Panca Sila (The Five Precepts) in the Pali Canon

Updated 3rd April 2015

Panca Sila (The Five Precepts) in the Pali Canon

Panca Sila (The Five Precepts)

1. Panatipata veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami.
2. Adinnadana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami.
3. Kamesu micchacara veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami.
4. Musavada veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami.
5. Sura meraya majja pamadatthana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami

The Five Precepts (Panca Sila)

1. I undertake the rule of training to refrain from killing living beings.
2. I undertake the rule of training to refrain from taking what is not given.
3. I undertake the rule of training to refrain from sexual misconduct.
4. I undertake the rule of training to refrain from false speech.
5. I undertake the rule of training to refrain from drugs and drink which tend to cloud the mind.

Panca Sila
(The Five Precepts) in The Pali Canon

Ajahn Amaro, the abbot of Amaravati Monastery emphasizes that in some prominent places in the suttas only the first four precepts are mentioned, whereas all five precepts are described together in other suttas. Ajahn Amaro points out that the first four precepts are pakati-sila whereas the fifth precept is pannati-sila. He provided details of the Suttas listed below.

Venerable Nyanatiloka explains in his Buddhist Dictionary that pakati-sila [is] natural or genuine morality, [which] is distinct from those outward rules of conduct laid down for either laymen or monks. Those latter are the so-called prescribed morality (pannatti-sila). (Venerable Nyanatiloka. Buddhist Dictionary: Manual of Buddhist Terms and Doctrines. 1997. (5th revised edition) Kandy, Sri Lanka, BPS Buddhist Publication Society.) (ISBN 955-24-0019-8)
Available online at Google Books http://books.google.com
Available online at http://www.palikanon.com/english/wtb/dic_idx.html
Available online at http://www.budsas.org/ebud/bud-dict/dic_idx.htm
Available online at http://www.urbandharma.org/pdf/palidict.pdf
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DN Digha Nikaya

DN 1 Brahmajala Sutta

Available online on the www.accesstoinsight.org/ website as:
DN 1 Brahmajala Sutta
PTS: D i 1
Brahmajala Sutta: The All-embracing Net of Views
translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.01.0.bodh.html
The Long Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Digha Nikaya. 1987. Translated from the Pali by Maurice Walsh. 1996. (Kandy, Sri Lanka, BPS Buddhist Publication Society). (ISBN 955-24-0154-2), Division One: The Moralities, Sutta 1 Brahmajala Sutta: The Supreme Net, pages 67-90. (Short Section on Morality 1.8 and 1.9 pages 68-69 includes the first Four Precepts of The Five Precepts Panca Sila. Notes are on page 538.)
Available online at Google Books http://books.google.com

Dialogues of the Buddha. Part I. Translated from the Pali of the Digha Nikaya by T.W. Rhys Davids. (Oxford, Pali Text Society, 1977 reprint of 1899.) (ISBN 0-7100-7629-0) (Sacred Books of the Buddhists Series Volume II). Brahmajala Sutta: The Perfect Net, pages xxv- 55. (The Moralities Part I Kula Sila: The Short Paragraphs on Conduct, 1.8 and 1.9 pages 3-5 include the first Four Precepts of The Five Precepts Panca Sila.)
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DN 26 Cakkavatti Sutta

Available online on the www.accesstoinsight.org / website as:
DN 26
PTS: D iii 58
Cakkavatti Sutta: The Wheel-turning Emperor
translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.26.0.than.html
The Long Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Digha Nikaya. 1987. Translated from the Pali by Maurice Walsh. 1996. (Kandy, Sri Lanka, BPS Buddhist Publication Society). (ISBN 955-24-0154-2). Division Three: The Patika Division, Sutta 26 Cakkavatti-Sihanada Sutta: The Lion’s Roar on the Turning of the Wheel, pages 395-405. (26.6 pages 397-398 includes the Five Precepts Panca Sila. Notes are on page 601.)
Available online at Google Books http://books.google.com

Dialogues of the Buddha. Part III. Translated from the Pali of the Digha Nikaya by T.W. and C. A.F. Rhys Davids. (Oxford, Pali Text Society, 1995 reprint of 1921.) (ISBN 0-86013-035-5) (Sacred Books of the Buddhists Series Volume IV). Cakkavatti-Sihanada Sutta: The Lion Roar on the Turning of the Wheel, pages 53-76. (26.6 pages 63-64 includes the Five Precepts Panca Sila.)

