The Bhikkhus Rules
A Guide for Laypeople
by Bhikkhu Ariyesako | 1998 | 50,970 words
The Theravadin Buddhist Monk's Rules compiled and explained by: Bhikkhu Ariyesako Discipline is for the sake of restraint, restraint for the sake of freedom from remorse, freedom from remorse for the sake of joy, joy for the sake of rapture, rapture for the sake of tranquillity, tranquillity for the sake of pleasure, pleasure for the sake of conce...
The Five Precepts
The Five Precepts form one of the essential elements of following the Lord Buddhas Way. Undertaking these Precepts (and Going for Refuge) are often the first formal affirmation of a new Buddhist. This is normally done by repeating after a monk these phrases (in Paali):
"I undertake the training precept:
- to abstain from taking life.
- to abstain from taking what is not given.
- to abstain from sexual misconduct.
- to abstain from false speech.
- to abstain from intoxicants causing heedlessness."