Page 98 - The Buddha‘s Noble Eightfold Path

The Bhiksu Samvara-Sila and Bodhisattva Samvara-sila
The Bhiksu Samvara-Sila (Pali Bhikkhu Samvara-sila) comprises

the one hundred and fifty precepts observed by the fully
ordained monk, and represents the natural pattern of behaviour
of one who is fully dedicated to the attainment of Nirvana. In

other words, if we think of nothing but Nirvana and the
attainment of Nirvana, devoting all our time and energy to the

following the spiritual path, our pattern of behaviour will then
approximate, quite naturally, to the pattern embodied in this list
of a hundred and fifty precepts. Unfortunately, these hundred

and fifty precepts are all too often regarded as a list of rules, and
thus the whole spirit behind them is lost.

The Bodhisattva Samvara-Sila comprises the sixty-four precepts
observed by the Bodhisattva. These represent the natural

pattern of behaviour of one who is devoted to the attainment of
Enlightenment for the benefit of all. In other words, if you are

devoted to the attainment of Enlightenment, or Buddhahood,
not just for your own sake — not so that you can be 'up there'
out of it all, just looking down in pity on those still immersed in

the samsara — but so that, having attained Enlightenment
yourself, you can come back and help, and if this is your sole

thought and aspiration to which you subordinate everything
else, then the way you act and speak, i.e. your natural pattern of
behaviour, will coincide with the pattern reflected in the list of

the sixty-four Bodhisattva Precepts. But once again it is not a
question of having a list of rules and ticking yourself off against

them one by one. It is a question of the living spirit, or heart, of
the Bodhisattva, naturally expressing itself in a way that

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