the five precepts
DESCRIPTION
The Five Precepts slideshow that the Ven. Dr. Giac Hanh presented to the Chanh Hoa Buddhist Youth's Dhamma Class at the Compassion Meditation Center on February 12, 2012.TRANSCRIPT
The Five Precepts
Instructor:
Ven. Dr. Giác Hạnh
GĐPT Chánh Hòa
Sunday, February 12, 2012
• Namo tassa bhagavato arahato
sammā sabuddhasssa
• Veneration to the Exalted One, the
One worthy of special veneration,
and the perfectly self-enlightened
One
• Nam Mô Bổn Sư Thích Ca Mâu Ni
Phật
The Five Precepts
• I. Pāṅātipātā veramaṅī sikkhapadaṁ samādiyāmi.
• (I abstain from killing any living beings.)
• II. Adinnādānā veramaṅī sikkhapadaṁ samādiyāmi.
• (I abstain from taking what is not given.)
• III. Kāmesu micchācārā veramaṅī sikkhapadaṁ
samādiyāmi.
• (I abstain from sexual misconduct.)
• IV. Musāvādā veramaṅī sikkhapadaṁ samādiyāmi.
• (I abstain from saying what is not true.)
• V. Surā-meraya-majja-pamādaṭṭhānā veramaṅī
sikkhapadaṁ samādiyāmi.
• (I abstain from taking in drinks and drugs that are
intoxicating and cause forgetfulness.)
I. Story Illustrating the Consequences of Killing Sentient Beings
• Once upon a time a housewife went to the market to buy meat in order to feast a special guest. As she could not get meat from any place, she killed a little sheep which was bred in her house. The guest and her husband were very satisfied with the meat. But when she died she was cast into hell where she had to suffer for a long time. After that she was born as an animal as many times as the number of hair on the little sheep she had killed. In every animal life she was killed being cut at the throat as she had killed the little sheep.
I. Story Illustrating the Consequences of Killing Sentient Beings
I. The consequences of
Killing Sentient Beings
• Whoever kills any living being will be reborn in one of the
four lower abodes. Even when he is freed from there and is
again reborn as a man, he will encounter following evil
consequences:
• Having physical deformities and disfiguments (tật xấu xígớm guốc của cơ thể)
• Being ugly
• Being pale and feeble
• Being dull and inactive
• Being easily frightened
I. The consequences of
Killing Sentient Beings(cont‟d)
• Being easily frightened when confronted with danger,
• Being killed by other or facing death in young,
• Suffering from many diseases,
• Having few friends, and
• Being separated from beloved ones.
• On the other hand the one who abstains from killing sentient
beings(sinh vật hay con người có tri giác) will enjoy the
benefits which are the opposite of the above consequences.
II. Story Illustrating the Consequences of Stealing Other‟s Properties
• Once upon a time, four women in Rājagahaamassed riches through malpractice of shortchanging and adulteration in selling their goods. They died in their prime life and became petas, miserable beings, outside the city. At night they entered the city looking for scattered food remnant or saliva or phlegm spat out by human beings. As they went along one street after another they came to their former houses and saw their husbands enjoying with the new wives. They felt so painful that they cried out, „we have been suffering miserably for having amassed wealth unlawfully while our husbands are enjoying to their heart‟s content with their new wives.”
II. Story Illustrating the Consequences of Stealing Other‟s Properties
II. The consequences of
Stealing
• Stealing includes taking other‟s things without asking for the
permission of the owner, and taking other‟s properties by
force or by cheating or by trick/deception. Whoever commits
stealing will be reborn in one of the four lower abode. Even
when as a man, he will encounter the following
consequences:
• Being poor
• Having to bodily and mental suffering
• Being tortured by hunger and starvation
• Having unfulfilled wishes
II. The consequences of
Stealing(cont‟d)
• Having unstable and easily perishable/decayable fortune,
• Having properties destroyed by the five enemies, namely flood, fire, thieves, bad inheritors and bad rulers.
• On the other hand the one who abstains from stealing will
enjoy the benefits which are the opposite of the above
consequences/aftermath, effect, outcome, result, result,
event, issue, upshot.
III. Story Illustrating the Consequences of Committing Adultery
• Ānanda, the younger brother of Gotama Buddha,
fulfilled the ten perfections for a hundred thousand
worlds. In one of his lives in this world, he became
a rich goldsmith‟s son. In this life he associated
with bad companions and committed adultery
several times.
• When he died he was cast into Roruva Hell where
he was tortured for many years. After that he was
born as a monkey who had its genital bitten off as
soon as it was born. After that life, he was born as
a goat and then as a calf which were castrated
when grew up.
III. Story Illustrating the Consequences of Committing Adultery
• In the next existence he regained the
human life but was born as a sexual
pervert. After that he attained celestial
existences as female deities for five lives
with the support of wholesome kamma, but
he did not attain malehood because of the
unwholesome kamma of committing
adultery. Then he was born as Princess
Rucā in the human realm. Only after that,
he regained manhood.
III. Story Illustrating the Consequences of Committing Adultery
III. The consequences of
Sexual Misconduct
• Whoever has sexual relation with any person other than
one‟s spouse is said to have committed sexual misconduct.
That person will be reborn in one of lower abodes when he
dies. Even when as a man, he will encounter following
consequences:
• Being disgusted/revolt by others
• Having many enemies,
• Lacking of wealth and prosperity,
• Being deprived/impoverish of happiness
• Being reborn as a woman,
III. The consequences of
Sexual Misconduct (cont‟d)
• Being reborn as a sexual pervert (người hư hỏng),
• Being reborn in the inferior lineage,
• Encountering disgrace,
• Having physical deformities,
• Being separated from beloved ones,
• Being inflicted (bắt chịu phải mất) with the loss of wealth.
• On the other hand the one who abstains from sexual
misconduct will enjoy the benefits which are the opposite of
the above consequences
IV. Story Illustrating the Consequences of Falsehood
• In the time of Kassapa Buddha, in Kimila, there
lived a male lay-devotee who was a Stream-
winner. He did the meritorious deeds of planting
trees, building bridges and monasteries, etc., with
his five hundred followers who were of the same
view. This group of lay devotees went to the
Buddha‟s monastery frequently to listen to the
Dhamma. Their wives also went to the monastery
occasionally to listen to the Dhamma and to make
offerings.
IV. Story Illustrating the Consequences of Falsehood
• The drunkard who lost the bet informed the leader
of the lay-devotees about the matter. And the
latter asked his wife whether she has committed
adultery. She lied that what he has heard was not
true. As her husband did not believe her, she
pointed to a black dog nearby and whose ears
were cut off and swore: “If I have committed
adultery with another man, may I be eaten by this
black dog in the next life.” Still, her husband did
not believe her and he inquired her companions.
Although her companions knew the truth, they
also swore: “We do not know. If this is not true,
may we become her slaves.”
IV. Story Illustrating the Consequences of Falsehood
• When they died, they all became miserable
beings near the lake Kannamunda in the
Himavanta Forest. Because of their meritorious
deeds in their past lives, they enjoyed the celestial
luxury in a very grand golden mansion in the day
time. But at night the leader of the group, in
accordance with her swearing to her Stream-
winner husband, she was eaten by a black dog.
IV. Story Illustrating the Consequences of Falsehood
• Her five hundred companions also became her
servants as they had sworn in lie in their past
lives. Moreover, although they could enjoy the
luxury of devas they did not get married. They felt
lonely and boring for being apart from men.
• Falsehood is greatest demeritorious deed while
truthfulness is the most beneficial meritorious
deeds.
IV. Story Illustrating the Consequences of Falsehood
IV. The Consequences
of Telling Lies
• Telling what is not true by gesture or words with malicious
intention is committing the action of falsehood. The gravity
of that offence corresponds to the amount of harm done on
others. The liar will have to suffer in the miserable realms
after his death. If he was to be reborn in the human world he
will be afflicted with the following defects (khuyết điểm):
• Poor pronunciation
• Uneven teeth
• Foul breath
• Unhealthy complexion
• Poor eyesight and poor hearing
IV. The Consequences of
Telling Lies (cont‟d)
• Defective appearance
• Lack of influence on others
• Harshness of speech, and
• Restlessness of the mind.
• On the other hand the one who abstains from telling lies will
enjoy the benefits which are the opposite of the above
consequences.
V. Story Illustrating the Consequences of Indulging in Intoxicants
• Once the Boddhisatta was born in a wealthy family possessing eighty crores of silver coins. He performed the meritorious deeds of giving charity and keeping good morality. When he died, he was reborn as Sakka, the king of devas, in Tavatimsa.
V. Story Illustrating the Consequences of Indulging in Intoxicants
• His son squandered the wealth left behind by him
indulging in intoxicants. When the son had used
up the forty crores of silver coins, he dug up the
forty crores buried under ground. He built a liquor
house and led an easy life associating with
drunkards and indulging in intoxicants. When he
was drunk, he let acrobats and dancers entertain
them and presented one thousand silver coins to
each.
• Soon he had spent all the money and was
reduced to a poor beggar. Finally he died
miserably.
V. Story Illustrating the Consequences of Indulging in Intoxicants
V. The Consequences of
Indulging in Intoxicants
• Intoxicants and narcotic drugs such as alcoholic, liquors,
opium, cocaine and heroin are addictive. Consuming any of
these leads to drunkenness, forgetfulness and lack of
common sense. These in turn lead to murder, lying and
adultery, etc. Moreover, the user of intoxicants or narcotic
drugs will enjoy poor health, die young and will be reborn in
woeful abodes. Even when he is free from there and is
again reborn as a human being, he will encounter the
following evil consequences:
• Lack of intelligent
• Being lazy
• Lack of mindfulness
V. The Consequences of
Indulging in Intoxicants (cont‟d)
• Being ungrateful,
• Lack of moral shame and moral dread,
• Insanity, and
• Tendency to commit all evil deeds.
• On the other hand he who abstains from consuming
intoxicants will enjoy the benefits which are the opposite of
the above evil consequences.
Conclusion