Buddhist Ethics

 

Our actions can have either harmful or beneficial consequences for oneself and others. Buddhist ethics is concerned with the principles and practices that help one to act in ways that help rather than harm.

 

The five precepts are the core ethical code of Buddhism, and these are the distillation of its ethical principals. The five precepts are not rules or commandments because they are pointers to the sort of life that enables people to be healthy, happy individuals, 'principles of training'. They are undertaken freely and require intelligence and sensitivity to be put into practice. The Buddhist tradition understands that life is complex and throws up many difficulties, and it does not suggest that there is a single course of action that will be right in all circumstances.

 

Upaya kausala is wisdom that comes from developing pure minds and acting wisely. Buddhists do not use moral words like good/bad, right/wrong because they speak of actions being skilful (kusala) or unskilful (akusala). The step of the Noble Eightfold Path that the Five Precepts correspond to is Right Action.

 

The Five Precepts are as follows:

 

1.  Not killing or causing harm to other living beings. This is the fundamental ethical principal for Buddhism, and all the other precepts are elaborations of this. Many Buddhists are vegetarian for the reason that the precept implies acting non-violently wherever possible. The positive counterpart of this precept is love.

 

2.  Not taking the not-given. An obvious way in which one can harm others is by stealing. One can also take advantage of people, exploit them, or manipulate them - all these can be seen as ways of taking the not given. The positive counterpart of this precept is generosity.

 

3.  Avoiding sexual misconduct. This precept means not causing harm to oneself or others in the area of sexual activity. The positive counterpart of this precept is contentment.

 

4.  Avoiding false speech. The crucial element in our relations with others is speech, and yet language is a slippery medium, and we often deceive ourselves or others without even realizing that this is what we are doing. The positive counterpart of this precept is truthfulness, and is essential in an ethical life. But truthfulness is not enough, and in another list of precepts (the ten precepts or the ten kusala dharmas) no fewer than four speech precepts are mentioned, the others stating that our speech should be kindly, helpful and harmonious.

 

5.  Abstaining from drink and drugs that cloud the mind. The positive counterpart of this precept is mindfulness, or awareness. Mindfulness is a fundamental quality to be developed in the Buddha's path; the taking of intoxicating drink or drugs tends to run directly counter to this.

 

The five precepts are recited every day by many Buddhists around the world, and they try to put them into practice in their lives.