Buddhist Ethics: The Five Precepts and Beyond

Buddhist Ethics

Ethics (sila) is the foundation of Buddhist practice.

The Five Precepts

The 5 lay precepts: no killing, no stealing, no sexual misconduct, no lying, no intoxicants.

The Eight Precepts

The 8 precepts are observed on Uposatha days.

The Ten Bodhisattva Precepts

The 10 bodhisattva precepts include the 5 plus 5 more.

The Ethical Principles

In addition to precepts, there are deeper ethical principles.

The Ethics of Compassion

Buddhist ethics is not legalism, but expression of compassion.

The Ethics of the Middle Path

The Buddha rejected indulgence and mortification.

Sources

• The Connected Discourses of the Buddha
• Bhikkhu Bodhi: The Buddha's Teachings
• The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism