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Pancha Sila: Five Precepts of Buddhist Morality

by Dr. Ari Ubeysekara

Introduction

Lord Gautama Buddha, who lived in India during the sixth and fifth century BC, gained enlightenement as a Samma Sambuddha having realized the four Noble Truths by His own efforts.

The four Noble Truths

1. Suffering or unsatisfactoriness (dukkha sacca)
2. Arising of suffering (samudaya sacca)
3. Cessation of suffering (nirodha sacca)
4. The path leading to the cessation of suffering (magga sacca)

The path leading to the cessation of suffering as discovered by Gautama Buddha is known as the Middle Path or the Noble Eight-fold Path.

The Noble Eight-fold Path

1. Right view (samma- ditthi)
2. Right thought (samma –sankappa)
3. Right speech (samma- vaca)
4. Right action (samma- kammantha)
5. Right livelihood (samma- ajiva)
6. Right effort (samma- vayama)
7. Right mindfulness (samma –sati)
8. Right concentration (samma- samadhi)

From the standpoint of practical training, there is a threefold division contained within the Noble Eight-fold Path, namely,

1. Training in moral discipline (sila), consisting of right speech, right action and right livelihood
2. Training in concentration (Samadhi), consisting of right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration
3. Training in wisdom (panna), consisting of right view and right thought

The Buddhist moral discipline (sila)

In the Buddhist spiritual path of liberation towards Nibbana, the state of complete freedom from all suffering, moral discipline (sila), is considered to be the basic foundation upon which the other two aspects of concentration and wisdom can be developed. Without proper morality, right concentration cannot be developed and without right concentration, wisdom cannot be developed. Moral discipline can be described as the avoidance of unskillful or unwholesome actions and engagement in skillful or wholesome actions. In Buddhist teachings, unwholesome actions are physical, verbal and mental actions in which the intention behind a particular action is based upon negative qualities of greed (lobha), hatred (dosa) and delusion (moha) resulting in negative or harmful consequences to oneself, to others or to both. Wholesome actions are those in which the intention is based on positive qualities of generosity (alobha), loving kindness (adosa) and wisdom (amoha) with positive or beneficial consequences to oneself, to others or to both.

In Buddhist teachings, there are different codes of moral discipline for the lay community and for the monastic community of Buddhist monks and nuns. For the lay community, the minimum code of morality expected of them is what is known as Pancha-sila, or five precepts, which they are expected to practise on a regular basis. The five precepts are the basic code of moral discipline in both of the two major traditions of Buddhism known as the Theravada and Mahayana traditions. There is also a higher code consisting of eight precepts which lay Buddhists may practise on special religious days such as the full moon day or the new moon day of the month and also during some meditation retreats. Those who enter the Buddhist monastic life are expected to observe ten precepts with 227 additional rules of discipline for Buddhist monks and 311 additional rules of discipline for Buddhist nuns. In the Theravada tradition of Buddhism practised mainly in Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos, the Buddhist teachings are preserved in the original language of Pali which is believed to have been the language spoken in those parts of India where Gautama Buddha lived and preached, and hence the different codes of morality are also preserved and recited in the Pali language.

The Five Precepts

1. Panatipata veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami
   I undertake the training rule of abstaining from killing any living beings

2. Adinnadana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami
   I undertake the training rule of abstaining from taking that which is not given

3. Kamesu micchacara veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami
   I undertake the training rule of abstaining from sexual misconduct

4. Musavada veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami
   I undertake the training rule of abstaining from telling lies

5. Surameraya- majjapama-datthana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami
   I undertake the training rule of abstaining from alcohol and intoxicants which lead to delay and carelessness

Refuge in the Triple Gem of Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha

Before taking the above five precepts, most practising Buddhists will take refuge in the Triple Gem, namely the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha, again in the Pali language. Within this context, Buddha means the “Awakened One” or “Enlightened One,” the Dhamma refers to Buddha’s teachings and the Sangha represents the monastic community of monks and nuns who have either attained the full liberation or are aspirants of the higher spiritual path. Refuge in the Triple Gem is taken by reciting the following formula:

Buddham saranam gachchami
I go for refuge in the Buddha

Dhammam saranam gachchami
I go for refuge in the Dhamma

Sangham saranam gachchami
I go for refuge in the Sangha

The five precepts, which refer to four bodily actions and one verbal action, are the minimum ethical code for lay Buddhists to develop the skillful virtues of bodily and verbal actions which they should ideally observe throughout their lives. They are not rigid and inflexible rules or commandments from God or any other higher divine authority with due punishments if not strictly adhered to or rewards for observing them correctly. They are guidelines or training rules that lay Buddhists adopt voluntarily and on their own initiative with an understanding of the benefits to both themselves and others. In Buddhism, each individual is responsible for his or her own happiness and suffering resulting from their actions based on the universal law of cause and effect. Those who observe the five precepts regularly and sincerely will be able to maintain their morality and develop their spiritual practice towards attaining ultimate liberation from human suffering.

When one becomes a Buddhist for the first time, in addition to going for refuge in Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha, one will also recite and undertake to observe the five precepts. The five Buddhist precepts are usually taken by practising Buddhists either by repeating them following recitation by a member of the Buddhist clergy or by reciting them in front of an image or a statue of the Buddha. They are expected to renew these precepts whenever they can and some do renew them regularly through their daily recitations. The purpose of the renewal is to remind oneself of the significance of observing them for their own good in both this life and in future lives, for the good of others as well as to facilitate their spiritual journey with a purified mind.

Observation of the five precepts merely in order to avoid social disrespect or for fear of punishment for breaking the existing laws of the land or of God or other higher divine authorities will not bring any moral or spiritual benefits to the practitioner. Some Buddhists do recite the five precepts on special occasions or even on a regular basis with little intention of observing them, but this will not bring any benefit whatsoever to either themselves or to others. The precepts by themselves possess no magical powers to confer any benefit upon those who recite them but do not observe them properly. In most Buddhist countries, it is customary to recite the three refuges and the five precepts prior to the commencement of any religious event. The presence or absence of the intention in carrying out a physical or verbal action included in the five precepts is the deciding factor in determining whether a particular precept is violated or not rather than the action itself.

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