AN INTRODUCTION TO BUDDHIST ETHICS Foundations, Values and Issues PETER HARVEY OW CAMBRIDGE ‘UIVERSITY PRESSKoy Buddhist values et ner ang cone by pond conquer eng ging, Som inher hag ‘Supported by and in part arising fom the world-view) std ideals of Buudahism, what are the central values that have been and are espensed? ‘While greed hatred and delusion ar sen a the roots of unwhelesorae actions, wi their complete destruction being equivalent to Noon 8 251), non-greed,non-hate and nom-delusion are regarded the roots ‘of wholesome action, and can dhus be sen as the central values of Buddhism. While expressed negatively, they are equivalent to: generos- ity and nowattachmentlovingkindness and compassion; and wil, in thesemse of cleat scing ofthe nature of life aud the absenee of dela ‘in oF misorientation, ‘A fuller is of wholesome qualities i fond in the Aihara ite ‘ore. Iu its Theravadin for, thisliss twenty-five wholesome or beaut {a mental qualities (Bodhi, 1999: 85-92, 96-7). The fs sewn ae faith (rustin one's sense of what sight), mindfulness. earefl awareness, saifrespect and regard for consequences, rnongreed and nom-hate, and qupoise (a balanced over-secing of activites and event). ‘The nex twelve consist of sx pits of qualities which each relate both to consciousness ise an! to he body of mental states which accom pany tranquility alight sense of cas, cpa ade tat ‘competence, and araighorwardnes All the above are seen as simultaneously present (hough perhaps to varying degrees in any wholesome mental ate, a a basis fr being tally human, and as a protecting, uplifting vefuge. ‘The remaining fetors ‘when present, stengthen, depen and channel wholewome mental ener. Be ips, igh action ght ehood, compasion empate Joy and wisdorn, & a Koy Dadi ees 6 The Helene quis cost a vse of unless geet Avi tain dine Stns ea deste fr senses, oth lhe anl doen ee tnd wr, avalon, vk cane sense ape eh Saud aden) Inte Treen see "leone alses corm talon a eso ako aera degan fr emcee ed te ses. Of dose oly preset in we unhean aee t tte seth nately gre ned sce and eee inportatcs ()some were oa Le he ef ek natand nee uae arereed enon ea ‘dean dy ge 9) Th abn ts dws phos! seahing rina snsdatenditorandtene weg hetpheagoalct eh thale decried are more genres hak SCs Bodie eis canbe sine iret ye Thee sie Sotto va ce a he Se ‘rs Ons npeertee crest Cp ey eo SNe cataract sa foe sche lait po ae re de Eiri elat oe tensa a ea a init i cts wh ce nse ca Sapwlthconuy mnt nenelion tease etn ae Selim dchon el te eee Nes an “dee nro Senet ae ate Sie wo) ‘The primary ethical activity which a Buddhia learns develops gving ‘or generosity; data, whic forms a bass for further moral snd sprit development. In Southern Buddhism itis the fst of the ten ‘boc for dict karmically ful actions (uta iret giving, keeping the moral preceps, meiiatve development, showing respee, hepa active sharing karmic fruitflnes, rejoicing atthe Larmiefuituloess of ethers teaching Dlama,stening to Donna, and steightening Set ‘one views! "BA msc Come 7 ne Seti ee penefe An intron Bist cies The key focus of giving is the monastic Saigha, or Comm omnes? way of Ie depend fori material support on the laity to cnvourage their unity and o ensure that they donot become isolated ffom the laity. ‘Thi supportive relationship & not a one-sided one, however, for while the laity provide the Swigh with sch items as alms food, robes, medicine, al monasteries to ive in, the monks and nuns by their teaching andl example, return a greater on, for "The git of hana excl ll gift? (DHS. 35) Such acts of rmutual giving thus form ‘key featre of the lay-mionastc relationship: ‘hums this bole fein tual dependence, fo ferying aero the fod othe cyl of rb) for the iter ending of ae 10) fc 3 Generosity i not only practised towards the Saige, but, asa pervading value of Budabist societies, salvo pracied towards family friends, workpeople, uss (4. 