Putting the Five Precepts into Practice

The Five Precepts are the basic guide to Buddhist ethics. Unlike comparable lists, like the Ten Commandments, the Five Precepts aren’t a list that once broken may never be repaired. Buddhist thought on these issues are along the lines that these ideas are generally good, but empathetic compassion is at the core of these ideas - if following one of the Five Precepts would break that, then compassion in the face of minimising or eliminating suffering comes first. That being said, there are very few examples of where this list will steer your wrong - not bad for a 2500-year-old teaching from someone who thought to articulate them while sitting under a fig tree!

The Five Precepts (via Master Yin-Shun) are:

1. "Do not kill." (Unintentional killing is considered less offensive)
2. "Do not steal." (Including misappropriating someone's property)
3. "Do not engage in improper sexual conduct." (such as sexual contact not sanctioned by secular laws as well as gaining the enthusiastic consent of participants)
4. "Do not make false statements." (Also includes pretending to know something one doesn't)
5. "Do not drink alcohol." (In my view this also extends to all forms of mental intoxicants, or from the pali: things “that causes heedlessness”)

[NB. Sections of the above list are based on the variable sources from wikipedia]

To train yourself to follow the precepts there are some standard methods.

Such as:

• Follow the precepts
• Don’t encourage others to break the precepts
• Encourage others to uphold the precepts
• Share the fruits of your life from upholding the precepts and you may encourage more to uphold the precepts.

Or in a slightly different form:

• Do it!
• Don’t encourage others not to do it.
• Encourage others to do it.
• Display how awesome one can be while doing it, they may do it too.

[The above was was aided by thoughts shaped by Shia Labeouf]

There are probably more, but that is a fairly solid list to work from for the moment

So…

To follow the first precept don’t kill.

Don’t encourage others to kill on your behalf. (There is usually a discussion about pescatarian, vegetarian and vegan lifestyles at this point - but I will save that for another time.)

Encourage others to not kill.

Another version is to encourage others to live a full life, to enjoy it and to display that enjoyment around others so they are more aware of the joys of life and become grateful for them.

To follow the second precept don’t steal.

Don’t encourage others to steal on your behalf.

Encourage others to not steal.

Another idea is to encourage others to give themselves, their time and their resources generously.

(Some versions of this precept are translated as: don’t “take what is not given” and that can lead to a discussion about taking offence where there is none intended, or weird places when you think of picking up litter that left by others.)

To follow the third precept don’t engage in sexual misconduct or sexual harassment.

(This also raises questions about what is “sexual misconduct” - for example, for a monastic it is usually any sexual activity, however for a lay person what does it mean? I think a safe way of navigating through these emotionally charged issues that many are not comfortable discussing at length would be: play it safe with the ideas of thoughtful, ethical informed consent of all people present and possible people it could affect. In issues as complicated as this, I can almost appreciate the celibate path the Buddha himself walked!)

Don’t encourage others to partake in sexual misconduct or sexual harassment for your benefit.

Encourage others to not increase another’s overall suffering (Warning! It can get complex here as some physical things may encourage a pleasant mental state or vice versa.)

Encourage others to interact in a conscious, respectful and informed manner at all times.

To follow the fourth precept don’t lie.

Don’t encourage others to lie on your behalf.

Encourage others to not lie.

Again, another idea is to encourage others to speak the empowering and helpful truth. Display how the truth can be a powerful force in one’s life and can be used to quickly remove the shadows of doubt and confusion.

(Some versions of this precept involve terms like “unskillful”, ”unuseful” or “unnecessary” speech to include things such as angered speech, slander, gossip and idle chit-chat depending on the personal, retreatant or monastic context.)

To follow the fifth precept don’t partake in things that cause heedlessness.

Don’t encourage others to interact with foods, drinks, drugs, people, actions, situations or even emotional or mental states that cloud the mind.

Encourage others to cast aside these things.

Another form is to encourage display to others how mental intoxicants don’t need to be present in life to enjoy it. That thoughtfulness instead of mindlessness can gulf any gap that is percieved due to a lack of drugs, alcohol, ideas or people that cloud the mind - even strong emotions that make you react in the moment and ignore what it really happening.

Writing this helped me understand how to take something like the Five Precepts and turn them into things I can do in my everyday life - I hope it helps you too.