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DN 31 Sigalovada Sutta

Available online on the www.accesstoinsight.org/ website as:
DN 31
PTS: D iii 180
Sigalovada Sutta: The Discourse to Sigala
The Layperson’s Code of Discipline
translated from the Pali by Narada Thera
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html

The Long Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Digha Nikaya. 1987. Translated from the Pali by Maurice Walsh. 1996. (Kandy, Sri Lanka, BPS Buddhist Publication Society). (ISBN 955-24-0154-2), Division Three: The Patika Division, Sutta 31 Sigalaka Sutta: To Sigalaka Advice to Lay People, pages 461-469. (31.3 pages 461-462 includes the first Four Precepts of The Five Precepts Panca Sila. Notes are on page 612.) (31.7 and 31.8 page 462 include the Fifth Precept of The Five Precepts Panca Sila.)
Available online at Google Books http://books.google.com

Dialogues of the Buddha. Part III. Translated from the Pali of the Digha Nikaya by T.W. and C. A.F. Rhys Davids. (Oxford, Pali Text Society, 1995 reprint of 1921.) (ISBN 0-86013-035-5) (Sacred Books of the Buddhists Series Volume IV). Sigolavada Sutta, pages 168-184. (31.3 pages 174 includes the first Four Precepts of The Five Precepts Panca Sila.) (31.7 and 31.8, page 175 include the Fifth Precept of The Five Precepts Panca Sila.)

Available online on the www.accesstoinsight.org/ website as:
The Wheel Publication No: 14
Everyman’s Ethics
Four Discourses of the Buddha
adapted from the translations of Narada Thera
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/narada/wheel014.html

Available online on the www.bps.lk/ http://www.bps.lk/library_wheels.php as
The Wheel Publication No: 14
Everyman’s Ethics
Four Discourses of the Buddha
Adapted from the translations of
Narada Thera
Buddhist Publication Society
Kandy Sri Lanka
http://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh014-p.html

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AN Anguttara Nikaya

AN Anguttara Nikaya, AN 5:171.5:172, 5:173
Book of the Fives, Suttas 171–3

The Book of the Gradual Sayings: (Anguttara-Nikaya) or More Numbered Suttas Vol III (The Books of the Fives and Sixes) 1995 reprint of 1934. (Translator F.L.Woodward). (Oxford, Pali Text Society). (ISBN 0-86013-016-9), The Book of The Fives, Chapter XVIII The Lay Disciple, (171) Fearfulness, (172) Confidence, (173) Hell, page 150.

The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha: A New Translation of the Anguttara Nikaya: Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi. 2012. (Boston USA, Wisdom Publications) (ISBN 978-1-61429-040-7). The Book of the Fives, Chapter III The Lay Follower, 171(1) Timidity, 172 (2) Self-Confidence, 173(3) Hell, pages 786-787.
Available online at Google Books http://books.google.com

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AN Anguttara Nikaya

 AN 8.25, Book of the Eights, Sutta 25
Available online on the www.accesstoinsight.org/ website as:
AN 8.25
PTS: A iv 220
Mahanama Sutta: Being a Lay Buddhist
translated from the Pali by Kumara Bhikkhu
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.025.kuma.html

The Book of the Gradual Sayings: (Anguttara-Nikaya) or More Numbered Suttas Vol IV (The Books of the Sevens, Eights and Nines) 1989 reprint of 1934. (Translator F.L.Woodward). (Oxford, Pali Text Society). (ISBN 0-7100-0092-8), The Book of The Eights, (25) Mahanama The Sakyan, pages 149-150.