1.67-8) the poor and homeless, and ani Fielding Halla Bath offical ia nineteeath-century Borin, ell of an ‘ceasion when, on asking fora bil at what he took to bea village restane ‘ant, he found that be had been fed as a gues in a private howe. ‘Tn many counties, Baddhsts demonstrate a great concer fo doing karmially ul actions by deeds of giving, auch as contabating to cer monies on occasions lke an ordination, = feral, a siknes, ofa et fal. Karmic futfulness generated not only by an individual's own ving but alo by rejoicing athe gifts of others. In Southern Budeism, the touching of donated goods, or utering the refrain sida! (roughly, ‘wel done! ‘amen is xn a8 invlving » person inthe donations of other person, ‘Thus communities are bound together in communal dts generating karmic rutile, and social obligations are carted oat by contributing toa ceremony sponsored by sorieane who has helped ‘ne by contributions inthe pot. Inthe case of expensive ceremonies fuch asan ordination ich person may help sparsor the ordination of {poorer person's on. In thi way the sponsor, the son and the parents ‘do a karmicaly ful act, with the mother being seen as benefiting paticlanly through ving’ her son tothe Saighs “While giving may inally be performed for the sake of the material advantages that karmic rifles bring, a motive hia is then likely fo take ove arises fom the joy and contentment chat giving brings. Indeed, a gif shouldbe given in faith o that asa consequence the mind ‘becomes calm and clear (Cousins 1574: 100) The constant practice of ving also provides foundation for moral developasent by fstering the Freaking down. possesvenest and the growh of an opet-hearted and Key Bui ous 6 Pate Lay people rng anefod wack at fsa at Ratan monastery sores age * semstveattude towards others. One expression of the ideal of gene roa is expressed thes “The Noble dip reat home wih a hen fem the wnt fing, he's pen handed, parc tanded deggie stsurende te wf four one mo digi openeng chaise pit 1.69) Giving fers aot only moral development, bt also prtua . iy bt alo spiritual progres, beaut of i aspect of emanation and nom tachment ie ofthe ten Bsa ‘prfeions in both the Maya and Theravada eadtions The popula Fxaware aa? expresses the pinnacle of the perfec ton of generosity Te tle ofthe Boda in 2 past ile m Prince Vessantara, who 80 rejoices at generoity that he gives whenever he is 2 2 manos Coch 7 ath eran nd. tr6 An inthction to Buh eis asked for anything. One day, he gives away his city's auspicious white tlephant, which causes him to be banished, Wandering inthe forest with his Wife Madr and thei wo children, he meets an old bralimin ‘who ask him for his children, vo verve his young wife, Vesantara a fst ss that his wife eturn fom gathering food before the gift made, bt the brahmi efises, ashe fears hat she will not sgree tot. 543 With ‘ears inhiseyes, Vessantarathen agrees to part with hisehildren, though ‘hey do not want to go (pt); later his wife renuens andi anguished at their absence. When Vessantara explains to her that he has given therm aay, and this forthe sake of ataning Buddhahood, she accepts his action as right and even rejoices in ip, 568). Late, the gol Saka ets ‘Vessantara further, by appearing to im nthe guise of another brahmi who ass for his wife Vesantara gives, yet again fp. 69-70), though Sabin then reveals himaelf and eventually the family i reunite, the clilcen being watched over bythe god In ciscussng the sss raise! by this story, the Mindptaexplains ‘atthe giftof the ciiren was not excessive, fort was the supreme gi, fone which showed great heroism, restraint and renunciation, going against deeply ingrained attachments (Mie, 294-84). Vesantac’s wile and children were the dearest thing inthe word eo him (p98, 100), Yet he was wing t0 give even them, for the sake of future perfect ‘Awakening, which would lead to the benefit of countess people. Vessantara is said not to have been callous, but to have suffered great anguish afer giving his children; he knew, though, that an aspiring Buddha's generosity and non-attachment must be untiting, and new ‘Gat his father would redeem the children anyway Iti also sid that the children would not have lamented had they understood the nature of thei father’ action (Mil 275). Such a story, of course, ats aan ache 'ypal support forthe idea of renunciation: of “giving wp the pleasures and attachment of family life for the ‘homelest life of « monk or nun, ‘who aims to grow towards the perfect uotattachiment which leads