Page 60 - EH 73 May 2024
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       58     EASTERN HORIZON  |  TEACHINGS








           Min Wei: Modern society is a tapestry woven from   Min Wei: The lay precepts in Buddhism are adapted
           diverse cultural threads, each contributing unique   from the monastic Vinaya, although they are simplified
           perspectives, practices, and beliefs. Embracing cultural   and tailored to suit the lifestyle of lay practitioners.
           diversity means acknowledging and respecting       While the Vinaya encompasses hundreds of rules for
           the richness of different traditions while fostering   monastic conduct, the lay precepts typically consist of
           understanding and harmony among communities.       five or eight basic guidelines. These include refraining
           In presenting the Vinaya, the ethical code for     from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, false speech,
           Buddhist monastic communities, cultural sensitivity   and intoxicants. Lay precepts serve as a moral compass
           and adaptability are key. This can be achieved by   for Buddhists in their daily lives, promoting ethical
           interpreting its principles in ways that resonate with   conduct, mindfulness, and compassion. While they
           diverse cultural contexts while upholding its core ethical   share common ethical principles with the Vinaya,
           values. Respect for cultural nuances, open dialogue, and   lay precepts are more flexible and manageable for
           contextualization of teachings can help bridge cultural   individuals living outside of monastic communities.
           gaps and ensure the Vinaya remains relevant and    Tsepal: The monastic Vinaya is an elaboration of the
           accessible to practitioners worldwide. Ultimately, by   five lay precepts—to abandon killing, stealing, unwise
           honoring cultural diversity and preserving the essence   sexual behaviour, lying, and taking intoxicants, which
           of the Vinaya, society can cultivate an environment of   are mentioned in the early Buddhist sutras and existed
           inclusivity and mutual respect.                    as an ethical framework before the Buddha’s time.
                                                              These ethical rules are also found in all religions. Each
           Tsepal: As monasticism spread from India across the   monastic precept was established in response to the
           world, it met with different cultural, social, and economic   unsuitable behaviour of a monastic as detailed in the
           situations and customs. Over the centuries, the sangha   origin stories. The first incident prompting the Buddha
           has successfully adapted its behavior to be suitable   to establish a major precept occurred twelve years after
           for a particular place and time without compromising   the Buddha’s enlightenment, so it seems that the lay
           ethical principles. For example, Chinese society regarded   precepts were established first.
           spiritual mendicants as beggars and looked down on
           them, so monastics moved to rural areas and grew their   Many monastics precepts are more detailed versions
           own food. Tibetan monasteries are often so large that   of the five lay precepts. To keep them, monastics must
           going on alms round would be a burden for lay people,   cultivate conscientiousness, integrity, consideration
           so monastics cooked donated food. Western monastic   for others, mindfulness, and introspective awareness.
           communities today are navigating issues such as gender   In this way, monastic precepts are more effective in
           equality and the impact of cell phones, the internet, and   subduing the mind.
           AI on monastic life.
                                                              As lay practitioners are not bound by the Vinaya,
           How much of the lay precepts are adapted from the   how can educating the laity about the Vinaya
           monastic vinaya?                                   enhance their spiritual practice and contribute to
                                                              the overall well-being of the community?
           Aggacitta: I don’t think they were adapted from the
           monastic Vinaya. Rather, I think the monastic code   Aggacitta: This was partly answered above—they get
           of conduct contains a very much refined set of rules   more merit when supporting virtuous monastics and
           based on the 8 precepts for the laity, besides other   also contribute to the perpetuation of the Dhamma.
           minor rules based on the social norms for renunciates   Since virtuous conduct is a prerequisite foundation for
           in ancient India.                                  meditative progress, the monastics they support can
                                                              deepen their practice and thereby give better guidance
                                                              to their supporters in the latter’s spiritual practice.
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