Glenn Wallis

Training Instructions

the Buddhist Precepts

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How can we live deliberately, no longer enslaved by unconscious tendencies? How can we strip away the superfluous, tasting life itself, rather than the counterfeit pleasures that count as joy? What Thoreau refers to as the "Spartan-like" sturdiness points to an important aspect of our own practice; namely the necessity of establishing a degree of stability in our lives.

The traditional Buddhist structure for creating this stability is known as "the five precepts." A meaning of the Latin term præcipere is "prior advice;" so, we can call it "good advice." In the language of the oldest Buddhist literature, the Pali term is sikkhapada, “training instructions." This term can also be translated as “way to discipline.” (Remember the Buddhist saying: first come discipline; then comes freedom?)

You might look at these instructions as a pathway pointing to a way of living that is less destabilizing and destructive than otherwise. Being so, the training instructions offer us a way to protect ourselves from deeply entrenched, perhaps even unconscious, tendencies of thought, speech, and conduct. The training instructions protect us by establishing basic parameters for living which exclude destabilizing and destructive actions. This protection, of course, requires the practitioner to make a firm determination to uphold the training instruction. (It is often helpful, though certainly not necessary, to make this determination publicly, in a formal, ritualized setting. Many meditation groups perform some kind of “taking of the vows” ceremony periodically.) When you are protected in this manner, those with whom you interact — from loved ones, friends, colleagues, and acquaintances, to strangers and even enemies — are protected as well.

The five training instructions are least effective when applied rigidly as rules to be followed, or as moral precepts leading to purity or righteousness. The premise behind the training instructions is that they are valuable not because they are “good” or “right,” but because they are beneficial to a life of calm, clarity, insight, and wisdom.

Like every other aspect of our practice, the five training instructions are most effective when undertaken in a spirit of exploration and discovery. Why not experiment with them for a short period of time, just to see what happens?

Below, I give the basic instruction as stated by the Buddha, then the reformulated instruction by the contemporary teacher Thich Nhat Hahn. He has written extended commentaries on each instruction. The link for that site is at the bottom of this page. I have added some brief commentary here; but I hope that the reader will give thought to what each instruction might mean to him or her.

THE FIVE TRAINING INSTRUCTIONS

1. I undertake the training instruction to abstain from the taking of life.

Aware of the suffering caused by the destruction of life, I undertake to cultivate compassion and learn ways to protect the lives of people, animals, plants, and minerals. I am determined not to kill, not to let others kill, and not to condone any act of killing in the world, in my thinking, and in my way of life. (Thich Nhat Hahn)

Most of us would probably deny that this is a real issue for us. After all, who among us is involved in overt acts of killing? Well, looking deeper than the overt macro surface, all of us are involved in killing. At the micro level of existence every step, every breath, that we take entails killing. Indirectly, we participate in cultures of killing when we buy certain clothes or foods. So, is it even possible to abstain from the taking of life? Perhaps in the very fact that it, apparently, is not possible to live without taking life, we can see the crucial need to become more conscious of this matter. (Glenn Wallis)

2. I undertake the training instruction to abstain from taking what is not given.

Aware of the suffering caused by exploitation, social injustice, stealing, and oppression, I undertake to cultivate loving kindness and learn ways to work for the well-being of people, animals, plants, and minerals. I undertake to practice generosity by sharing my time, energy, and material resources with those who are in real need. I am determined not to steal and not to possess anything that should belong to others. I will respect the property of others, but I will prevent others from profiting from human suffering or the suffering of other species on Earth. (TNH)

What does it mean to “steal.” Again, since few of us are bandits, shoplifters, or burglars, we don’t need a training instruction for overt theft. So, to what might this instruction be pointing? What other ways do we take what is not given? Are we engaged in more subtle forms of exploitation, either directly, involving those around us, or indirectly, involving products that we consume? In what ways might forms of mistreatment, manipulation, or taking advantage of others be understood as “taking what is not given”? (GW)