to ‘rena. In Southern Bacldhiam, Gots pat ife a Vesantara seen 2 hislase anman one before he was boen inthe Tosita heaven, and then as the person who became the historical Buddha, ‘The Mahayana also emphases that a Bade should be joyful and nating in giving, He should et only after offering food taieservats, ‘or those about to travel or who have arsved fom afar (Uis 69-8) He shouldbe wiling even to giveaway is body-partsor fe in aiding others Highest ofall, he should be able to give away his wile and children, though not his parents Dayal, 1922175 6). _—_—ekvev oy Padi aes 65 Sharieg hari fifss AF generosity i seen as generating karmic itn, tis ao sen as {0 har hs wiht nthe Therion ay Seto ami fries maybe performed not only by empathcing fa, dard) wih someone ei goo deeds int neo by the shes Haris leifles~ oy more exact, "wha ha Beer gue? oa wth another being Ths pracie may have orga Bed adapration ofthe Brakmanial sd ceremont,n wich le ene seen a vanferred to decease relatives by giving tao eae remo rtesGombrih gy: 230-4) namcnay tata beaten asks the Buta i Sada rites bing benett 16 the deed ena Buda repli that the dead wl bene nl itch se ae ‘rt or these ghastly beings lie cir on the pul ood toe real: oF an hats prvied by git fm raat sd eae 360-73). The Pmat (Ps), fom the later part of the These Canon accondingly describes a numberof nstaccerutereapiheraes inthe name ofa sulering pao thatthe patent ebro ah becauie of the karmic tunes ofthe ging Blo: sop ies 2b saying that ony one of he four peso pacan beet Theravadariesfor the dead therfore ncude lh eedgof more the sharing ofthe kari nflnes of the ded with i deca whatever other ancestry bf inthe hopethat dino tee alg as aso help them toa beter seit This sont cone sen ear «deat but al yay nemorl res TA, ing of hungry host ina youl feahal, alo an importncpared Chinese ‘Mahayana Buddhism, 4 aoe “Another eal text also has the Buda sy tht it i wise to suppor ‘monks ano detcae the ito the lea god mo that hey eo ak with favour onthe donor (0.89), Actos Themen oreo, \omnls on ancl witha ere ing dhe han is ito god These are eens having les opprtingy eda nag cious dec theses, but can Dene om shared la any, ‘hich eps tintin em in the vn rei ners i ee that they wil use whatever powers they have 0 aid rod oe dist andthe perton mang the donation Aboy beng ek sanoviecor fll monk wil sho shart asc beatin as * an Maen Baio Cn, ft oh On te pa wikia « Te Spe Gah nan Ce i aes pene6 Aw intron Padi bie sai ag rag tg ares SEI mest ermeeene aaa aie ways a peo Rename tinea cote ccm senate Eirichieeeseoss eee id ieebeaticeeaacsoertereaya icncierimagraeenent ttre ‘they assent to this donation by rejoicing at it (Mi A, 188), they will them- brrpmaetone ie mamas shea fen vitae bene Hie cece ee nro ieiinasir mesirtnaers Soe cire eteentnted aes Stans gaaiunonenataanas Hemet icone pe ey ee ee Esa (On a basis of deveoping dina, che Buddhist goes on to devel his or hes th i ri Pa Sk by oar dpi of Aceping certain precepts Indeed, keeping any of these precept i seen ata form of ving ~ the best Kind (U1): eat gio other ‘lack of fe snd ili a8 they el wntbrestenc by a recep keeper (d.req6)Ieisan thats tman eis ean be vied by he pra tcc of int and (A 24-9) Moral estat and slfcontal are nich emphasized as means of proteetng other snd poring one's cn character: Aerator ead waters het st bend the wo $Thtwnecotel ces. 8) Koy Budi caus o ‘ou oad cong 2 ta smd en bale Yeaheihentice coe Wosboalconme el sp “Trough abnene fom snwleome ation he dflements which leo them ae restate, and heir oppotes are stented, otha the natural purty inte dep oth mind has more oper es snes isl, The Buh’ words are said habe al coe ove things ae subject to deesy sre on with dgence® (De He empha that whe be ped the way to beatin one no exes ke the oto cad the path he showed One deltas ‘tem personae Dane stone acne’ lage ye poe tie of caret mide, moment somoment awareness) Theft thatthe second Noble Teth aye hat cing ooleang cle underlines the importance of alcoatel, Dee, qr aod Biachmentaresenas racing gates and wars(D. 90 to way ‘ce guarding one's postion 13 6) and Gaappotnt whee ‘hat ers desirable odes oe ads (10-30) ‘Theos commonly neve wt peep lowed by ly people