Part I

　　Mastering Virtue

　　Precepts for Lay People

　　There are three sets of precepts for laypeople: the five precepts, the eight precepts, and the ten guidelines. Here we will discuss the five and the eight precepts first, saving the ten guidelines for later. The five precepts can be pided into two sorts: those dealing with bodily action and those dealing with speech. Normalcy in bodily action is expressed by three precepts: refraining from taking life, from stealing and from engaging in illicit sex. Normalcy in speech is expressed by the precept against lying, which involves refraining not only from lying, but also from pisive tale-bearing, from coarse or abusive speech, and from aimless or idle talk. As for the precept against taking intoxicants, it fits in with the third precept — against illicit sex — in that both deal with forms of intoxication.

　　The eight precepts are derived from the five — and, like the five, can be pided into two sorts. Seven deal with bodily action: refraining from taking life; from stealing the possessions of others; from any and all sexual intercourse; from eating food from the period from noon until the following dawn; from watching dancing, singing, instrumental music, and other shows, and from using garlands, perfumes, cosmetics, and jewelry; and from using high and luxurious beds and seats.

　　The precepts, whether five or eight, are ultimately two: right normalcy in bodily action and right normalcy in speech. Sila, the Pali word for virtue and precept, literally means normalcy — a quality that can be separated into either five or eight component virtues. The eight uposatha precepts do away with more defilements of bodily action than do either the five precepts or the ten guidelines. The bodily actions of a person who observes them weigh lightly, like those of one who is ordained. (Speaking of ordination, for women at least, it would appear that a person who observes the eight precepts does away with more greed, anger, and delusion in terms of bodily action than did the sikkhamanas (aspirants to nunhood) of the past. Although as a novice the sikkhamana was expected to observe the ten precepts, still when she was about to be ordained as a nun she had to be strict in observing only the first six). So whoever observes the eight precepts can be said to lead one form of the chaste life — kala-brahmacariya, temporary renunciation — the only difference being that one doesn”t have to change one”s mode of dress.

　　It”s a rare man or woman who will act in this way. Whoever does can be counted as a person of value, a vessel for what is wise and worthwhile, into which the practice of concentration (samadhi) should be placed.

　　The ten guidelines, unlike the five and eight precepts, don”t have to be taken as vows. Once you understand them, simply go ahead and follow them. Altogether, they are of three sorts; three principles dealing with bodily action, four with speech, and three with the heart. The three principles dealing with bodily action are: not taking life, not stealing, and not engaging in illicit sex or taking intoxicants (the last two being counted as one). The four principles dealing with speech are derived from the precept against lying: refraining from lying, from pisive tale-bearing, from coarse or abusive speech, and from idle, aimless and useless chatter.

　　The three principles dealing with the heart are: anabhijjha — not coveting the possessions of others; abyapada — not feeling ill will, i.e., not wanting others to suffer misfortune; and samma-ditthi — right view, being convinced that the pleasure and pain we experience come from our own good and bad actions: Whoever does good will meet with good, whoever does evil will meet with evil.

　　So altogether there are ten guidelines. These guidelines are te…

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