- published: 30 Sep 2015
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The Five Precepts (Pali: pañcasīlāni; Sanskrit pañcaśīlāni) constitute the basic code of ethics undertaken by upāsaka and upāsikā ("lay followers") of Buddhism. The precepts in all the traditions are essentially identical and are commitments to abstain from harming living beings, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying and intoxication.
Undertaking the five precepts is part of both lay Buddhist initiation and regular lay Buddhist devotional practices. They are not formulated as imperatives, but as training rules that lay people undertake voluntarily to facilitate practice.
Additionally, in the Theravada schools of Buddhism, the bhikkhuni lineage died out, and women renunciates practicing Theravadin Buddhism have developed unofficial options for their own practice, dedicating their life to religion, vowing celibacy, living an ascetic life and holding eight or ten precepts. They occupy a position somewhere between that of an ordinary lay follower and an ordained monastic and similar to that of the sāmaṇerī. In Thailand, they are called maechi (Thai: แม่ชี, IPA: [mɛ̂ː tɕʰiː]); in Sri Lanka, they are dasa sil mata; the Burmese thilashin are also now found in Nepalese Theravadin Buddhism as well; and in South East England, the Amaravati Buddhist Monastery founded by Ajahn Chah has siladhara.
[English] Buddhist Morality: The Five Precepts - Lecture 1 - Ven. Hong Ci
Five Precepts
The Five Precepts 1 of 2
A brief introduction to the five precepts
Guide to Taking Five Precepts and Three Refuges
'The Five Precepts' (in Buddhism)
ធម៌នមស្សការ និងសមាទាននិច្ចសីល បាលី-ប្រែ, Chanting & Taking five precepts, Pali-Khmer
The Five Precepts of Buddhism
The Three Refuges and Five Precepts - song version
របៀបសមាទាននិច្ចសីល បាលី-ប្រែ, Guide to taking five precepts (Pali-Khmer)