Five Precepts: Freedom of the Heart

Many of us think that after undertaking the precepts life will become a matter of you-can’t-do-this and you-can’t-do-that. We wonder if that isn’t limiting us even more. We worry that it will mean a loss of freedom. This is why some people will question: Why should I receive the precepts and end up just limiting myself!

In fact, if we were to go to a prison and make a survey into the reasons for incarceration and the loss of freedom, we would find that every single inmate there had violated one or more of the five precepts.

In Buddhism’s undertaking and observing the five precepts,* the spirit of the precepts is freedom. This is so because when we undertake the precepts we will not violate others, and as long as we can discipline ourselves, we will also not be breaking the laws of society. So the restraints of the law are not a constraint upon us, and we are able to enjoy a free and independent life.

In undertaking and observing the five precepts, no one will be violating others so that each and every one of us can obtain freedom together.

In taking refuge in the Triple Gem we all occupy an equal position together, without regard to ethnic origin, nationality, or religion. We all possess the intrinsic Buddha nature; this is such a wonderful example of the equality of democracy.

Not only is Buddhism adapting to the times, it also transcends them. It has taken thousands of years for the world to slowly advance into the modern age of freedom and democracy, but the freedom of the five precepts and the democracy of the Triple Gem Refuge as promoted by the Buddha have been available to us for more than two thousand five hundred years.

In fundamental terms, there is actually only one precept: Since freedom is to be respected, do not violate others. To refrain from killing is not violating the life of others; to refrain from stealing is not violating the property of others; to refrain from sexual misconduct is not violating the physical body of others; to refrain from lying is not violating the reputation of others; and to refrain from consuming intoxicants is not violating the health of oneself or others. Great indeed was the Buddha, for if we all would undertake the precepts, then there would be no one left to violate our lives, our properties, our bodies, our reputations, and our possessions. What a truly splendid thing that would be!

We must not only undertake and observe the five precepts in a passive manner, we must do so actively as well:

  • Not only must we refrain from killing, we must also protect life;
  • Not only must we refrain from stealing, we must also practice generosity;
  • Not only must we refrain from sexual misconduct, we must also give respect;
  • Not only must we refrain from lying, we must give true words;
  • And not only must we refrain from consuming intoxicants, we must also act correctly.

The precepts are not merely the avoidance of acting in unwholesome ways, they also represent doing good and having moral courage in their active sense. Undertaking and observing the five precepts constitutes the wholesome action of respecting others and not violating them. Putting the five precepts into practice enables one to truly fulfill the hope of human life.


*The Five Precepts: refrain from killing, stealing, wrong speech, sexual misconduct, and consuming intoxicants.

From The Five Precepts, written by Venerable Master Hsing Yun.

Image from Pixabay.

More Featured Articles

Control of the body means that we know when to act, and when not to act and that we know how to behave with moderation. Read more
It is enough for most monks to only have the ability to chant and teach the Dharma, and of course I too can chant sutras and teach the Dharma. But only being this kind of monk was not something I was willing to do. I wanted to become a monk who was able to engage in propagating the Dharma in a multifaceted way: There is Read more
Human beings are social animals; we cannot live apart from community. As Buddhists, we are told to seek the Dharma among the people, for the Dharma does not exist in some other world or far away place; the Dharma is here among us, embodied in each and every being. When we understand that human society is nothing other than a web of human relationships, we Read more
Sharing joy with others is not only a virtue, it is also a delightful experience.To take delight in shared joy is to give willing support to those who are compassionate in helping the needy; it is to give genuine praise to those who have dedicated themselves to the highest achievements in life. If we want to be successful in this world, we must cultivate the Read more
"Walk like the wind, stand like a pine, sit like a bell, and rest like a bow."This basic etiquette not only applies to Buddhists; everyone should practice it as well in daily living.When we first meet a person, we can tell the level of his/her education and cultivation by his/her manners. We know how refined a person is by the way he/she speaks and conducts Read more
If we want to understand what the Dharma teaches us about building affinity and living in harmony with others, we must first understand the four great all-embracing virtues. The Buddha teaches that for us to realize our true capacity of connecting with and serving our fellow citizens, we have to first build a good rapport, and the four virtues are tools to that end. The four Read more
All my life, many have thought of me as rich, but the truth is, staying poor has always been my motto. I grew up in a poverty-stricken family, yet I never saw myself as poor, because I always felt rich in heart. Till my old age, many have thought of me as very wealthy because they believe I own many education institutes, cultural enterprises, publishing Read more
What are people supposed to do when they are troubled by afflictions? Some people are troubled by very specific things, others encounter poverty, and many have poor relations with other people. Some individuals are disturbed the moment they hear even the slightest comment they do not like, or they become angry when they see someone doing something they do not approve of. This sort of Read more
Trees have their roots, and people have their origins. As hu­man beings, we must endeavor to increase joy in the world for the sake of everyone in the world, and we also must ensure that life will sprout flowers and bear fruits as strong and stur­dy as the peach. “Mother” is the source of life for every person, and she is also the harbor on Read more
One of the biggest weaknesses in today’s society is that we have developed the habit of not saying we are sorry. Once we grow up and rise in status and knowledge, apologizing becomes harder and harder. But human beings are not perfect sages and we all make mistakes. Being able to correct our mistakes is a virtue in itself. This ability to amend our actions Read more
On the path of life, sometimes we need to go straight ahead, other times we have to make turns in order to reach our goals. If we do not turn around when we need to, we will not “see the other shore.” But when we need to move ahead and we do not, we will miss a prime opportunity. When we have to make a Read more
In the practice of meditation, once you have developed meditative concentration it does not matter if you are walking, standing, sitting, lying down, carrying firewood, or bringing water—every single action can suddenly lead to enlightenment and seeing intrinsic nature. For true Chan practitioners meditation is whatever they see in their daily lives; it is everywhere. Read more