The ‘Ten Good Paths of Action’ or ‘Ten Good Deeds’ are the ten moral precepts or actions governing one’s body, speech and mind. The three precepts connected with the body are not to kill, not to steal and to avoid sexual misconduct. There are four precepts connected with speech. These are not to lie, abstention from slanderous speech, abstention from harsh speech, and abstention from idle talk The three precepts connected with the mind are on-greed, on-hatred and right views respectively.
The Five Precepts (panca-sila).
Most commonly, the lay Buddhists have to observe the five basic precepts to lead a virtuous life. They have to observe these precepts during their day to day activities, and not only chant after a Buddhist priest in religious functions and whenever they go to temples for offering flowers. These precepts are universal to all Buddhist sects/schools. These are stated as follows:
1. I undertake to observe the precept to abstain from destroying the life of beings.
2. I undertake to observe the precept to abstain from taking things not given.
3. I undertake to observe the precept to abstain from sexual misconduct.
4. I undertake to observe the precept to abstain from false speech.
5. I undertake to observe the precept to abstain from spirituous drinks.
The Five Precepts are the cornerstones of Buddhist morality, particularly for the laity. Some Asian political leaders adapt these precepts to their planning and administration processes of good governance. Although categorically not stated in the fifth precept, one would agree that abstinence from tobacco and habit forming drugs too are included in it.
The Buddha's advice to lay people is enshrined in the discourse Sigalaka Sutra. The frame of this Sutra is innovative in identification, ideas and action. One early morning the Buddha saw Sigala, a young Brahmin householder of Rajagaha paying homage to the six directions. When questioned, Sigala replied that he has been instructed do so, by his father just before he passed away. Sigala's action was analysed and symbolically interpreted by the Buddha. The Buddha observed that the parents are the east, teachers the south, wife and children the west, friends and companions the north, servants and the working people the nadir, and religious teachers and Brahmins the zenith. The Buddha explained, in turn, the responsibilities owed to each group, and the reciprocal duties they owe to one another. He also offered general homiletic advice concerning six vices in conduct, four motives for evil actions (desire, hatred, fear and delusion), the six ways in which wealth is squandered and the characteristics of good and bad friends. The Buddha specifically mentioned the four defilements of action that should be given up: taking life, taking what is not given, sexual misconduct, and lying speech. The Buddha also made a particular reference to avoid addiction to strong drinks and sloth producing drugs as one way of wasting one's wealth and health. He also warned Sigala of the six dangers (waste of money, increased quarrelling, liability to sickness, and loss of reputation, indecent exposure of one's person and weakening of the intellect) attached to addiction to strong drinks and sloth producing drugs. Many countries including Sri Lanka have instituted legal restrictions on tobacco use and there are special projects directed against substance abuse. Some countries have instituted capital punishment for dealers of abused drugs.
Wanton killing of animals is not advocated, although fishing, animal husbandry and mosquito control are encouraged.
Historically, substance abuse has been a socioeconomic menace: the Opium War in China, the Chukka smokers in India and the illicit strong drink (kassipu) in Sri Lanka. In the Surapana Jataka, the Buddha relates the previous birth story of a Buddhist priest who behaved abnormally having consumed strong liqueur after taming a serpent. The Buddha declared that this particular priest had been an ascetic who had consumed alcohol at a party along with the other fellow ascetics.
The Buddha had been the chief ascetic in the Himalayan range who had advised this ascetic on the evils of drug abuse.
Substance abuse leads to addiction, tolerance, physical and emotional deprivation and serious withdrawal effects. While the adolescents are very vulnerable to substance abuse, it has been found that smoking and drinking lead to family, social and economic problems like poverty, ill-health crime, misbehaviour and accidents. There are hard facts and reliable statistics to reason out, that adhering to the five precepts ensures a respectable disciplined life.
The Eight Precepts (Astanga-sila)
Astanga-sila is a list of eight precepts consisting of the Five Precepts (Pancha-sila) with the addition of three more precepts: refraining from eating at the wrong time, abstention from dancing, singing, music, watching shows, wearing garlands, perfumes, cosmetics and personal adornments and abstention from the use of high seats and beds.