3. I undertake the training instruction to abstain from sexual misconduct.

Aware of the suffering caused by sexual misconduct, I undertake to cultivate responsibility and learn ways to protect the safety and integrity of individuals, couples, families, and society. I am determined not to engage in sexual relations without love and a long-term commitment. To preserve the happiness of myself and others, I am determined to respect my commitments and the commitments of others. I will do everything in my power to protect children from sexual abuse and to prevent couples and families from being broken by sexual misconduct. (TNH)

Little needs to be said about the destructive and destabilizing nature of sexual misconduct. How many families have been destroyed because of infidelity? How many children suffer because of the broken homes that ensue from infidelity? Again, the point here is not to become puritanical regarding sex. A healthy sex-life, like a healthy diet, engenders well being and pleasure. So, enjoy! But enjoy within the bounds of your commitments. You know what those are. Also, the Buddhist notion of sexual misconduct makes no judgments about homosexuality, or about what is otherwise “normal” or deviant. (GW)

4. I undertake the training instruction to abstain from false speech.

Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful speech and the inability to listen to others, I vow to cultivate loving speech and deep listening in order to bring joy and happiness to others and relieve others of their suffering. Knowing that words can create happiness or suffering, I vow to learn to speak truthfully, with words that inspire self-confidence, joy, and hope. I am determined not to spread news that I do not know to be certain and not to criticize or condemn things of which I am not sure. I will refrain from uttering words that can cause division or discord, or that can cause the family or the community to break. I will make all efforts to reconcile and resolve all conflicts, however small. (TNH)

False speech is not only lying, is it? Think of the many ways that we speak falsely. Easy examples of false speech include gossip, dissembling, mockery, facetiousness and sarcasm, derision. But even when we are speaking “truly,” how much of our speech is merely formulaic? Speaking in formulas and clichés is not really speaking at all, is it? Isn’t it more like mimicry? Formulaic speech lacks genuineness and honesty. Another common example of false speech is nervous rambling. That is, how often do we speak just to fill the awkward silence, or to avoid or prevent something? Can such speech be considered “false”? The Buddha said that speech should have the following five characteristics. It should be: timely (know when to speak and when to listen); gentle; truthful (according to the case); beneficial (to the recipient); and spoken with a friendly heart. (GW)

5. I undertake the training instruction to abstain from intoxicating drinks and drugs causing heedlessness.

Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful consumption, I vow to cultivate good health, both physical and mental, for myself, my family, and my society by practicing mindful eating, drinking and consuming. I vow to ingest only items that preserve peace, well-being and joy in my body, in my consciousness, and in the collective body and consciousness of my family and society. I am determined not to use alcohol or any other intoxicant or to ingest foods or other items that contain toxins, such as certain TV programs, magazines, books, films and conversations. I am aware that to damage my body or my consciousness with these poisons is to betray my ancestors, my parents, my society and future generations. I will work to transform violence, fear, anger and confusion in myself and in society by practicing a diet for myself and for society. I understand that a proper diet is crucial for self-transformation and for the transformation of society. (TNH)

How many toxins do you consume on a daily basis? Another way of asking this question is: how toxic is your life? Since the effects of toxins are cumulative, and we consume relatively minute amounts daily, we are largely unaware of the effects of the particular toxins in our lives. Once we refrain from consumption of those toxins, of course, we begin to discern their effects. So, this training instruction can be used as a strategy for, first, becoming more fully conscious of the flow of toxins in our lives, and second, eliminating unnecessary toxin and reducing the effects of others. What counts as a toxin in your life? The easy examples are food, alcohol, drugs, tobacco, coffee, refined sugar, and so on. But what else might be considered toxic? How about five visits a day to the internet? What about daily gorging on the news? What about habitual negativity concerning yourself (say body image), others, or life in general? Might habitual thinking patterns have toxic effects? What about seemingly innocuous habits, such as eating late at night, or biting your nails? Again, the point is not to become puritanical. The point is actually to begin to enjoy our lives, to derive joy from being open and clear, not from the effects of toxicity. Really, like the first training instruction, this instruction serves to point out the ubiquity of toxins (food itself is toxic). That being the case how can you reduce your toxic intake? (GW)

May you be well, happy, and at ease! 

"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived …I wanted to live deep and suck out all of the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swath and shave close, to drive life into a corner, and to reduce it to its lowest terms."

-- Henry David Thoreau, Walden, p. 98.