Buddhism 102: Ethics

Lesson 1: Pure Precepts And Grave Precepts

In this lesson, we will begin to look at the fundamentals of Buddhist ethics. In this lesson, we will learn and examine:

• The importance of ethics in a non-monotheistic religion.
• The elements of the Eightfold Path.
• The Three Refuges and Three Pure Precepts--underlying principles behind the rules of ethics.
• The Ten Grave Precepts--the rules of conduct Buddhists follow.

Then we will

• Look more closely at the five grave precepts and how they apply.
• See how all acts can have a subtle relationship to the precepts.
• View the precepts in a number of ways, to get a multi-leveled insight on them.

As we work on this session, I suggest reading chapters 1, 3, 6-8 and 12-17 in Reb Anderson's Being Upright. Of course, feel free to read the other chapters as well.

Reading assignments are optional.

Spiritual practice

There's an often-quoted line about the difference between the terms "religion" and "spirituality": "Religion is for those who are afraid of going to Hell. Spirituality is for those who have been there." The author of this quote was probably not a Buddhist, but I think it applies nicely to Buddhist practice. It makes us look at why we do our practice, and understand what practice can do for us.

Buddhism is a non-monotheistic practice. This doesn't necessarily mean that Buddhists don't believe in a Higher Power; it simply means that we don't consider faith in One Being to be the defining point of a spiritual life.

This contrasts with a certain prevalent view of religion and morality in Western culture: You should do what God says you should do, because if you don't, you won't go to Heaven. People learning about Buddhism often get stuck on this assumption: If you don't believe that God commands you to do good things, then why would you do good things? Many Westerners believe that human beings will only refrain from evil when frightened of punishment.

This is why it's important to remember: "Spirituality is for those who have been there." We've all experienced suffering. We've all lived with the consequences of anger, greed and delusion. We know what it's like to be terrified, or humiliated, or jealous, or depressed. We don't want to feel that for ourselves, and we don't want other people to feel it. When we take on spiritual practice, we make it our mission to rescue beings who are suffering. We've been to Hell, and we don't want to go back there.

Traditional Buddhist teachings do have references to Heaven and Hell; many Buddhists do believe this in a literal way, that dying humans are reborn in a realm of reward and punishment. However, more contemporary Buddhists believe this in a symbolic sense. When you act in a way that creates suffering in your life, you live in Hell. When you act in a way that creates joy in your life, you live in Heaven.

There's another parable about that concept. A man is offered a tour of Heaven and Hell. First, he sees Hell, in which all the people are trying to eat with giant unwieldy chopsticks. They struggle to pick up food, but can't get any in their mouths--the chopsticks are too long. All the people there are starving and miserable, constantly tempted by the scent of food but never able to eat. Then he sees Heaven, and is surprised to see the same chopsticks. There, people are feeding each other.

To live ethically, by Buddhist standards, is to make the world a better place. We don't have to struggle with our own chopsticks. We also don't have to feel terrible about the times we did try to feed ourselves. We just have to do our best to feed each other. We act ethically so that we can create Heaven on Earth. We follow ethical precepts not because someone told us to, but because we know that the world can be a happier place. So perhaps spirituality is also for those who've already been to Heaven.

Sylvia Boorstein sums it up with a phrase she saw on a plaque:

LIFE IS SO DIFFICULT, HOW CAN WE BE ANYTHING BUT KIND? (xv)

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