Back to Basics!
samahita
Veteran
Friends:
How to protect all Beings best? The 5 Golden Rules:
Rule 1:
Do neither Kill nor praise Killing. Rather avoid taking any kind of Life.
Also make others stop killing too, by praising holy harmlessness and non- cruelty.
Greatest is this Offer to the world of Beings: The safety from torture and violent murder..
The painful future karmic effect of Killing is short lifetime and brutal non-natural death!
Do neither harm, nor praise any harming, whether instrumental, mental, verbal or physical.
Put down the stick, knife, and all weapons. Indeed end now all violence, brutality & hostility!
Quell all aggression by praising mercy & peace. Greatest is this Offer to the world of Beings:
The safety from injury, wounding and sudden pain. The painful future karmic effects of
harming violence are non-curable disease, disability, and loss of limbs in future rebirths.
Rule 2:
Do neither Steal, nor praise any kind of Stealing. Avoid taking all that is not freely given.
Make others abstain from theft by praising modesty and honesty. Greatest is this relief
to the world of owners: The safety from loss, damage and undue costs to insurances.
The painful future karmic effect of stealing is loss, poverty, need, deficiency, hunger,
and thirst in many future rebirths..
Rule 3:
Do neither abuse sexually, nor praise any abuse. Avoid other’s partners and those engaged or
protected by others. Make all others abstain from any sexual abuse too. Greatest is this offer
to any parent or lover: The safety from deceit, adultery, jealousy and sexual abuse. The painful
future karmic effect of abuse and adultery is future homosexuality, abnormality, and disability.
Rule 4:
Do neither speak false, nor praise any kind of lying. Rather avoid all untruth and falsehood and
induce all others also to speak only truth by praising sincerity. Greatest is this praxis in the world
of listeners: Honesty ensuring the confidence of trust in the society. The painful future karmic
effect of lying is being deceived, disrespected, lowly positioned, or worse in many future rebirths.
Rule 5:
Do neither drink alcohol, nor praise any kind of intoxication that induces neglect, and carelessness.
Rather refrain from liquor & make all others abstain too. This is the optimal social habit of behaviour
in the world of beings ensuring decency, sanity and sound reasoning. The painful future karmic effect
of drinking is stupidity, insanity, madness, forgetfulness, poor memory, and worse in future rebirths.
There are these five great original gifts, genuine, long-standing, traditional, ancient, uncorrupted
from the beginning, that are not open to suspicion, that never will be open to suspicion, and which
never are censured or criticized by any truly wise recluse, monk, or priest...
Details of The Five Buddhist Precepts (pañca-sila):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Five_Basics.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/sangha/Refuges_and_Precepts.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/s_t/sikkhaa_pada.htm
Back to Basics!
How to protect all Beings best? The 5 Golden Rules:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Back_to_Basics.htm
Comments
What about when one kills to put an animal or person out of their misery?
I have a good friend who is a vet and I don't like the idea of him having an unfortunate re-birth based on having to humanely put down an animal.
Perhaps it's all in the intention? Like when I lie to my daughter to make the game we are playing more fun (she likes to tell me how certain things work but first off I have to pretend that I don't know how they work - a tedious game but she likes it).
IMHO, life isn't about just staying alive. It's about the quality of life. If there's nothing but suffering left... what kind of life is that? Not one I'd want to live! I'd call the precepts "rules of thumb", and that's what we generally live by anyway. There are exceptions to rules of thumb, at least unless we've tricked ourselves into thinking in terms of moral absolutism.
There are Buddhists that will tell you that Euthanasia is wrong, and that's a perfectly valid opinion on the matter (but not the only one). But what's your opinion? What do you think, in your own heart of hearts, would be the right thing to do? That's what you'll go with, despite what anyone else thinks.
@Bunks karmic repercussions are from intention.
You step on an ant by mistake. It's not the same as going out to step on the ant.
Vets, Drs , Nurses etc do a great job. They don't intend to kill for the sake of killing. It's all in the intention.
The training rules is basically about overcoming the 3 poisons of greed, hatred and delusion. The idea is to see if an act is freed of the 3 poisons. After all an arahant is one who acts without any greed, hatred and/or delusion.
In a sense, sexual misconduct and intoxication are never skilful under any circumstances.
"Extinction of greed, extinction of hate, extinction of delusion: this is called Nibbāna"
https://sp.yimg.com/ib/th?id=HN.608038584793039852&pid=15.1&P=0
Indeed, @SpinyNorman , the 4 the 8 and the 5; these 17 can be reduced to one:
SIMPLIFY. It is what it is. Be skilful in your Intentions, and deal with it, then let it go.
I'm not digging the "painful future karmic effects" section, OP. Future homosexuality? Please! Makes me remember the bible thumping days of my Baptist youth. Not fondly.
Yes - there are certain things said in the name of Buddhism that make me shake my head in bewilderment at times!
The temptation to edit the post was almost overwhelmingly strong. I agree. Deplorable sentiments, indeed.
I have indulged in plenty of sutra reading, lately, with the five precepts popping up often, and nothing was mentioned about these infamous "karmic consequences."
It's preposterous and far-fetched, especially since none of us can know for sure what the consequences of our actions in a future rebirth will be, provided such rebirth even exists.
I find the paragraph downright disrespectful towards the gay community.
Woah future homosexuality. I didn't even read that part. Tradition is no excuse. People can believe what they want, but perhaps someone needs told that such a thing is unskillful and improper to say in modern times (and plainly wrong). Is that even appropriate here? Might be a gray area for a forum.
I think even the abnormality and disability thing is unskillful. We probably have members with their share of bad luck here, and it's no good making it seem like they deserved it. That's just... I'm flustered now. If you wouldn't say a thing in real-life, don't say it on a forum! And if you would say that in real life, I'd be compelled to correct you and/or show disdain for that view.
yes
start questioning what is the intention
if the owner do not pay does he do the job?
what is the intention of the owner?
just to help the animal, person or want to end your own suffering because you suffer when you see them suffer?
Dear Friends of the Basic,
We can all be mindful that on occasion even those leading a holy existence to the best of their existence, may have basic misconceptions, as do we all.
The three jewels sometimes reflect light because of their flaws not because of their pristine perfection. It is our responsibility even as non uniformed but informed Lay Sangha to provide light and a working bullshit detector.
GIGO is an old computer saying: Garbage In, Garbage Out.
In a similar way, with discernment we can read between the lines, prejudices and flaws to provide a better basic understanding . . . think of it as inner karma . . .
:wave: .
I have sent a PM to the OP requesting he respond to the comments in this thread, and have suggested he needs to substantiate his opinions with references.
I have further advised that we await contribution by Monday 15th. If nothing is forthcoming, I will remove the thread.
* Please would members refrain from further comment until such a time as the OP may return to respond. *
many thanks.