Eight Lifetime Precepts

Updated 16 March 2024

Eight Lifetime Precepts

The Eight Lifetime Precepts Precepts were developed by Bhante Henepola Gunaratana Maha Thera at the Bhavana Society, West Virginia, USA. The Eight Lifetime Precepts are an expansion of Ajivatthamaka Sila (Eight Precepts with Right Livelihood as the Eighth).

https://bhavanasociety.org/

The Eight Lifetime Precepts

Pāṇātipātā veramaṇī‧sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi.
Adinnādānā veramaṇī‧sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi.
Kāmesu micchācārā veramaṇī‧sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi.
Musā‧vādā veramaṇī‧sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi.
Pisuṇāya vācāya veramaṇī‧sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi.
Pharusāya vācāya veramaṇī‧sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi.
Samphappalāpā veramaṇī‧sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi.
Micchā‧ājīvā ca surā‧meraya‧majja‧pamādaṭṭhānā ca veramaṇī‧sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi.

I undertake the training rule to abstain from taking life.
I undertake the training rule to abstain from taking what is not given.
I undertake the training rule to abstain from sensual misconduct.
I undertake the training rule to abstain from false speech.
I undertake the training rule to abstain from malicious speech.
I undertake the training rule to abstain from harsh speech.
I undertake the training rule to abstain from useless speech.
I undertake the training rule to abstain from wrong livelihood and from intoxicating drinks and drugs causing heedlessness.

The Eight Lifetime Precepts are an expansion of Ajivatthamaka Sila (Eight Precepts with Right Livelihood as the Eighth). The first seven Precepts are the same but the eighth Precept is an amalgamation of the eighth Precept of Ajivatthamaka Sila and the fifth Precept of Panca Sila (The Five Precepts): I undertake the training rule to abstain from wrong livelihood and from intoxicating drinks and drugs causing heedlessness.

Bhavana Vandana: Devotions for Meditation explains The Eight Lifetime Precepts on page x of the Introduction and in Part One Refuges and Precepts on pages 6-9.
“Eight Lifetime Precepts
The second selection in the book provides an opportunity for lay devotees to take the Eight Lifetime Precepts. These include the five basic precepts plus three other precepts relating to right speech. In addition to abstain from false speech, one who takes the Eight Lifetime Precepts promises to abstain from malicious speech, from harsh speech, and from useless speech. The basic precept to refrain from intoxicants is expanded to include right livelihood, aligning the way we earn our living with the principles of Dhamma. These precepts mirror the right action, right speech, and right livelihood sections of the Noble Eightfold Path.”

Buddhist Suttas for Recitation: A Companion for Walking the Buddha’s Path explains the Eight Lifetime Precepts on page xxvii of the Introduction and in Part One Refuges and Precepts on pages 8-11.

Bhante Henepola Gunaratana described the development of the Eight Lifetime Precepts in his 2001 book Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness: Walking the Path of the Buddha in Step 4 Skillful Action: Higher Precepts for Laypeople on pages 125-126. The Eight Lifetime Precepts were first offered at the Bhavana Society in 1998 for the 10th anniversary of the Bhavana Society.

Bhante Henepola Gunaratana Maha Thera is one of the founder Spiritual Advisors to BGKT Buddhist Group of Kendal (Theravada). Upasika Panna (a member of BGKT Buddhist Group of Kendal (Theravada)) received her Buddhist name and the Eight Lifetime Precepts from Bhante Henepola Gunaratana Maha Thera at Gaia House Devon, in June 2007.

http://buddhistgroupofkendal.co.uk/spiritual-advisors-venerable-dr-balangoda-ananda-maitreya-and-venerable-henepola-gunaratana/

Bibliography

Bhavana Vandana: Devotions for Meditation. Henepola Gunaratana, Bhante. 2008. (Revised edition), published by Bhavana Society High View West Virginia (USA).
Bhavana Vandana is available on the Internet Archive website
https://archive.org/details/BhavanaVandanaDevotionsForMeditation
https://ia801605.us.archive.org/18/items/BhavanaVandanaDevotionsForMeditation/VandanaDeskV19.pdf
https://archive.org/

Buddhist Suttas for Recitation: A Companion for Walking the Buddha’s Path, by Bhante Henepola Gunaratana, published by Wisdom USA, 2019. (ISBN 9781614294894)
https://wisdomexperience.org/product/buddhist-suttas-for-recitation/
https://wisdomexperience.org/bhante-g/
https://wisdomexperience.org/

Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness: walking the Path of The Buddha, Bhante Henepola Gunaratana, Wisdom Publications USA, 2001. (ISBN 9780861711765)
https://wisdomexperience.org/product/eight-mindful-steps-happiness/
https://wisdomexperience.org/bhante-g/
https://wisdomexperience.org/
Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness is available on the Internet Archive website
https://archive.org/details/eightmindfulstep0000guna_c9p3/page/n291/mode/2up 
https://archive.org/

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