The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha: A New Translation of the Anguttara Nikaya: Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi. 2012. (Boston USA, Wisdom Publications) (ISBN 978-1-61429-040-7). The Book of the Eights, III Householders, 25(5) Mahanama, pages 1154-1155.
Available online at Google Books http://books.google.com

Anguttara Nikaya Anthology: An anthology of discourses from the Anguttara Nikaya
[Earlier published as Wheel Publications 155-158; 208-211; 238-24]
Selected and translated from the Pali by Nyanaponika Thera and Bhikkhu Bodhi
BPS Buddhist Publication Society
Kandy, Sri Lanka
2007
(ISBN 13: 978-955-24-0297-5)
The Chapter of the Eights, 119. The Lay Follower (8.25), pages 141-142.

Available online on the www.bps.lk/ http://www.bps.lk/library_wheels.php as
The Wheel Publication No. 208–211
Anguttara Nikaya An Anthology, Part II
Selected and translated from the Pali
by Nyanaponika Thera and Bhikkhu Bodhi
BPS Buddhist Publication Society
Kandy, Sri Lanka
http://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh208-p.html#50.TheLayFollower
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Anguttara Nikaya

 AN 9.20, Book of the Nines, Sutta 20

Available online on the www.accesstoinsight.org / website as:
AN 9.20
PTS: A iv 392
Velama Sutta: About Velama
translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an09/an09.020.than.html

The Book of the Gradual Sayings: (Anguttara-Nikaya) or More Numbered Suttas Vol IV (The Books of the Sevens, Eights and Nines) 1989 reprint of 1934. (Translator F.L.Woodward). (Oxford, Pali Text Society). (ISBN 0-7100-0092-8), The Book of The Nines, (20) Velama, pages 262-265.

The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha: A New Translation of the Anguttara Nikaya: Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi. 2012. (Boston USA, Wisdom Publications) (ISBN 978-1-61429-040-7). The Book of the Nines, II The Lion’s Roar, 20(10) Velama, pages 1274-1277, Notes pages 1822-1823.
Available online at Google Books http://books.google.com

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SN Samyutta Nikaya

SN Samyutta Nikaya 14.25

The Book of the Kindred Sayings: (Samyutta-Nikaya) or Grouped Suttas Part II The Nidana Book (Nidana-Vagga) (Volume II) 1997 reprint of 1922. (Mrs C.A.F. Rhys Davids and F.L.Woodward translators). (Oxford, Pali Text Society). (0-86013-007-X)
Part II Book Called the Nidanavagga containing Kindred Sayings on Cause and Other Subjects, Chapter XIV 14 Kindred Sayings on Elements, 3 Courses of Action, 25(3) The Five Moral Precepts, page 112, includes The Five Precepts Panca Sila.

The Connected Discourses of the Buddha: A New Translation of the Samyutta Nikaya: Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi. 2000. (Volume I) (Boston USA, Wisdom Publications) (ISBN 0-86171-188-2), Part II Book of Causation (Nidanavagga), Chapter III 14 Dhatasamyutta: Connected Discourses on Elements, III Courses of Kamma, 25(3) The Five Training Rules, page 644,includes The Five Precepts Panca Sila.
Available online at Google Books http://books.google.com

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Sn Sutta Nipata

Sn Sutta Nipata, Sn 2.14 Dhammika Sutta

Available online on the www.accesstoinsight.org/ website as:
Sn 2.14
PTS: Sn 376-378, 383-404
Dhammika Sutta: Dhammika
(excerpt)
translated from the Pali by John D. Ireland
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.2.14.irel.html

The Group of Discourses: Sutta-Nipata. Volume II. Revised Translation with Introduction and Notes by K.R.Norman. (Oxford, Pali Text Society, 1992) (ISBN 0-86013-303-6) II.The Small Chapter, 14. Dhammika, Verses 393-399, pages 41-43, (includes The Five Precepts Panca Sila.)

Available online on the www.accesstoinsight.org/ website as:
The Wheel Publication No: 82
The Discourse Collection:
Selected Texts from the Sutta Nipata
by John D. Ireland
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/ireland/wheel082.html

Available online on the www.bps.lk/ http://www.bps.lk/library_wheels.php as
The Wheel Publication No: 82
The Discourse Collection:
Selected Texts from the Suttanipata
Translated by John D. Ireland
BPS Buddhist Publication Society
Kandy, Sri Lanka
http://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh082-p.html

Theravada