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how to live a good life from the philosophy of the Buddha.
The Buddha was a philosopher, spiritual teacher, and religious leader who is credited as the
founder of Buddhism.
Often referred to as the "Enlightened One", Buddha’s teachings are followed to this
day by millions of people around the world.
The teachings of Buddha revolve around Dukkha, which means suffering.
He acknowledges that suffering is an integral part of life but at the same time he guides
us how to live without it.
This end of Dukkha, end of suffering is regarded as the state of Nirvana.
Buddha was born in Lumbini, Nepal, in 566 BC, as Siddhartha Gautama into an aristocratic
family.
When he was twenty-nine years old he left the comforts of his home to seek the meaning
of the suffering he saw around him, to search for a life beyond life and death.
After six years of self-mortification, he realized that the search for divinity lies
not in worldly things but in the mind.
Thus, abandoning self-mortification, he sat in mindful meditation beneath a bodhi tree.
On the full moon of May, with the rising of the morning star, Siddhartha Gautama became
the Buddha, the awakened one.
After reaching enlightenment, the Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, wrote out some basic rules
to be followed in daily practice which he called “The Five Precepts”.
These five precepts of Buddhism can be seen as a representation of Buddhist values and
principles.
They have a lot of depth, and involve renouncing some behaviors, while developing other, more
wholesome qualities.
Hence following these precepts helps us build our moral character, and by developing our
moral character we accumulate good karma and as such are able to live a good life.
The teachings of Buddha have always had a huge influence not only in Asia, but around
the world, which is why in this video we take a look at how to live a good life, according
to the 5 precepts from the philosophy of the Buddha.
1.
Abstain from Killing Buddha says “One should not kill a living
being, nor cause it to be killed, nor should one incite another to kill.
Do not injure any being, either strong or weak, in the world”
The first precept is to abstain from killing.
Of course, most of us don’t plan on killing anyone!
But Buddha isn’t just referring to not killing human beings here, he’s talking about not
killing any sentient being with a consciousness and a mind of its own.
Thus, abstaining from killing includes all animals, from giant mammals to the smallest
insects.
This precept also means that we should avoid any behaviors that harm others in any way,
nor should we deliberately participate in any form of destruction of life.
There are many ways to follow this precept.
One of these is focusing on your primary reactions.
For example imagine a mosquito stings you.
Most of the time, we try to crush the mosquito - This is very much our unconscious response
to the sting.
Buddha however, asks us to refrain from these kinds of primary reactions which result in
you killing living beings.
Another example is when you walk down the street and step on an ant.
Of course, if you don’t see it, it isn’t seen as bad karma, however if you do see the
ant and you want to adhere to this precept, you should consciously step around it.
Put simply: Our intentions matter.
Another way to follow this precept is by not instructing someone else to kill on your behalf.
For example, when you eat or wear something that's made of animals, sure you didn’t
kill anything directly, but it is no different than performing the killing yourself, as after
all, the intention for something to be killed for your benefit is still behind those actions.
The third and most subtle form is keeping to the precept with your mind.
For example when one gets into a fight or an argument, in the heat of the moment we
often wish death to the person we believed wronged us.
Of course we really don't mean it, but if we were to follow this precept and build our
moral compass, we should work towards not having thoughts that go in the direction of
killing creatures, and even more subtly, not harboring malicious thoughts at all.
Buddha, instead, asks us to focus on emotions such as empathy, compassion, and the desire
for welfare for others.
We must protect the mind and abstain from killing or to a lesser extreme, do no harm
out of malice.
The ultimate goal of this mindset is to go beyond simply avoiding killing and develop
our compassion and sense of loving-kindness.
We can practice this love and kindness by respecting all forms of life, by acknowledging
that life is dear to all beings and they have the same right to live as we do.
Once we start respecting all forms of life, we will be mindful of our activities, like
what we eat, and what we wear, to avoid the suffering caused by the destruction of life.
