Ethical Teachings

Ethical Teachings in Buddhism

The Five Moral Precepts

  • The Five Moral Precepts are the basic ethical guidelines followed by all Buddhists.
  • The precepts are not commandments but guidelines to help individuals refrain from actions that cause harm.
  • The precepts include: Refraining from taking life, Refraining from taking what is not given, Refraining from sexual misconduct, Refraining from false speech, and Refraining from intoxicants that cloud the mind.

Observance of the Five Moral Precepts

  • For Buddhists, observing the Five Moral Precepts is a form of practice that leads to individual and societal wellbeing.
  • For lay Buddhists, these guidelines may be observed with varying strictness depending on one’s personal commitment and situation.
  • Monks and nuns observe additional precepts that reflect their greater commitment to Buddhist practice.

Karma and Ethics

  • The concept of karma underpins Buddhist ethical teachings.
  • Karma means that one’s actions have consequences that can affect the present life and future lives.
  • Positive or wholesome actions lead to beneficial consequences while negative or unwholesome actions lead to negative consequences.
  • Ethics in Buddhism are therefore centered on cultivating virtuous actions and minimizing harmful ones.

Right Action and Right Speech

  • Right Action and Right Speech are aspects of the Eightfold Path which guide ethical conduct.
  • Right Action involves acting in ways that are kind and helpful, not harmful to oneself or others.
  • Right Speech involves abstaining from lies, divisive speech, harsh speech, and idle chatter.
  • Observing Right Action and Right Speech aids in cultivating an ethical lifestyle and ultimately leads towards enlightenment.

Metta and Karuna

  • Two key virtues in Buddhism are metta (loving-kindness) and karuna (compassion).
  • Metta is unselfish love or goodwill towards all beings, whereas karuna involves feeling empathy for the suffering of others and seeking to alleviate it.
  • Cultivating these virtues improves one’s ethical conduct and contributes to the reduction of dukkha (suffering) for oneself and others.

Engaged Buddhism

  • Led by figures like Thich Nhat Hanh, Engaged Buddhism applies Buddhist ethics to social and political issues.
  • Engaged Buddhists work actively for peace, environmental sustainability, and social justice, embodying the principle of compassion in action.
  • This modern form of Buddhism provides a practical model for active ethical engagement in the world.