ate the ve precept (propery the ve vues pate a Seuthern Bah, thee are chanted in thei al forty gh thee eral meaning, ot rei wantin, in generally kaown ese, te 18; Cambri gang 1 eae the ining esp fad abstain ona on brain nen 2 Tite ning rcp abn om aking wha ot ge. 5 Tift heen pei shin fos cones eg ene «Toner waning rsp abn fm fe pec 5 Kiet hua psn abc deal ord hat eanoppntony reeds Inthe Mal Suva aon wed in Tet the precept given ina fermala which after that apron wl fallow the pec er sor her if aa ths accords wie peace of dra loko, sn). Acting in scot reer olen to onion ea slick of ear Cla) welbearned wath good epson space falda and rebirth in aheawen 80) Ounce hand ae oo sce, igsup sown ot inthe wor (Ip. 24) and es tad ecb tp ach precept a ating peep he sme ema ht aie6 Antti o Buds eis tematic hgh whe monroe on rat Sears nae rere Sy eB eectnlnetye te eet become SEMETES Bee Srarednes wie pik ipiltontins erect wine leas np elie ccna cn etic ey Phin don cma lpg tng gu Setaymen sicker} 2) Regen nae reece 0 Beli pe sare cel rly be Trot re tne pe aricaiyhcwpeinta cng cay Weal wecybagtandnmparenrg neocon onto pte ee ran lt ae kg Exp ss Fotis came Tie erp et Lae endo ton ewe bi ee af ser Be Tact Setup lta ts re messy uaronc tency heed eon PN gota es nce canst tome inden Getea ee ‘gece pte wy ake eter Tian Serpe a SRR ig ale tri ‘Mepham’ Gee a Te come FOS eee tens ey leper Smt man 3 ar oa etal ly peat he espa eh aes itd hp ep comet htc seats ro Eel Fe p99 ig ring inte i agechtsketing orders Beale lt be alpine ad ii (Gee pp. 187-9). See eee arenes eee oes sreatcuistn euros Sehdticgaetacktoorecnar er ari icc maha nw ett Setaat Sppeesee on neers pecenceecaes iy Budi oer & The fpr wmcinjay ‘The i precept corresponds tothe Hina andl Juin concep aim, ‘nom inj, andi general eared athe mont mportatove Nee injury athe distinguishing narkof Dhan [id tp These Ban, wile most ay people when shed which the most sport prere, ‘pect theone on texuelmiscndiy they nevericarsgree he Log eds to dhe worst kare ress and that phys! and cba ates ‘hemos blamesbletehaviou jp, yt eg, “Taking theft precept roles out the tal ili of any ting being human or adhere. The quite ths precept spree thes Laying aside viene inept fal bens, bth the which a thee wich me Beni ot latices to ee a Spproect oben ing (395 Andina on ui hinge ahi om th wc oor, sup conpsaiont,wenblag fo een oo Ange iia Bg ad os Inj but nog ingle ais the pit epee, tut does ot ily brek though averse forms he prsee ace stg expen it sinplyin tee of nw and ies deh ‘Ciera renaling om an tack doe no beak (a The object of ts precept not ied to humans a eet Being hae inthe sme je of eb and te expres ot various yes of afring Uh homes ore wll rinses ee than sma, ra layer or more hy deveped spa ey leer one Gee pa) The it recep broken ewer i beg lod bysereon ein oreo doth hen bah eos te Aenea he peep unk he agent stk ces than the intcndeons when oy be orc uses Aid sy Th fis recep has mary potential inp or bees Sod thse willbe enced ough the chapter of thn bo on ates ae tke and euthanasia, and abortion, Liew, the capes ota omic eis relevant the second oad our recep se ow ‘ena equality and homorenaliy relevant toe ied. Te cond rcp: ing if and centing ‘The second precept is seen as ruling out any act ofthe Tn the equiva: ent rule for monks, a monk is completely defeated in the monastic life it70 An intodctin to Bates hae steals an amount that makes him liable co prosecution (Pa. m5) ‘Something is seen a the ‘property! of someone else, and ths not to be taken, if that person can do wht he or she wants with it without pare ishment or blame (AsL 98; 0p. 4 26) Teft is sen a8 worse acconing to the value of what it stolen, but abo according to the vitue of the peteon stolen frm (sl). The second precept also cover fraud, cheating, forgery (Ast 98) and falsely denying that one isin debt to someane (St. t1g-). The Upialae flgSinaaesitashrokenby chiming more compensation for ate an ‘appropriate (idling an insurance cain), accepting the git of evo robes when one only needs one, and giving to one monk what one has promised another (Us. 72-2) In Thalan, itis seen as broken by bot- owing without permission and breaking a promis, as this takes Mberty ‘which