Five Precepts - Chinese Mahayana Texts

Chinese Mahayana Texts

The format of the ceremony for taking the precepts occurs several times in the canon in slightly different forms, and each temple or tradition has slightly different ordination ceremonies.

One ceremonial version of the precepts can be found in the Treatise on Taking Refuge and the Precepts (simplified Chinese: 归戒要集; traditional Chinese: 歸戒要集; pinyin: Guījiè Yāojí):

1. As all Buddhas refrained from killing until the end of their lives, so I too will refrain from killing until the end of my life.

Simp. Chinese: 如(Rú) 诸(zhū) 佛(Fó) 尽(jìn) 寿(shòu) 不(bù) 杀(shā) 生(shēng)，我(Wǒ) 某(mŏu) 甲(jiǎ) 亦(yì) 尽(jìn) 寿(shòu) 不(bù) 杀(shā) 生(shēng)

Trad.Chinese: 如諸佛盡壽不殺生，我某甲亦盡壽不殺生

2. As all Buddhas refrained from stealing until the end of their lives, so I too will refrain from stealing until the end of my life.

Simp. Chinese: 如(Rú) 诸(zhū) 佛(Fó) 尽(jìn) 寿(shòu) 不(bù) 偷(tōu) 盗(dào)，我(Wǒ) 某(mŏu) 甲(jiǎ) 亦(yì) 尽(jìn) 寿(shòu) 不(bù) 偷(tōu) 盗(dào)

Trad. Chinese: 如諸佛盡壽不偷盜，我某甲亦盡壽不偷盜

3. As all Buddhas refrained from sexual misconduct until the end of their lives, so I too will refrain from sexual misconduct until the end of my life.

Simp. Chinese: 如(Rú) 诸(zhū) 佛(Fó) 尽(jìn) 寿(shòu) 不(bù) 淫(yín) 欲(yù), 我(Wǒ) 某(mŏu) 甲(jiǎ) 亦(yì) 尽(jìn) 寿(shòu) 不(bù) 邪(xié) 淫(yín)

Trad. Chinese: 如諸佛盡壽不淫欲，我某甲亦盡壽不邪淫

4. As all Buddhas refrained from false speech until the end of their lives, so I too will refrain from false speech until the end of my life.

Simp. Chinese: 如(Rú) 诸(zhū) 佛(Fó) 尽(jìn) 寿(shòu) 不(bù) 妄(wàng) 语(yǔ), 我(Wǒ) 某(mŏu) 甲(jiǎ) 亦(yì) 尽(jìn) 寿(shòu) 不(bù) 妄(wàng) 语(yǔ)

Trad. Chinese: 如諸佛盡壽不妄語，我某甲亦盡壽不妄語

5. As all Buddhas refrained from alcohol until the end of their lives, so I too will refrain from alcohol until the end of my life.

Simp. Chinese: 如(Rú) 诸(zhū) 佛(Fó) 尽(jìn) 寿(shòu) 不(bù) 饮(yǐn) 酒(jiǔ), 我(Wǒ) 某(mŏu) 甲(jiǎ) 亦(yì) 尽(jìn) 寿(shòu) 不(bù) 饮(yǐn) 酒(jiǔ)

Trad. Chinese: 如諸佛盡壽不飲酒，我某甲亦盡壽不飲酒

The same treatise outlines the option of undertaking fewer than all five precepts, though nearly all modern ceremonies involve undertaking all five precepts. Certainly, committing more skillful and fewer unskillful actions is beneficial. But before entering nirvana, the Buddha said his disciples should take the precepts as their teacher, so few ceremonies are held for partial precept undertaking. There are exceptions, however.

In concise terms, the late Dharma Master Yin-Shun, listed the Five Precepts simply as (translation by Wing H. Yeung, M.D.):

1. "Do not kill." (Unintentional killing is considered less offensive)
2. "Do not steal." (Including misappropriating someone's property)
3. "Do not engage in improper sexual conduct." (e.g. sexual contact not sanctioned by secular laws, the Buddhist monastic code, or by one's parents and guardians)
4. "Do not make false statements." (Also includes pretending to know something one doesn't)
5. "Do not drink alcohol."