..续本文上一页d many examples of lay disciples who kept the five precepts and attained Enlightenment. The lady Vishaka and Anathapindaka, the merchant, were both wealthy householders with many duties and responsibilities, but although maintaining only the five precepts, and practising the teachings of the Buddha, they attained the level of Sotapanna.

　　Some people these days feel that practising the five precepts, they are inferior to those who are committed to keep 8, 10 or 227. They believe that with only five precepts, it is not possible to arrive at enlightenment. This is a mistake. The truth is that the five precepts alone can and will remove unskillfulness and weaken the consequences of unskillful kamma.

　　The kinds of actions which lead to rebirth in hellish or unpleasant realms are all prevented by these five precepts. Any other actions which lie outside the confines of the five precepts will lead only to mental turbidity. If we maintain the five precepts purely, we will have a good chance of developing samadhi, practising the dhamma and realizing the truth.

　　Therefore those who are not in a position to keep more than the five precepts should not feel inferior or belittle themselves by thinking that they do not have enough precepts to become enlightened. That is a grave mistake. If you are thinking of increasing your precepts, you should first carefully consider whether you are capable of maintaining them.

　　Generally lay people are capable of keeping the five precepts, which are : refraining from killing, refraining from stealing, refraining from sexual misconduct, refraining from wrong speech, and refraining from using intoxicants. But many still choose to use cosmetics and perfumes, go to plays, concerts, and movies, and engage in singing and dancing. Also, they choose to sleep on comfortable beds. These are ascetic practices, included in the eight precepts, and do not violate the five precepts.

　　However, if you want to add the vikalabhojana precept but are not able to refrain from eating in the evening, or undertake the mala gandha precept but not refrain from using cosmetics and ointments, or take the naccagita precept without giving up going to plays and listening to music, or add the uccasayana precept but continue to indulge in luxurious beds (which tend to increase sleep), this shows that you are incapable of keeping these precepts. Undertaking the additional precepts without the capability and determination to keep them only increases your storehouse of unskillful kamma. Nothing good can come of this. If you want to increase your precepts you must first take a look at your own capabilities.

　　If we maintain the five precepts purely, and develop meditation practice, our practice will naturally progress and the precepts will increase on their own. When the five precepts are in order, samadhi and panna, insight into the true nature of reality, will follow. The state of mind that arises when it is in samadhi, when it is at peace and contains understanding of the true nature of conditions, will ensure that the mind abides in a state of normalcy, which will initiate the maintenance of additional precepts. Not merely the 227 precepts of a monk, you can increase your precepts to 10,000 or even 100,000 if the fundamental condition of the mind is sufficiently developed. Once the fundamental stages of the development of our mind is good and proper, we can uphold any number of precepts.

　　Therefore, when you are considering increasing the level of your dhamma practice, be aware of your capabilities and limitations, and practise accordingly. Don”t be foolish. Even though the wise praise the eight precepts and recognize it as meritorious, if you find that keeping the eight precepts brings up discomfort and distraction, then you don”t have to kee…

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