has not been given (Terwel 1976: 188-9). The Burmese meditar tion teacher Malis Sayadaw gives 4 good summary taking surepiouly what longo anther penian without owe. ‘Tocheata buyer ung fis weight aud ments o bof a wortles ate Gna buyer tel corer pod ad ey, nto pay de wage oF crm Sher churgescr customer tmes eyo refactor of money or roy tty or wins entuned to ones cae and to ree to empersate fr any ‘Eanage or ln for wich one response sg fre to obtain othe I, property itn sed extrdan of roney oF propery aca rant Coercion nil confcaton of popery the steest ‘de, ous gon fr legal ownership iru fae witnesses and fae Stennis (8263). Gambling is generally included under the rubric of this precept in “Thailand CFerwel, 1979160), andi otherwite riteaed dus Garblng causes avarice, Unpletaniness, hated, deception, cheating, ‘Wikies pig sesces and ar pee, “Therefore never gamble. co ‘The Silda Sut says “There ae these i dangers tached to gambling the winner make enemies, the ler bewae his kr one wastes oes present weal, one's word 8 not true in he aterbly one despised by on ends and companions one's oti dena for avinge, bees «gambler cannot af ota & sre (em) This is nat to say though that Buddhists never gable. reports that gambling on dominoes and dice has been popular in ales Bell abet Key Bui cals ” (1928: 265 7)-Ia Si Lanka, however om the advice ofthe r956 Buddhist, Committee of Enquiry, the government banned horse racing a asho- lated gambling edo greater gain of wealth by te rich and further deg- ‘adaion of the poverty-stricken Boo, 1988: 87, 96). Sri Lankans now Deon Brith horee raced In Zen Buddhism, the spr ofthis precepiasoen to ental such things snot tealng ime fom oneself by daydreaming during tine for inedie tation (Aitken, 1984: 28) not greedily exploing workers po) and care lesness with precios things, or example meditation cushions (3). ‘The tind rcp: ing eal miscondet The monastic ideal of Buddhism involves celibacy, but itis ackaowl- edged that not everyone feels able or wing to fallow dis ideal ‘The wite man should soil the uneelibate ile (binary) le a pit of bamingeaale Buti he wncapabie of ving cele, he sho at ear rs aginst anche’ wile (S98) ‘The third precept relates primary to the avoidance of causing sufering by one's sexual behaviour Adultery — "gong with the wie of another” A 189) ~ is the most staightforward breach of this precept. The ‘wrongness ofthis is een as partyin terns ofits being an expresion of red, and parlyin terms its harm to others The fistof dese is seen Inthe fllowing verse "Not wo be contented with one's own wife but to be seen wih prsttes or the tre of others thi case of ene downfall (So) ‘The second can be seen inthe rationale forthe precept: you would not lke someone to commit adultery wit your wife so donot commit adul- tery with someone esc wie (& vgs). Thas one should not go with there’ women, who areas dear to them as ile” (D. mu), and [Nagarjuna says ‘the pleasure of husband and wife et be two bodies, but one flesh; to takeaway one who another loves and destroy this dep sentiment i erime’ (Lamotte 1949: 801). Wha counts as “aaltery varies according tothe marriage patterns of diferent soceues, though, snd Buddhism has been flexible in adapting to thete (se below, pp. toa), Adultery with a woman without her husband's knovledge, or ‘with his compliance sillbreaks the preeeps on acountof themalcios ture ofthe at (Lamotte, 1949: dot. Moreover the preceptixextended tointercourse with any woman who iin moder patlance, ina el ‘onship’ with another man As 98n An inom Buds eis “The thi precept does treat only to notaving sex with someone ue wile or parte, Te sald hat an Leaks the precept i he has Intercourse wih women who are engaged or who axl protected by ay relative (HC 1286. m9) or Young ge not proce by 8 cave this bing see as fending against he wise ofthe king ARB. tepea-b), Chay rape and incet are breaches of the precepy and Nagin includes ercoutse wh a courtesan oposite Lamotte 1949 0). A breach is worse according fo the vite of the woman, as show by the way in whic she Kees the precept 98) In Thala, fring with a rasried wornan may aio be seen asa breach Tere, ‘eps 18, nian, ome ee premaielsexasbeakingtheprecep, bt