Updated 14 April 2024
Dasa Sila (The Ten Precepts)
Theravada Buddhism has two different versions of Dasa Sila (The Ten Precepts)
Dasa Sila (The Ten Precepts)
Dasa Sila (The Ten Precepts) ending with wrong view/micchā-ditthiyā
Professor Georg W Bond explains in the Chapter Theravada Buddhism’s Two Formulations of the Dasa Sila and the Ethics of the Gradual Path in Pali Buddhism on page 17
Theravada’s texts and commentaries contain two formulations of the dasa sīla which differ at important points.
Dasa Sila (The Ten Precepts)
1) Panatipata veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami
2) Adinnadana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami
3) Abrahmacariya veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami
4) Musavada veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami
5) Sura meraya majja pamadatthana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami
6) Vikala bhojana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami
7) Nacca gita vadita visuka dassana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami
8) Mala gandha vilepana dharana mandana vibhusanautthana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami
9) Uccha sayana maha sayana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami vibhusanautthana
10) Jatarupa-rajata-patiggahana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami
Dasa Sīla (The Ten Precepts) with Diacriticals
1) Pāṇātipātā veramaṇī‧sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi.
2) Adinnādānā veramaṇī‧sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi.
3) Abrahmacariyā veramaṇī‧sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi.
4) Musāvādā veramaṇī‧sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi.
5)Surā‧meraya‧majja‧pamādaṭṭhānā veramaṇī‧sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi.
6) Vikāla‧bhojanā veramaṇī‧sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi.
7) Nacca gīta‧vādita‧visūka‧dassana‧
8) Mālā‧gandha‧vilepana‧dhāraṇa‧maṇḍana‧vibhūsanaṭṭhānā veramaṇī‧sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi.
9) Uccā‧sayana‧mahā‧sayanā veramaṇī‧sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi
10) Jātarupa-rajata-patiggahanā veramaṇī‧sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi
Dasa Sīla (The Ten Precepts)
1) I undertake the Precept to refrain from killing and injuring living beings
2) I undertake the Precept to refrain from taking that which is not given
3) I undertake the Precept to abstain from all sexual activity and non-celibate conduct
4) I undertake the Precept to refrain from false and harmful speech
5) I undertake the Precept to refrain from drink and drugs which fuddle the mind and reduce mindfulness
6) I undertake the Precept to abstain from eating at improper times
7) I undertake the Precept to abstain from dancing, singing, music, shows
8) I undertake the Precept to abstain from wearing garlands, using perfumes, and beautifying with cosmetics
9) I undertake the Precept to abstain from the use of high and large seats and beds
10) I undertake the Precept to abstain from accepting gold and silver
Dasa Sila (The Ten Precepts)
Although Dasa Sila (The Ten Precepts) are often described as Monastic Precepts they are also taken by some lay Buddhist Upasakas and Upasikas.
In A Buddhist’s Manual Hammalawa Saddhatissa, Venerable, and Pesala, Venerable. explains in the Chapter Devotional Stanzas on page 7
….some devout Buddhists feel able to adhere to the Ten precepts…
In Basic Principles of Burmese Buddhism Sao Htun Hmat Win describes the Dasa Sila (Ten Precepts) on page 28 as Ten Precepts of Laity .
Bibliography
Books
Hoffman, Frank J. and Mahinda Deegalle (Editors). Pali Buddhism. 1996. (Richmond UK, Curzon Press). (Studies in Asian Philosophy Series). (ISBN 0-7007-0359-4).
Bond, George. D. Section I Philological Foundations, Chapter 1 Theravada Buddhism’s Two Formulations of the Dasa Sila and the Ethics of the Gradual Path.
https://archive.org/details/palibuddhismmahindadeegallefrankhoffmanj.sunnynum_357_J
Hoffman, Frank J. and Mahinda Deegalle (Editors). Pali Buddhism. 2016.(UK, Routledge). (Studies in Asian Philosophy Series). (ISBN 0-9781138994737).
Bond, George. D. Section I Philological Foundations, Chapter 1 Theravada Buddhism’s Two Formulations of the Dasa Sila and the Ethics of the Gradual Path.
https://www.routledge.com/Pali-Buddhism/Hoffman-Mahinda/p/book/9781138994737
Hammalawa Saddhatissa, Venerable, and Pesala, Venerable. A Buddhist’s Manual. 1990. (2nd edition) (London, British Mahabodhi Society).
Win, Sao Htun Hmat. Basic Principles of Burmese Buddhism. 1985. (Yangon [Rangoon], Myanmar [Burma], Department of Religious Affairs).
https://openlibrary.org/books/OL1064902M/Basic_principles_of_Burmese_Buddhism
https://openlibrary.org/authors/OL569445A/Htun_Hmat_Win_Sao.
Websites
Theravada Buddhism’s Two Formulations of the dasa sila and the Ethics of the Gradual Path.
https://www.scholars.northwestern.edu/en/publications/theravada-buddhisms-two-formulations-of-the-dasa-sila-and-the-eth