TL;DR: The Five Precepts are the five basic rules that the Buddha laid down for lay Buddhists: do not kill, do not steal, do not commit sexual misconduct, do not lie, do not drink alcohol. Keeping the Five Precepts is the practice step after taking refuge in the Three Jewels, helping to prevent evil deeds, restrain body and mind and build a moral life. The Aṅguttara Nikāya (AN 8.39, AN 5.179) sets out the five precepts for lay followers; the article on the Five Precepts in the Dhammapada on phatgiao.org.vn regards the Five Precepts as the framework that creates happiness for individuals and communities.
What Are the Five Precepts?
The five precepts are the five basic rules for lay Buddhists, after they have taken refuge in the Three Jewels. The five precepts are: no killing, no stealing, no sexual misconduct, no lying, and no drinking alcohol. These are not only prohibitions but also the moral foundation for building personal, family, and social happiness.
According to Most Venerable Thich Chan Tinh, after taking refuge in the Three Jewels, Buddhists need to practice the Buddha's teachings, the precepts that prevent evil deeds, restrain body and mind, and cultivate morality and character. The five precepts are compared to the foundation for building a house of happiness, the basis of wisdom, morality, compassion, and liberation[1].
In the Dhammapada, the five precepts are seen as the firm foundation that creates happiness for the individual and the community. One who has aroused the mind to take refuge in the Three Jewels has stepped onto the ladder of liberation, but if they do not keep the five precepts, they have only stepped one rung and then stopped[2].
In the Pali Canon, these five precepts appear in the Aṅguttara Nikāya (Numerical Discourses), for example AN 8.39 and AN 5.179. AN 8.39 sets the three refuges beside the five precepts (no killing, no stealing, no sexual misconduct, no lying, no intoxicants) as eight kinds of overflowing merit, and calls the five precepts five great gifts, since each gives countless beings freedom from fear, enmity, and ill will[6]. AN 5.179 says that white-clothed lay followers whose actions are restrained in the five precepts also gain four blissful meditations in this life belonging to the higher mind (experiential confidence in the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha, and ethical conduct loved by the noble ones), and may declare themselves stream-enterers[7].
What Are the Lay Buddhist's Five Precepts in the Pali Canon?
No Killing
No killing means not taking the life of living beings, from humans to animals. It is not limited to the act of killing; this precept also includes not giving rise to thoughts of harming the lives of living beings. If one kills oneself, tells another to kill, or rejoices when seeing another kill, one commits the offense of killing. The reason is that life is more precious than anything in the world, and one who has the mind to kill living beings lacks compassion and does not respect Buddha-nature[1].
No Stealing
No stealing means not taking what is not given[7].
No Sexual Misconduct
According to Most Venerable Thich Chan Tinh, sexual misconduct is improper sexual relations, as opposed to sexual relations that are lawful and in accord with affection[1].
No Lying
No lying means not speaking what is untrue; in AN 5.179 and AN 8.39 the fourth precept speaks only of lying[6][7]. The article by Most Venerable Thich Chan Tinh (source 1) understands it more broadly: lying has four forms, including embellished, divisive, and harsh speech[1]; the article at source 4 also lists those four kinds of speech[4]. That is an extension by the Vietnamese sources, not the wording of the fourth precept in the suttas.
No Drinking Alcohol
No drinking alcohol means not using intoxicants that cause loss of clarity. This precept is not only a separate rule but also the foundation protecting the other four precepts, because when drunk, people easily lose control and may break the other precepts[2]. In the Dhammapada, this precept is stated as "not drinking intoxicating liquor"[2].
How Do Taking Refuge in the Three Jewels and Taking the Five Precepts Differ?
Taking refuge in the Three Jewels is the formal ceremony of becoming a disciple of the Buddha, relying on the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. According to Most Venerable Thich Chan Tinh, when we have taken refuge in the Three Jewels, we are officially the Buddha's disciples, and the Buddha's disciples must learn the Buddha's conduct and must keep the five basic precepts[1].
Thich Tam Hiep, in an article in Bao Phap Luat Viet Nam (2021), recalls that in the North, when taking refuge, monks often use a "refuge certificate" (Điệp quy y) without giving the five precepts, unlike in the Central and Southern regions. He relates the words of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh: "It should not be called a refuge certificate but a precept-protection certificate (điệp hộ giới), because taking refuge means vowing to protect the five precepts"[3].
How Do the Five Precepts in the Dhammapada and the Pali Canon Differ?
The Dhammapada is a collection of short, concise verses, often used to teach morality to Buddhists. In the Dhammapada, the five precepts are presented as the five rules the Buddha taught, and one who keeps the five precepts is seen as walking on the path of liberation. According to Tam Minh Ngo Tang Giao, the five precepts not only lead people forward on the path of liberation but also bring order, peace, and happiness to family, nation, and society[2].
Meanwhile, AN 8.39 sets the five precepts beside the three refuges as eight kinds of overflowing merit[6], while AN 5.179 gives the five precepts together with the four blissful meditations of the lay follower[7].
Summary Table of the Five Precepts and Their Meaning
| Precept | Content | Main Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No killing | Protect life, cultivate compassion |
| 2 | No stealing | Respect others' property |
| 3 | No sexual misconduct | Protect family happiness, faithfulness |
| 4 | No lying | Protect truth |
| 5 | No drinking alcohol | Stay clear-headed, protect the other precepts |
How Does the Bequeathed Teaching Sutra Describe the Precepts?
According to the phatgiao.org.vn article quoting the Bequeathed Teaching Sutra, the precepts are compared to the safest place for the soul, the most essential means for practicing to end rebirth[4]. The image of a bridge with railings on both sides is used to illustrate: without railings, one crossing the bridge feels dizzy and anxious; with firm railings, one crossing the bridge is very peaceful[4].
For laypeople, the Buddha advised keeping the five precepts, and those who break them dig up their own wholesome roots, dig a deep pit to bury the roots in the cycle of rebirth[2].
