Buddhist Code

[Potter]

I know a little bit, but still feel confused.

Dont speak bad.

Think good.

No butterfly.

No drugs or alcohol.

1) What is the buddhist code exactly?

2) How is it all incorporated to the thai society and thai values?

Thanks

Potter

[chownah]

I guess the "Buddhist Code" would be called "The Four Noble Truths". Entire books have been written about the Four Noble Truths so I'm not trying to give a thorough idea about them but in a nutshell they go something like this:

1. Life is filled with inadequacy and suffering.

2. The inadequacy and suffering we have in life is a result of our desires.

3. It is possible to make an end to these indadequacies and sufferings.

4. The way to end life's inadequacies and sufferings is to follow The Noble Eightfold Path.

Since the Four Noble Truths points directly at the Noble Eightfold Path then maybe it is part of the "Buddhist Code" too......if you want to understand the "Buddhist Code" you should at least check out the Four Noble Truths and maybe extend this to include the Noble Eightfold Path. There's lots of stuff on the internet so I'll let you discover it on your own...maybe someone else will suggest a good book or link for this stuff.

Chownah

[mosquitoman]

In my very limited knowledge at a guess The Buddhist code for lay people would be to:

Refrain from killing

Refrain from stealing

Refain from sexual misconduct

Refrain from Lying

Refrain from using intoxicants

as well as to try and follow the Noble Eightfold Path

whilst learning / accepting the The Four Noble Truths

MM

Edited November 22, 2006 by mosquitoman

[chownah]

I agree with mosquitoman and stand corrected. His version of the Buddhist Code of Conduct is better than mine and by the way if you want to go looking for it on the internet it is called the five precepts for laypeople...or something like that.

Chownah

[MarkBKK]

In my very limited knowledge at a guess The Buddhist code for lay people would be to:

Refrain from killing

Refrain from stealing

Refain from sexual misconduct

Refrain from Lying

Refrain from using intoxicants

as well as to try and follow the Noble Eightfold Path

whilst learning / accepting the The Four Noble Truths

MM

Oh dear. Are you sure that's correct? That would pretty well exlude most Thai monks ... and most of the laity too

[Grover]

In my very limited knowledge at a guess The Buddhist code for lay people would be to:

Refrain from killing

Refrain from stealing

Refain from sexual misconduct

Refrain from Lying

Refrain from using intoxicants

as well as to try and follow the Noble Eightfold Path

whilst learning / accepting the The Four Noble Truths

MM

Oh dear. Are you sure that's correct? That would pretty well exlude most Thai monks ... and most of the laity too

The key word here is "Refrain",

not "Thou Shalt Not..."

Edited November 23, 2006 by Grover

[Oleg_Rus]

The key word here is "Refrain",

not "I Shalt Not..."

Actually in the book you're refereng to says

"Though Shalt..." which is derived from "though shall not" , which has NOTHING to do with actuall "DON'T" as is it was written.

probably, Camerata can also clarify the language issues, so the code can be easily understood.

[MarkBKK]

The key word here is "Refrain",

not "I Shalt Not..."

Oxford

refrain v to stop oneself doing sth, esp sth that one would like to do

Collins

refrain vb (intr; usually followed by from) to abstain (from action)

[Grover]

In my very limited knowledge at a guess The Buddhist code for lay people would be to:

Refrain from killing

Refrain from stealing

Refain from sexual misconduct

Refrain from Lying

Refrain from using intoxicants

as well as to try and follow the Noble Eightfold Path

whilst learning / accepting the The Four Noble Truths

MM

Oh dear. Are you sure that's correct? That would pretty well exlude most Thai monks ... and most of the laity too

The key word here is "Refrain",

not "Thou Shalt Not..."

Let me do a backflip and say that wasn't the best way to respond to your comment.

The keyword refrain is important but on second reflection I couldn't work out how to apply it to your post. No worries.

[silvero]

This bit from a book I have might help clarify the language:

The Five Precepts:

1. I observe the precept of abstaining from the destruction of life.

2. I observe the precept of abstaining from taking that which is not given.

3. I observe the precept of abstaining from sexual misconduct

4. I observe the precept of abstaining from falsehood

5. I observe the precept of abstaining from intoxicants what cloud the mind and cause carelessness.

The refrain "I observe the precept of abstaining from..." which begins every precept clearly shows that these are not commandments. They are, indeed, moral codes of conduct that lay Buddhists willingly undertake out of clear understanding and conviction that they are good for both themselves and for society.

"Getting to know Buddhism" by Sunthorn Plamintr PhD

[billzant]

Dear Forum,

The OP also spoke of

2) How is it all incorporated to the thai society and thai values?

Any comments on this?

Hope you are keeping well,

All the Best

Bill Z

[chownah]

Dear Forum,

The OP also spoke of

2) How is it all incorporated to the thai society and thai values?

Any comments on this?

Hope you are keeping well,

All the Best

Bill Z

I guess my view on this is that Thai society is made up of the contributions made by Thai people and Buddhism in general is supposed to be something that an individual does within themselves....so...I guess to whatever degree the precepts effect Thai people (from my experience it does not impact Thai people so much) then it would get reflected in the culture. My view is that Thai culture does not reflect the Buddhist precepts very much. This is probably because there are so many other influences from other belief systems that effect Thai people that the precepts either get lost in the shuffle or are simply not stressed to Thais in their formative years.

Chownah

[bankei]

The 5 precepts are called Pancasila and are recited in the Pali language. If you have ever been to a temple or tam bun ceremony, you have probably heard them recited.

In Pali the precepts are worded like this:

xxxx veramaṇī sikkhāpadam samādiyāmi

xxx is the thing to be avoided, such as killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying and taking intoxicants.

veramani means to abstain from something

sikkhāpadam is a precept, or training rule

samādiyāmi means something like to take it upon oneself.

So all up it would mean something like this:

I undertake the training rule to abstain from xxx