ew stick otis view i the parties ubergunty marry Gombrih, tgp: a) nal Tada, young men ae allowed wo roam arcu freaky batyoung women are always kept under careful watch, A young ‘womna's paren prefer courting tobe at her home, or example on the ‘oranda (LE. Sith 1: sexual contat isto be avoided ati cen as offending the spits of the ancestor, wo are seen as ste Fegarding moral jealous and lth to leave thew former property inthe thndsof descendants Nat Hanh sez this precept as invcng eal ‘esponsiliy’ (099 #0) and as entling "not to engage i sexual relax {ho without love ad niger cornnment and to protect children from sexual abuse and prevent coupes a fans being broken by sul cont pp 3-4) Buddhst dscasion of the thitd precept mainly focuses on varius ‘Seuss in which men can beeen a breaking it, On ore, the ‘Greuston i shore and more dee Thus Theraviin Bikkha Bod ‘ays that 4 maried woman shoud have ineeourse ony with her Fnband fc Maha, 9870, and no wornan shou have intercourse wrth men sucha cove relatve or hose nde a vow ofelbacy (2 19) OF couse this doesnot ee sexal aetvity by nonsearied adult women as a breach ofthe prexpt Tn aklion tothe above, socal taboo forms of seat have Ben seer as eacs of he tht precept, doubles becanseof the guile ings tht they ent? Obsessive sexal activities also come within the recep do ther oseive forms of sensual for example going Shes with food. The fourth cenury CP ABltham ine Bhpe {@onye-b) olds hat aman brea the thie precept by * Gouin eRe ml ri ene oem ai in ane Ti ‘se Phi we fos sy upto nme an arp Kay Bis sous cs & ltecouse wih forbidden woman, tha i the wile af anaes, one ‘ate one daghtes oro pater or maternal lone 2 Inercouse wah ones om wl hough fide one, 5 insnunsoable places reweed sin or oes {f stan wom time when te wie regan, when she bs msing or tenth as ake sone Some ny when se is we ye Theconeent ot herr (On tem 2, Nagarjuna say that itis ‘repugnant tothe spirt of a woman’, so that ‘to be coerced inte this unscemlines’ breaks the precept (Lamotte, 1049: Bor). The jauel Ornament of Lkeation of sGam po a lwoyy-1s9h founder of the Kagys (OK*brgynd) school of Tibetan Buchs, concurs with and expands om the above. One should not ave intercoure: 3) nan improper part ofthe by ey way of the mouth or ean 5) inaninproper lacs neartheretmue of «Guru monastery afer men iy hee muy pence i, ‘nasi dil, or in cal i tooafen, se toce than fie race ti ina generally improper way, Le by coecn, or with a man, (Guenther, "30 79 "The Upsala Sra, popular in Cin, inludes ali nits ise (Us. 173)-Holmes Weleh also repors that Chinese Buddhists include visting brothel or intercourse in an improper place or ime, such ain the ving zoom in the afternoon, or withthe use of instruments, Some see the precept as also requiring the putting aay of concubines, others as simpy not taking any more. Some see sexual intercourse notamned at Iegeting children as to be avoided (Welch, 1967: 96). ‘Wile none of the above mention masturbation, iis included asa breach ofthe third precepe in the Kunz Lama’ Sh, avery poplar ‘Tibetan work by Patrl Rinpoche, a nineteenth-eentary Lama of both the Nyiagma (:Nyingma) school and an ecumenical movement (Patral Rinpoche, 1994: 107} In the monastic discipline, a mont’ intentional ‘emission of semen ian oflenceentaling aformal meeting ofthe Soha, ‘its eel of seriousness is jus short of that requiring expulsion for & ‘monk, with the Buddha explaining that the acti related to the very aachment,fewers and grasping thatthe Dkonna aims to transcend ® ‘Given that sexual intercourse entails expolsion fora maone ot nun, itis * Beg Tras ig phate mig anm ‘Am intron Bui hes not surprising that masturbation ian offence, to, not quite serious, ‘Aseven semua intercourse i, within certain bound, ceptable foray person, the greunds for counting masturbation ata breach ofthe third Tay precept are weak, though the act clearly goes agains the Buddhist templusis on overcoming attachment to senseplearores Also James, 3 contemporary Theravada meditation teacher, says that masturbation breaks the precept because of fantasy building andthe wish to avid the imvolvements that normally ave fom sexsal relationships (James snd James, 1987: 