Meditation resources

The five training precepts

by Tarchin Hearn. This discussion taken from Tarchin's book Daily puja: contemplations to orient the mind towards awakening. Published by Wangapeka Books.

The precepts in traditional expression

1. I undertake to train myself to abstain from taking the life of any living being.

2. I undertake to train myself to abstain from taking that which is not given.

3. I undertake to train myself to abstain from sensual misconduct.

4. I undertake to train myself to abstain from unskilful speech.

5. I undertake to train myself to abstain from taking substances that cause intoxication to the point of heedlessness.

Precepts in positive expression

1. I will train myself to support and appreciate the life of all living beings. I will live with a sensitive and responsible awareness for the whole ecology of life.

2. I will train myself to dwell more and more in the mind of spontaneous generosity. Daily I will give material support, emotional support, and an example to others of awakening in action.

3. I will train myself to use the senses to further awakening, explore Dharma, and to come to know the world more profoundly and more compassionately.

4. I will train myself to communicate in a skilful and compassionate manner.

5. I will train myself to be ever more directly aware of how nutriment affects the mind and body. I will eat and drink and nurture myself and others, in a way that supports awakening.

Commentary

These five precepts are respected and upheld by all the schools of Buddhism. Notice they are called 'training' precepts. These are not commandments but challenges to live with awareness. They touch on all the facets of our daily life and both provoke and deserve a tremendous amount of contemplation.

Consider the first precept. Taken as the commandment, "Thou shalt not kill", it is impossible to keep. Every time we breathe we inhale microorganisms. We have to eat. In attempting to train ourselves in this precept we are inevitably forced to question, what is a living being? What is life? What is of value? And, is there a scale of values?

With each of these precepts we are compelled to look at some of the great conundrums of existence and to discover our own ways of coming to terms with these difficult questions. They challenge us to enlarge our perception and appreciation of the world. The second precept involves not harming others by taking from them what they are not voluntarily giving. This goes far beyond personal theft. It also includes multinational corporate exploitation of the Third World and of nature itself.

The third precept deals with sensual misconduct. It involves training ourselves to avoid using sensuality in a way that is unhealthy for ourselves or others. This includes using the senses
to anaesthetize our awareness, in order to avoid what we feel are painful or unpleasant aspects of life. This third precept is most often translated as abstaining from sexual misconduct. In other words, any sexual activity that abuses or exploits either of the beings involved. The actual translation of K›me however, is sensual not sexual. Obviously sex is a sensual activity so sensual misconduct includes sexual misconduct.

The fourth precept to do with speech involves things like lying, slander and gossip; any form of speech that causes hurt in others. Ultimately unwholesome speech harms ourselves. The Buddha said "It's not what goes into your mouth that defiles you but what comes out of your mouth." This is possibly the most difficult precept to practise.

The fifth precept directs our awareness to the effect of food, drink and drugs on our behaviour and quality of mind. In general the purpose of living by these precepts is twofold; to create a life that is peaceful and healthy, and to support wholesome growth and discovery both in ourselves and others. Although it is suggested they are to provoke question, it is also skilful to try to live by them! In other words when in doubt as to what to do, follow the precepts.

Precepts in positive expression

To live well it is not enough to spend one's time avoiding negative patterns. We also need to be actively engaged in bringing positive states and qualities into being. Over the years, I have had many dialogues with people about a positive expression of the precepts. These five are the fruition of those
dialogues and much contemplation. The process is not complete. Perhaps it can never be complete. Even so, many are finding these five to be a useful guideline.

Tarchin Hearn