Updated 5th April 2015
Panca Sila (The Five Precepts)
Panca Sila (The Five Precepts) are the minimum requirements for lay practitioners in Theravada Buddhism.
1) Panatipata veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami
I undertake the Precept to refrain from killing and injuring living beings
2) Adinnadana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami
I undertake the Precept to refrain from taking that which is not given
3) Kamesu micchacara veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami
I undertake the Precept to refrain from excessive sensuality
4) Musavada veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami
I undertake the Precept to refrain from false and harmful speech
5) Sura – meraya – majja pamadatthana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami
I undertake the Precept to refrain from drink and drugs which fuddle the mind and reduce mindfulness
The word Upasaka denotes a male lay disciple and Upasika denotes a female lay disciple. An Upasaka is defined by Venerable Nyanatiloka in his Buddhist Dictionary as:
Literally ‘sitting close by, i.e. a ‘lay adherent’ is any lay follower who is filled with faith and has taken refuge in the Buddha, his doctrine and his community of noble disciples. His virtue is regarded as pure if he observes the Five Precepts (Panca Sila). He should avoid the following wrong ways of livelihood: trading in arms; in living beings; meat; alcohol; and poison.”
Bibliography
Nyanatiloka, Venerable. 1980. (4th revised edition) Buddhist Dictionary: Manual of Buddhist Terms and Doctrines. (Kandy, Sri Lanka, BPS Buddhist Publication Society).
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://urbandharma.org/pdf/palidict.pdf
See the webpage on this website:
Ajivatthamaka Sila (Eight Precepts with Right Livelihood as the Eighth) Bibliography