In Sri Lanka ‘any time is tea time’ and frequent eating and drinking are common social practices. A cup of tea with sugar is offered to any visitor and is socially free food. Even the poor people spend heavily on entertainment shows, marriage ceremonies, funerals and other cultural events. Beauty salons have come up in urban and suburban areas. Even rural women are victims of cosmetics. Comfortable high seats and beds are a part of modern living. These are found even in Buddhist temple premises. Further, media advertising of cosmetics and fast foods is quite profuse in Sri Lanka. The Information Superhighway has brought about many new ways of communication and enjoyment.
The practice of the eight precepts is not recommended on a routine basis. Generally, the elderly Buddhists observe the eight precepts on days of religious significance such as the full moon Poya days, In Sri Lanka, every Poya day is treated as a holiday and the sale of alcoholic drinks is disallowed. In particular the elderly, pay homage to the Buddha and the Boo Tree in temple premises and observe the eight precepts (ata-sil). Usually, they wear pure white clothes and listen to the sermons of the Buddhist priests. Some engage in Dhamma discourses. All night protective recitals (paritta/pirit), by the priests, are often a distinguishing feature on a Poya night. However, some observe the eight precepts and meditate in their respective homes, if they are disabled or too aged. It has been said that Visaka, the renowned devotee of the Buddha carried out a sample study on the female devotees observing the eight precepts (ata sil). She was surprised to learn about the petty reasons given as responses: to find a good husband, to escape from housebound duties, to be away from the husband and children, to ascend heaven and to be rich and pretty in the next life etc.
The additional three precepts are targeted at inculcating a well-disciplined simple life pattern among the devotees, disengaging in emotional feelings.
The Buddha never advised the devotees to abandon aesthetic living. A work of art by itself does not pollute the mind. It is by clinging or grasping (upadana)/trusna) to four forms of craving: clinging en pleasurable sensual experiences (karma), clinging to views and theories (dristi), clinging to rules and rituals (silabatha paramasa), and clinging to the belief in a permanent soul or self (atma vada) that the mind becomes tainted by defilements, vices or negative psychological tendencies (klesa). The beautiful objects and entities become sense provoking because of one’s desirable conceptual attachment (karma). The Buddhists appreciate the realistic sublimity of artistic creation with an awakened mind. For instance, the Buddha aesthetically appreciated and praised the song and the violin recital by the heavenly musician Panchacika who described the pristine beauty of a celestial dame called Suriyavajjasava. In a discourse with the priest Sona, who had been a violinist during lay life, the Buddha declared that he should tame his senses like controlling the tone of the violin strings While the Buddha disallowed the Jabbigya priests delivering sermons in a high pitch, he encouraged and praised delivering sermons by a particular rhythm (saraggha). The Buddha vehemently opposed an artist Bhikkhu who painted a sexy scene on the temple wall and the Buddha instituted regulations. In Sri Lanka, sermons in poetry and rhythmic recital of verses and protective formulae (paritto/pirit) are common. The cultural lives of the Sri Lankans are insightfully connected with aesthetics dance, poetry, song, painting, sculpture and music). Agricultural workers sing songs and recite folk poetry while they work in the fields. There have been renowned poets, writers and sculptors who have been Buddhist priests. For instance, the Guttila Kavyaya, a narrative poem composed by Venerable Vettewe Thera describes the splendours dancing of heavenly damsels.
There are two categories of monks. The forest dwellers (camp —vasi) who choose to emulate the lifestyle of the Buddha and the early Sangha by dwelling in sparsely populated rural areas who observe stringent austerities known as dhutangas. The others reside in monasteries (vihara).
The Buddha's lay disciple Anatapindika constructed a residence called Jetavanaramaya in a park in Sravasti for the Buddha and the monks it was a favourite place of the Buddha, and he spent nineteen rain-retreats (vassal there.
The viharas in Sri Lanka are equipped with essential modern facilities for honourable living.
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