When you practice this, you will not only live a good life for yourself, but will become
a safe haven, a beacon of peace for all beings.
2.
Abstain from Stealing The Buddha tells us “Generosity brings happiness
at every stage of its expression.
We experience joy in forming the intention to be generous.
We experience joy in the actual act of giving something”.
The second precept is to abstain from stealing, but this goes way further than breaking into
someone’s house, taking things from a store without paying for them, and the like.
A better translation would perhaps be ‘abstain from taking what is not given’.
It means having a deep respect for the property of others.
It means not just assuming that you can borrow something or you can just move other people’s
things without permission.
This precept also extends to property that is less tangible.
For example personal space or time.
In that context, for example, it means not wasting someone’s time or taking credit
for someone else’s work.
Equally, giving someone else the order to steal something is not in accordance with
the precept either.
We would not want others to steal from us, so following the same principle we should
not take from others what is not our own.
This brings us to the active side of this precept - that which needs to be developed
- and is known in Buddhism as Dāna - a Sanskrit and Pali word which means “giving”.
It also refers to the practice of cultivating generosity.
Buddha asks us to focus on aspects such as honesty and generosity.
This can come in the form of giving away wealth, but it can also be manifested simply by showing
respect to others, by donating your time to helping people, or by donating things that
you don’t need anymore, whether it’s clothes, household appliances, kids toys, food, whatever…You
can volunteer at local services and support groups, or participate in any other form of
charity that would benefit others, and not the other way around.
3.
Abstain from Sexual Misconduct To quote the Buddha “So one, always mindful,
should avoid sensual desires.
Letting them go, he will cross over the flood like one who, having bailed out the boat,
has reached the far shore.
The 'flood' refers to the deluge of human suffering.”
Although the Buddha and his monks lived a life of celibacy, and the Buddha repeatedly
indicates that desire is the cause of the unsatisfactory nature of existence, he does
not speak out against sexual acts in general for lay people.
He does, however, speak out against sexual misconduct.
As an example of sexual misconduct he mentions -
sexual acts with someone who still falls under the protection of mother or father,
with someone who already has a steady relationship aka cheating, or non-consensual and abusive
sexual acts.
In essence, it concerns any form of sexual act that harms the other person.
And of course, ordering, assisting or advising someone to go ahead with any sexual misconduct
also goes against the Buddha’s precepts.
Modern day practitioners often ask what Buddhism has to say about pornography, prostitution,
and other sex-related topics.
The reasons behind sexual misconduct are often complex and deep-rooted, and so this precept
does not give a comprehensive answer in isolation.
The precepts are meant to be taken as a whole, and as such, sexual misconduct is often defined
in relation to other ethical guidelines.
When considering how our actions affect other people, some questions we should always consider
are; Are your choices deceitful?
Do they involve taking that which has not been given to you?
Are your sexual relationships causing harm to yourself or others?
Hence, we must try to live with a pure intentioned nature to live a good life, value our bodies
and those of others with the utmost care and respect.
4.
Abstain from Wrong Speech
The Buddha asks us "And what is right speech?
Abstaining from lying, from divisive speech, from abusive speech, & from idle chatter:
This is called right speech."
The fourth precept is to abstain from speaking in the wrong way.
Buddha asks us to abstain from four types of speech -
Telling lies Backbiting, slander and talk that may bring
about hatred, hostility, and discord among individuals or groups of people
Harsh, rude, impolite, malicious, and abusive language, and finally;
Idle, useless, or foolish babble and gossip.
According to Buddha, lying is like standing still on the road and throwing away everything
you have accomplished.
Only someone who speaks the truth, can see through the truth, he states.
Abstaining from wrong speech also means that you don’t gossip with your colleagues.
The main motive behind refraining oneself from indulging in harmful speech is to cause
no divisions, which means that you don’t say things that cause discord between people
or groups.
If we observe most of our conversations, we will see how difficult this practice is to
follow.