42). Moreaver, the Western Zen teacher Aitken Rosh, in Intexpreng the percept as meaning “no boorish sex, ses this as any sexual activity or ever cskibacy, thinking jurtofone'ssl” (Aitken, 1984 3-8}. Neverthees inthe Uptala sta Saba, mastrbation i mentioned Inrelation tothe third precept only if cis done in a publi place or close ‘oa religious building (Css. 79. The fart rp xing in ad he forms of og ch “The fs tree precept tlt o pyiealasons and keeping them i auivaleat te right acto-fctorof the Eighld Path sp. 3) Ieping te ur precept is equivalent tothe Patacor of ght speech or while the precept ipecically refers nly to availing Else speci generally seen to etal avcing cir fem of wrong speed (Malas Br cy"), which case meatal turmol or oter tor of sein in oneself rater This eadng& eaonabi the light of the fs of ten unholsome acon’ whith rte tothe hee forme of wrong ato’, the four forma of song see snd ly thre forms of snvholesome mental ston: covetosnes, talevolence andro views (Ly) et p48). “The our precept generally ee she scond moet important one (eter theft precepts hats person wo has no share a inten tional ying i capable of any ei atti (M1435), Moreover, the “Theravada the commentaral pose) thats develope ing Bohn ray at ves break all te precepts ut one may 04 tel ae tended by deception that violates te seat of thingy (J 409). The Theravadne alo coust tuhfanes atone ofthe Badhasattea ‘perfection’. Likewise, in the Mahayana tradition, Santideva Gites de Rural Sa s sayin at a Badu eer nongly ‘peaks an une nt wo save hfe (S55) The gravest way to reak 2 precept would be ing aso ean a chi in he Sale (A. ‘wtoga-8} On the ther han, ther the a that an ‘aseeration of Roy Budi alee 6 truth’ (Pali sacar sazaacona: Sk aac) inthe formof the solemn alfirmation of a moral ar spiritual truth, othe tut anise sion of a fing, has & power co save the utter, or someone ele from danger (Harvey 1995: 67-75. [Any form of lying, deception or exaggeration, either for one’s own. ‘benefit or that of another (ML mr48) ie szen asa breach of the fourth ‘precept even non-verbal deception by gesture or other indication (AKB. 175; Ail.o; lp. A. 26, or misleading statements (Uc 174) Thich Nhat tanh sees the fourth precept as entaling ‘not read news that T do not now to be certain and not to eiicie or condemn things of which ‘am not sre (1995 4-H said tobe a deluded wrong view to deny that the precept is broken by ‘playful ying ying to women, in marriage, or in danger of death’ (AKA. 168 Nevertheless, a smal “white he’ ‘much es serio han yng in a court af law intentional yng ‘eeious corlight according to it aabjece matter (Mid ga). ‘ore or less ‘lence according to whether the welfae destroyed i greater or smaller (sl gg for a lay person, this might vary Srom denying that one has something that one does not want to give toying in court oastoharm someone; fora monk, it might vary from an itonieal joke to saying he has seen something which he has not, Lying i o be avid not only beeause ic often harme others, but because i goes against che Buddhist value of seeking the truth, seeing things ‘athe really re."The more people deceive others chemore ey ae likly to deceive themselves; thus their delusion and spinal ign ance increase. Moreover, one le often leads tthe ‘need! for another to ‘over it up, leading toa tangle in which thelr always has to watch his aa nrg aig win ein tpt wastes increasingly ‘ane (Of course, even tuth can be harm i spoken at the wrong time, so itshould be withheld if wo give i would lead to wholesome states of mind decining and unwholesme ones increasing in there one speaks to Ch urna. Accordingly, welspoken, unblameworthy speech i sad to be ‘spoken atthe right time, in accordance with truth, gently, purposely, and with fiend heart (4. 1243-4), Thisdes not mean, though, that ane shou never anything that would be dsageeble othe hearer. tis sui that the Buddha ony spoke, atthe appropriate time, what was ttve and spiritually beneficial, whether or not it was disgrecabe to ‘others (M1395; cf. m.294) While, in Japan, right speech i seen to ‘ental that tis not compassionate to tella sick person the hard tit chat Iheor she sterminally il (Athen, 108425) one might queston this i the