Core Beliefs

The Precepts

The Precepts are accepted in all Buddhist Traditions. I've listed them in their simplest form. However, often teachers elaborate on them.

Killing is sometimes expanded to include all forms of violence.

Stealing is expanded to include all forms of exploitation and possession of things not rightfully belonging to the owner.

The precept against irresponsible sex can include more explanation depending on the personal views of the teacher. The important thing is that it can be a very strong form of attachment and addiction. It can cause suffering for families and friends and there is the ethical aspect of possibly spreading disease or causing unwanted pregnancy. As with all behavior the practitioner is encouraged to look mindfully and sincerely at his/her actions and act out of genuine love and compassion.

The precept asking that we abstain from lying is sometimes expanded to include gossip and all forms of speech that can cause division, conflict, and suffering.

The precept regarding alcohol is sometimes expanded to including using drugs, consuming harmful food and beverage, and taking in harmful images, ideas, and sounds from movies, TV, books, music, etc.

While these precepts are presented here as negative statements that is not in line with the path. These precepts should be viewed as helpful friends. We should contemplate them and learn that they are friends to help us out of the life of suffering. If we look carefully at our lives in the light of these precepts we can understand that the better we do at following them the less we suffer. We should not turn that upside down and feel guilty for every failure or use them to judge another on the path.