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The 5 precepts

The most important thing

The most important thing is not to be rich, famous, not even to be healthy. The most important thing is to practice being noble. That means doing your best to have virtuous conducts. The more honest, respectful and caring you will be, the better you will be protected from all kinds of problems and the better you will feel.

The five precepts are the minimum we should try to apply. It is the most important thing with unselfishness and attention, because we can get the biggests benefits if we avoid words and acts which cause suffering and if we are only cared by helping and giving relief. Moreover it is easy; it is only a good practice to make. This is an explanation of the five precepts:

1. Do not kill

1st precept

The first precept is to not kill . It is very negative to kill someone, even a person who does harm because if we kill him (or her) it is a human being that will be killed not his (her) actions. You even have to stay clear from killing animals because these are beings which suffer when they are injured. If you do respect animals, even the small insects sometimes they feel it and are nice to you.

When you hurt someone a person or an animal it is just like hurting yourself because all our deeds redound to us sooner or later. Sometimes you feel guilty and it can be terribly painful and sometimes for long, even if it appears later. When you help people wha get problems (even if you don't know them), you feel happy, you are well-liked and respected. If you do things you would not like to be done to you, it is the opposite, you will do debts which will cause you unpleasantness.

2. Do not steal

2nd precept

The second precept is to not steal. A french proverb says: "ill-gotten gains never prosper". That means you will never profit by things got unfairly. As any damaging act that jinxs. That one which says "He that will steal a pin, will steal a pound" is also true ; it's in the details that you can see if you are really honest or not. It is very important to practice not to take something that is not offered, even a candy.

There is no useful reason to be dishonest. If you are honest and those who surround you are not, you will provide inspiration and not the other way. Dishonesty is like a disease which spoils other people's life. Better cured people caring for sick persons than sick persons infecting cured people.

3. Do not indulge a sexual misconduct

(It is not possible to show a picture to illustrate clearly this precept)

The third precept is to not indulge a sexual misconduct. That means if you have a "boyfriend" (girlfriend) you will have to be faithful to him (her) and have no one else. It is very unsound to live a cheating life. It compel you to lie all the time. This can bring about hugely sorrow. Moral hurting is much more aching than physical pain.

As in honesty, virtue in love is something very important. If you really want to know true love with a boy (girl), or at least if you only want people to love you sincerely you have to never play with other people feelings.

4. Do not lie

4th precept

The fourth precept is not to tell lies. If there are so much problems at this time it is greatly due to lie. This precept seems to be childishly simple but it is also the easier to break. Though there are only profits observing it.

If you lie, even just a little bit, nobody can trust you, those who love fairness and wisdom will stay clear from you and you will easily be disposed to meet people who are use to do bad things. On the contrary, if you practice being always sincere refraining from telling lies you have a lot to win : you will have more friends, people will pay attention to you, will entrust you interesting things, you will be merrily helped etc.

5. Do not drink alcohol

5th precept

The fifth precept is to not use up alcohol or more widely eveything intoxicant. For instance, you can take medecines, but only to cure a medical problem otherwise it is dangerous. As well as destructing health, alcohol or an other drug (any) can compel you to commit evil deeds and being unaware of it, some of these can be irreparable.

What is more important than having a clear mind and a healthy body ? Even cigarettes are a poison you should avoid because it only brings disadvantadges including for the people around.

About the 5 precepts

There are people who make great celebrations and beautiful presents in the temples with a lot of devotion but they do not respect the five precepts. All their deeds are not worth it! It is juts like a race car: if the engine is used up, rusted, badly blended, deprived of some parts or without petrol, no matter what you do with a beautiful body, with a beautiful painting, it's a waste of time because the car will not be able to cruise properly.

Respecting the five precepts is really the main thing whatever you do in your life because they are the wisdom foundation. Virtue is a fundamental part to understand realness in depth.

Texts, graphics and pictures: Monk Dhamma Sāmi • Thank you to Alexis K., Lena K. and Malicia L.
Translation: Kadda R. • Uploading of this page: 08.03.2007
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