the sea. On the
physical plane we call it sex; on the
emotional plane it functions as artistic
impulse, enthusiasm and emotional power;
while in the realm of the mind it is that
creative urge which is responsible for all
that man has ever achieved. Herein
lies the essence of sublimation.
Choose then the channel through which the
force shall flow.
The Buddhist way of dealing with sexual
craving is by gradual removing its root. One
technique is the attitude towards the opposite
sex. If she is an older woman, regard her as
your mother. If she is honorable regard her as
your elder or younger sister. If she is a child,
treat her reverently and with politeness.There are some techniques of Buddhist
meditation directed specifically towards the
selfrealization of the impurities of the body,
the impermanence of all physical beauty and
the painful nature of passion. These are
scientific processes in accordance with
psychological laws of cleansing the mind by
weakening passionate or sensuous sexual
attraction and, finally, reorientating the mind
against excessive sexual desire, when keeping
it under control becomes effortless. There is no
need for unhealthy repressive measures.6