Copyright of BMSMThe three factors of the Noble Eightfold Path
are involved in training on morality are:
RightSpeech Right Action Right LivelihoodJust as a tower can only be erected on a solid
foundation, allefforts towards higherspiritual
achievement must begin with Sila (morality)
which enables the mind to be calm and easily
focused. Without virtue, mental culture
(Samadhi) and wisdom (Panna) are not
attainable.
- The Five Precepts (Panca Sila)
The precepts serve two purposes: they are the
barrier to evil mental impulses anddeeds,and
they prevent a person from generating bad
Kamma. They are the basic rules of mentaland
spiritual hygiene, the antidote against the
poison of evildeeds.
Like flies swarming around a jar of honey are
trapped and drowned in honey, men who
disregard morality and areallured by evil
anddesire for sense gratification are trapped
and drowned in suffering. Observance of
precepts insures a person against the risk of
being reborn into states of suffering and woe.
First Precept:
Panatipata veramani sikkhapadam
samadiyami
I undertake the training rule to abstain from
killing living beings.
This precept is to control anger and to develop
loving-kindness such that a person regards and
respects the lives of other beings as his own.
This precept seems to receive many questions
and objections inthat it cannot be followedin
its entirety. The objection is based on a
misunderstanding of the nature and purpose of
the precept.
This precept is not a commandment which
forbids aperson from killing at allcosts. It is
only a vow aperson makes voluntarily based
on the advice of the Buddha that torestrain
fromkilling will generate good results. The
The observance of this precept also helps
him to cultivate within his heart a
genuine compassion for all forms of life.A person who has property and worldly
interests to guard, and who owes a duty to
society and its laws may not always find it
possible to observe the First Precept. He is in
that position because his desire for possession
and family ties had placed him in it.He has to make his choice in the face of the
moral dilemma that confronts him. Should he
eat meat or go on a vegetarian diet? Should he
use pesticides to kill rats and insects? Should
he join the army? If he is wise, he adopts the
course of action to minimize as far as possible
the need to perform unwholesome actions. He
can do this by leading a right livelihood so as to
be able to lead a pure and blameless life. If
this is not sufficient because he aims at the
highest moral perfection, he may renounce all
worldly responsibilities and be ordained into
the Sangha. There he is free to pursue the
highest good, unfettered by the demands of
mundane life.Second Precepts:
Adinnadana veramani sikkhapadam
samadiyami
I take the training rule to abstain from
taking things not given.This precept is aimed at controlling desire for
material possessions and cultivating
generosity. There are many ways of
committing theft besides plain stealing and
robbery. The man who builds his fortune in
business by dishonest deals, creating artificial
shortages, exploiting his employees' or
ruthlessly driving his competitors out of
business is a thief, and is no different from the
petty pickpocket. People who accept bribes
and trade on their influence instead of
discharging their duties justly violate the moral
law of being guilty of taking that which is not
theirs by right.4