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Which of the 5 Buddhist precepts do you usually break?
footiam
Veteran
Have you perhaps taken an insect's life, take things not given, give in to uncalled for sex, lie and drink the devil's drink?
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I can feel a greater purity in my meditation and peace of mind since I have purified my ethical behaviour so I think that part of the teaching is true in my experience.
lots of sex and alcohol! but i never took vow or precepts so
but it is possible for an ordinary person (putthajana) to drink and have sex
I for one - and I know, for a fact, many on this forum - suffer from Wrongspeechey-itis.
And when one person suffers - everybody suffers.
I am trying to reduce my meat intake as well.
The author knows why.
Cut it out, and grow up.
the other aspects of right speech, such as pleasant, cordial, beneficial, timely, etc, do not fall under the five precepts
but for those who wish to undertake higher training, the precept of no sexual behaviour whatsoever comes under the eight & ten precepts and under the monks 227 precepts
see this link about eight & ten precepts: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Precepts
not masturbating is often a suitable condition for developing deep meditation & deep freedom
i think people should masturbate and have sex more. i feel most people repress their sexuality and thus cause a lot more problems.
it's okay to feel pleasure and have sex and masturbate. these are all healthy and great things.
@tyloson: if it feels good, do it. When in doubt, don't.
Intention is all.
There is nothing deploring, condemning or criticising such activities for laypeople.
where as the Eightfold Path includes the four kinds of right speech
kind regards
And I think any form of speech which baits, provokes, antagonises, insults and sows discord - is 'False'.
but the eightfold path is for practitioners interested in Nibbana
where as the five precepts are just rules for layfollowers & society
The Eightfold path was The primary Teaching of the Buddha.
The 5 precepts have been adopted and generally taken to be practical for lay-followers and society - but intrinsically, they were originally laid down for monastics - ie, followers of the Buddha, and those seeking Awakening.
So I think they meld. And I think many would agree, notwithstanding the splitting of hairs.
there are no hairs to split
the five precepts in an independent teaching of the Buddha, distinct from the 8FP
it is not really accurate to say the Buddha had a "primary" teaching
sure, his unique & special teaching was certainly the 4NTs/8FP but he did not teach this to all people
to laypeople, he generally taught only the five precepts, generosity, rebirth, worshipping the Buddha, Dhamma & Sangha, etc
the Buddha certainly taught the five precents (below) and it was not a later adaptation
if fact, the five precepts could possibly be a pre-Buddha teaching
regards
DD
OK.... :rolleyes:
2. I used to be something of a klepto, but haven't stolen anything for a long time.
3. Happily married. Sex is healthy.
4. I work in advertising, but believe it or not false speech is very rare.
5. (Very) occasional drink.
I'm no angel that's for sure. Who is?
Buddha definitely helps
Peace
I just stole the whole Tiger Army Discography off a torrent
I rubbed one out this morning thinking of this chick I used to work with
i can't really think of anything I've lied about right now.
Last weekend I downed a whole bottle of dry wine and three beers and was hung over for most of the following day.
On the plus side, I've been drinking alcohol less frequently, and I never drink til belligerent. Also, I've found less of a need to be stealing music when there are so many cheap streaming options available out there nowadays (spotify, last.fm, pandora, grooveshark, etc.).
Federica, you said, "Keep to topic and answer the questions." Okay, the question asked about the 5 Precepts. And, based on that, my answer for myself would be that I can't remember the last time I broke any of the 5 Precepts...certainly months, and then it would have been a "white lie".
However, Federica, like you, I look at it in terms of "right speech" as compared to "false speech". In fact, I was talking with a Christian friend the other day and explaining how Buddhism asks us to be accountable for more than "you shall not lie". And under that definition, that is the Precept I break most often.
The problem I have with the 8 Precepts is that I don't believe in all of them:
6. I undertake to abstain from eating at the wrong time (the right time is after sunrise, before noon). I have yet to see why this has any significance.
I undertake to abstain from singing, dancing, playing music, attending entertainment performances, wearing perfume, and using cosmetics and garlands (decorative accessories). I think this is foolish.
I undertake to abstain from luxurious places for sitting or sleeping, and overindulging in sleep. I think this is foolish and ill defined.
To each his own, of course.
Simplicity is the whole of the Dhamma.
I don't steal anymore, though I used to be addicted to shoplifting as a kid.
I don't cheat on my girlfriend, but ocassionally masterbate (I'm working on cutting it out entirely, it's hard being bi-sexual and in a committed relationship without some "self-love")
I haven't had a drink since our anniversary 6 months ago and havent smoked weed in 8.
I have secrets I'm not comfortable discussing with anybody which occassionally put me in a position to lie. I feel like since I've put certain things behind me that it's not a serious infraction. It's definitely a source of suffering.
Simplicity is the whole of the Dhamma. Therefore, the Dhamma points toward this simplicity/itself. The eight precepts are part of the Dhamma. They point toward simplicity. Did I make a logical fallacy in there? I'm quite confused now.
Distraction, attachment, apathy, and complacency... when you turn away from these, you turn toward simplicity, right?
Does that mean that the whole of the Dhamma is more than simplicity then?
This applies socially for mundane life. Or if you believe rebirth, the minimum for keeping the human form.
Buddhists all likes to talk about how they are tolerant and compassionate, well, the 5 precepts is where it's put into practice.
When you refrain from killing, your tolerant and compassionate to others
When you refrain from lying, you do not create gossip and mistrust around you.
When you refrain from stealing, you respect the property of others
when you refrain from sexual misconduct, you respect other's feeling and body
When you refrain from intoxication, you prevent yourself from doing harm to others by doing the wrong thing or saying the wrong thing under influence.
Since breaking the precepts mostly comes from the lack of restraint when we want to satisfy our own greed for something. It's a very good basic practice.
The hinderance to keeping the 5 precepts are:
* Purposely looking lightly over it because you have contempt for rules and whats to to cover up your mistakes infront of other practitioners.
* Getting over upset and guilty over breaking precepts and think it's the end of the world. Simply notice you have broken the precepts and work to refrain from breaking them again.
"the difference between a poison and a medicine is its dosage"
It can be hard though. I have been drink-free for about 6 months. I can't believe how big an Arse I had been in the past while drinking. Sooooo embarrassing.