The Five Precepts .

The Five Precepts .

Five Precepts:

1. We vow for the rest of our lives not to commit a killing. That means we shall not practice killing by ourselves, not to order others to kill, not to be happy seeing, knowing a killing. We vow to protect the lives of human as well as animals.

2. We vow for the rest of our lives not to commit a stealing nor a robbery. That means we shall not take away properties of others by stealing or by force. We vow to protect the property of others as much as ours.

3. We vow for the rest of our lives not to commit an adultery. That means we shall not have any extra marital affair with others who are not our wife or husband. We vow to practice the marital loyalty.

4. We vow for the rest of our lives not to tell a lie. That means we shall not commit a cheating, saying cruel and slandering words to others. We practice the truth and loving words.

5. We vow for the rest of our lives not to drink alcohol nor to use narcotics. These substances will hinder our mindfulness, may cause sickness to our body or make unpredictable mistakes to others.

Why should one keep the Five Precepts?

In order to: 

Do no evil, yet. 

Reverently practice good deeds. 

Do not kill; do not steal; do not commit sexual misconduct; do not engage in false speech; do not take intoxicants. If you observe the Five precepts, you do not do these five kinds of evil deeds and you instead practice good acts. 

"Why should one refrain from killing? It is because all living beings have a life; they love their life and do not wish to die. Even one of the smallest creatures, the mosquito, when it approaches to bite you, will fly away if you make the slightest motion. Why does it fly away? Because it fears death. It figures that if it drinks your blood you will take its life. From this you can see that all living beings love life and do not wish to die. Especially people. Everyone wants to live and no one wants to die. Although people sometimes commit suicide, ordinarily people do not seek death. Suicide is a special exception to the principle. That is why we should nurture compassionate thought. Since we wish to live, we should not kill any other living beings. That explains the precept against killing. 

"Stealing. If you don't steal, no one will steal from you. Many of you have heard this verse I wrote: 

If in this life you don't cage birds, 

in future lives you will not sit in jail. 

If in this life you do not fish, 

in future lives you will not beg for food. 

If in this life you do not kill, 

in future lives you'll suffer no disasters. 

If in this life you do not steal, 

in future lives you won't be robbed. 

If in this life you commit no sexual misconduct, 

in future lives you will not be divorced. 

If in this life you do not lie, 

in future lives you will not be deceived. 

If in this life you do not take intoxicants,

in future lives you will not go insane . . . END=NAM MO SAKYAMUNI BUDDHA.( 3 TIMES ).WORLD VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST ORDER=VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUN=GOLDEN LOTUS MONASTERY=AUSTRALIA,SYDNEY.22/10/2013.THICH CHAN TANH.THE MIND OF ENLIGHTMENT.