Ahhh, the Five Precepts… the bread and butter of Buddhism 🍞🧈
Are they cut-and-dried rules or are there ‘loopholes’? What do you do if you break a precept? What’s the point of keeping sīla (morality) anyway? Is it EVER okay to lie? And will a tiny sip of alcohol really harm anybody?
In this episode Khema (@khema.1) and Nalanda (@nal.jakjan) share their practice of the precepts, stories of when their sīla practice was tested, and reflections on this simple but incredibly profound teaching. 😌
Timestamps
(00:49) Wim Hof Breathing
(04:16) Motivation for the episode
(04:48) Khema’s relationship with sīla
(07:39) Nalanda’s relationship with sīla
(09:37) Ajahn Dtun on sīla
(12:03) ‘Loopholes’ in sīla practice?
(14:00) It’s a training, not a performance
(15:40) Sīla as a lifestyle
(16:46) Gentleness when you make mistakes
(17:12) It ain’t a sin
(17:57) ‘I undertake this training…’
(19:01) Rising up to occasions that test your sīla
(20:13) ‘This is what normal people do’
(21:30) Sila = Brahmaviharas
(23:18) Story #1: Skilful speech (Valentine’s Day drama!!)
(30:50) Story #2: Copyrights
(33:37) Story #3: Alcohol in food
(41:14) Trusting the Buddha & wise shame
(42:25) Finding the middle
(43:06) What about swearing??
(45:18) Integrity uplifts the mind
(46:13) Sīla makes you a safe person
(47:11) The Five Precepts ARE the higher Dhamma
(48:43) Sīla is letting go of ego
(51:50) Going against the stream
(53:11) Thought experiment: Imagine if everyone kept the Five Precepts…
References
Damian’s breath group: Yarra Valley Breath & Cold
Connection
Vinaya (Buddhist Monastic Code)
The Five Precepts (Access to Insight)
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This episode was recorded in 2023.
For any words said negligently or that may have caused offence, we ask the listener's forgiveness and take full responsibility.
