The Five Precepts are training commitments undertaken by many lay Buddhists. They ask us to refrain from:
- Taking life.
- Taking what has not been given.
- Sexual misconduct.
- False speech.
- Intoxicants that lead to heedlessness.
These commitments help protect both ourselves and others. They are practised with attention to intention, consequences and responsibility. When we fall short, we can acknowledge harm, make appropriate amends and renew the training.
Different traditions explain their application in different ways. Plum Village’s Five Mindfulness Trainings, for example, offer an extended contemporary presentation of ethical practice. Read each teaching in its own context.
Try it today
Choose one ordinary situation—borrowing something, sharing information, or responding in anger—and practise extra care.
A moment to reflect
What would repair and a wiser next choice look like when you make a mistake?
Explore the sources
These are introductory summaries, not quotations or replacements for the original teachings.
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