We humans are gifted with speech, and our speech contains a lot of potential to cause
changes, and this has only increased in the modern age; with social media making communication
so easy, and so public.
Unfortunately, we often use our words to spread ill, disrupt peace and livelihood, and spread
suffering worldwide.
We tend to think of violent, hateful words as being less damaging than violent action.
But violent words, thoughts, and actions arise together and support each other.
The same can be said for peaceful words, thoughts, and actions.
When one abstains from these forms of wrong and harmful speech, one naturally has to speak
the truth, has to use words that are friendly and benevolent, pleasant and gentle, meaningful,
and useful.
Those who live in honesty and speak the truth focus on reality.
If you adhere to this rule of life, you also bring harmony into your own life and into
the lives of those around you, you gain a soft and friendly mind, and you are trustworthy.
You then become nice and inspiring to listen to, and others never have to worry about what
you say.
When words are used mindfully and for peaceful purposes, it can heal people, bring forth
happiness, and provide necessary aid to the ones suffering, and in this way you contribute
to peace and tranquility in the world.
Refrain from taking intoxicants
In our last quote from Buddha for this video, he says’ One is to refrain from drinking
even a drop of alcohol and taking intoxicants because they are the cause of heedlessness.
If any Buddhists succumb to the lure of intoxicating drinks, they shall not consider me as a teacher’
The last of the five precepts is to refrain from taking intoxicants that cloud the mind
and cause negligence.
This means not consuming drugs and alcohol or anything that prevents or works against
achieving mindfulness.
Drugs and alcohol divide the mind and makes achieving mindfulness in any form impossible.
On the other hand, abstention from intoxicants helps to maintain sobriety and a sense of
responsibility.
Socially, it helps to prevent accidents, such as car accidents, that can easily take place
under the influence of intoxicating drink or drugs.
Many crimes in society are committed under the influence of these harmful substances.
The negative effects they have on spiritual practice are all-too obvious as well.
It is because one who breaks the precept of abstaining from intoxication is significantly
more likely to break the other four precepts such as abstaining from killing living beings,
or engaging in sexual misconduct in any form, which demolishes all morality.
Refraining from taking intoxicants is a traditional way of detoxifying our bodies and minds.
However, following this precept is very difficult in modern society since alcohol and for some
of us, consuming drugs, is considered a means of socialization and relaxation.
However if you want to develop your moral character in line with Buddha's teachings,
down to the last detail, there are no exceptions.
Not even a sip of that one glass of champagne on your wedding night.
Since following this is so difficult, we live in delusions.
We tell ourselves “occasional consumption is fine” or that we are “free spirited”,
but if you stick to keep to this precept, and are unable to, then you need to accept
that you have desires and you need to counter these desires by having the willpower to not
always do what you feel like doing.
We need to renounce this part of our lifestyle completely.
It is also useful to look at the mental side of this precept as well.
Our mind can also become intoxicated without the use of external intoxicants.
Think of something you have a deep longing for.
Maybe a particular car, house or other expensive lifestyle item, or to get a particular job
or work for a certain company.
If a very strong longing manifests itself in your mind, you may well lose internal peace
and control.
If our minds are too full then there is no room for wholesome thoughts to grow and flourish.
In a full mind there is no space for simply being, and there is no emptiness to nurture
and refresh our being.
Having our minds full-up all the time becomes very stressful and tiring not only for ourselves
but also for those with whom we interact.
This, however, doesn't mean that we should not desire a better lifestyle or not have
ambitions, just that we should be mindful that we do not fixate on such thoughts and
feelings.
When we allow thoughts, feelings, and other mental processes to roll freely through the
mind and not to stick to it, the mind becomes completely immune to all forms of intoxicant.
Thus when we develop such mindfulness, we keep our mind in balance which results in
us living a good life.
It is mindfulness that is at the basis of all precepts just as the lack of it is at
the basis of breaking all precepts.
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