Download 4. Precepts - Paignton Online

The facts!
• The moral code within Buddhism is the
precepts, of which there are 5 main ones.
• This code helps Buddhists to complete the
Moral steps on the Eightfold path which are
right speech, right action and right livelihood.
The Precepts for all Buddhists
1. I undertake to avoid harming another life – the principle of ahimsa
or non-violence
2. I undertake to avoid taking what is not given
3. I undertake to avoid sexual misconduct
4. I undertake to avoid incorrect speech
5. I undertake to avoid drink and drugs that cloud the mind.
Write these down…
Think about it!
For each of the 5 moral precepts
describe a situation where they would
help guide someone.
E.g. If there was a bee in this classroom
the first moral precept might guide you
to gently let it out of the window
without hurting it.
Number your examples 1-5
Thinking about the 5 moral
precepts what do you think
Buddhists would say about:
•
•
•
•
Eating meat?
Abortion?
Drinking lots of vodka?
Telling someone what the person over
there did today?
• Picking up a £10 note you spot in the
corridor?
1. I undertake to avoid harming another life.
• This precept is against killing or harming living things,
including animals.
• Because of this precept, many Buddhists are vegetarian.
• Are there any jobs a Buddhist might have to avoid
because of this precept?
2. I undertake to avoid taking what is not given
• This precept is against stealing.
• It is also against exploiting people for financial gain, e.g.
some kinds of aggressive advertising and selling.
• It can also mean deliberately wasting the time of another
person, stealing their time and energy.
3. I undertake to avoid sexual misconduct
• This precept is against over-indulgence.
• It refers to sexual misconduct that harms oneself or
others. Some Buddhists undertake to live without sex. For
others there are no strict sexual rules, as long as no-one
is taken advantage of.
• Some Buddhists try to avoid any over-indulgence,
including food and drink.
4. I undertake to avoid incorrect speech.
• A Buddhist should avoid lying, slander, gossip, harsh
speech and idle chatter.
• This involves being honest with other people and with
oneself. Do not ‘put on an act’, but be yourself and share
your thoughts in a straightforward way.
5. I undertake to avoid taking drugs and alcohol
which cloud the mind.
• Although some Buddhists do drink alcohol, they should do
so only in moderation and not allow their minds to
become fogged and cloudy by it.
• Buddhists practise meditation as a way of
keeping their minds clear
and focussed.
The Eightfold Fold Path
• The 5 Precepts Help Buddhists follow the Eightfold path.