1.4.10

How do Buddhists Live?

Test yourself

Ethics

The teaching of the Buddha also includes practical teaching about how people should live their lives and what Buddhists should avoid. These are known as The Five Precepts.

Illustrative background for The Five PreceptsIllustrative background for The Five Precepts ?? "content

The Five Precepts

  • The Five Precepts are guidance to help Buddhists avoid creating suffering in the world.
  • They offer guidance on violence, theft, relationships, lying, and drugs.
Illustrative background for No killing or causing harm to any living beingIllustrative background for No killing or causing harm to any living being ?? "content

No killing or causing harm to any living being

  • Violence causes suffering to the victim and their loved ones.
  • It also damages the violent person because over time they may become angry or frightened.
  • These are negative emotions, and Buddha teaches that the person needs to let them go.
Illustrative background for Not taking what is not givenIllustrative background for Not taking what is not given ?? "content

Not taking what is not given

  • Stealing indicates two struggles in the thief. They are jealous, and they are overcome with desire.
  • As we have seen, both of these things cause a person to suffer because they focus on things that are not permanent.
  • The victim also suffers, especially if it was something they needed such as money to buy food.
Illustrative background for Avoiding sexual misconductIllustrative background for Avoiding sexual misconduct ?? "content

Avoiding sexual misconduct

  • Buddhist monks and nuns do not have sex. Most Buddhists live family lives where they get married and have children.
  • What is important is that those relationships are acts of love, not acts that cause others to suffer.
  • Rape is an example of an interaction that is harmful because it denies the other person’s freedom and choice.
  • Buddha teaches that the state of mind of someone who commits sexual misconduct is not healthy because the mind lacks control and focuses on harming others.
Illustrative background for Avoiding false speechIllustrative background for Avoiding false speech ?? "content

Avoiding false speech

  • We can also cause harm through our words.
  • If we tell lies about someone we can harm their reputation. Some people try to hurt others by finding ways to insult them, which can cause distress.
  • This is also a problem for the person who tells lies. They need to consider why they would want to say hurtful things.
  • This may be because they are angry, which is a negative emotion in some cases.
Illustrative background for Abstaining from drink and drugsIllustrative background for Abstaining from drink and drugs ?? "content

Abstaining from drink and drugs

  • The Buddha recognised that alcohol and drugs can be harmful by causing a person to lose control of what they do.
  • They also cloud the mind, when enlightenment can only be achieved with a mind that is calm and clear.
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Karma

  • Bad actions are ones that are ill-considered and unkind.
  • They cause suffering which has bad consequences. It can affect how our life unfolds, and it can also carry those consequences into the next life.
  • This is because bad actions damage the mind and can cause us to see life in a negative way. Performing good actions can help to make us happy and positive.

Jump to other topics

1Year 7

1.1Origins of Abrahamic Faith

1.1.1Genesis

1.1.2Noah & the Flood

1.1.3The Importance of Noah

1.1.4Abraham

1.1.5The Covenant

1.1.6Abraham's Sacrifice

1.1.7Ibrahim's Sacrifice

1.1.8Ibrahim & Hajar

1.1.9Ibrahim & the Ka'aba

1.1.10Isaac & Jacob

1.1.11Moses & the Exodus

1.1.12The Tabernacle

1.1.13Leviticus & Sacrifice

1.1.14Teachings in Leviticus

1.1.15Jesus' Teachings

1.1.16Jesus the Rebel

1.1.17Jesus' Death & Resurrection

1.1.18The Meaning of Jesus' Sacrifice

1.1.19The Relationship Between Judaism & Christianity

1.1.20The Ka'aba

1.1.21The Prophet Muhammad

1.2Judaism

1.2.1What Do Jews Believe?

1.2.2Moses

1.2.3The Jewish Scriptures - The Written Law

1.2.4The Jewish Scriptures - The Oral Law

1.2.5The Tradition of Discussion & Debate

1.2.6Orthodox Judaism

1.2.7Reform Judaism

1.2.8The Daily Practices of Orthodox & Reform Jews

1.2.9The First Temple

1.2.10The Tabernacle's Journey & End

1.2.11Orthodox & Reform Synagogues

1.2.12What is Shabbat?

1.2.13Traditional Rituals for Shabbat

1.2.14What is Pesach?

1.2.15What is Yom Kippur?

1.2.16How Have Jews Been Persecuted?

1.2.17The Persecution of the Jews Throughout History

1.2.18The Black Death

1.2.19Antisemitism in Nazi Germany

1.2.20The Holocaust

1.2.21Genocide

1.2.22How the Holocaust has Impacted the Jewish Identity

1.2.23Holocaust Memorial

1.3Christianity

1.3.1The Nativity

1.3.2Christian Beliefs about the Baby Jesus

1.3.3Jesus' Ministry

1.3.4The Sermon on the Mount

1.3.5The Crucifixion

1.3.6The Last Supper

1.3.7The Resurrection

1.3.8Christian Beliefs about the Resurrection

1.3.9The Council of Nicaea

1.3.10The Nicene Creed

1.3.11Saint Augustine

1.3.12Protestantism

1.3.13The Reformation

1.3.14Christianity Today

1.3.15Evangelical Churches

1.3.16The Future of Christianity

1.4Buddhism

1.4.1Religion in India

1.4.2The Caste System

1.4.3Meditation

1.4.4Caste & Religion

1.4.5Puja

1.4.6Karma & the Cycle of Rebirth

1.4.7The Four Noble Truths

1.4.8The Three Marks of Existence

1.4.9The Buddha’s Noble Eightfold Path to Enlightenment

1.4.10How do Buddhists Live?

1.4.11The Four Sights

1.4.12The Buddha

1.4.13The Middle Way & Enlightenment

2Year 8

2.1Islam

2.1.1Pre-Islamic Arabia

2.1.2The Prophet Muhammad & The Qur'an

2.1.3The Hijrah & The Conquest of Mecca

2.1.4The Prophet Muhammad: The Final Sermon

2.1.5The Sunni/Shia Split

2.1.6Islamic Caliphates

2.1.7The Five Pillars of Islam

2.1.8Origins of Hajj

2.1.9Hajj Rituals

2.1.10Jihad

2.1.11Islam Today

2.2Hinduism

2.2.1The Prehistoric Roots of Hinduism

2.2.2Key Ideas in Hinduism

2.2.3The Caste System

2.2.4The Vedic Period

2.2.5The Upanishads

2.2.6Alexander the Great & The Mauryan Empire

2.2.7Revelation & The Sharing of Knowledge

2.2.8Understanding the Self

2.2.9Karma, Yoga & the Self

2.2.10The Divine Presence

2.2.11Hindu Statues and Icons

2.2.12British Colonialism & Gandhi

2.3Atheism

2.3.1Where Did Atheism Come From?

2.3.2The Impact of Scientific Developments

2.3.3Plato's Cave

2.3.4Challenging the Bible

2.3.5The Enlightenment

2.3.6Evolution

2.3.7Evolution & Religion

2.3.8Morality & God

2.3.9Morality Without God

2.3.10Frederick Nietzsche - How to Live Without Religion

2.3.11Militant Atheism

2.3.12Humanism

2.3.13The Future of Atheism

2.4Philosophy of Religion

2.4.1Who is God?

2.4.2Theists, Atheists & Agnostics

2.4.3Faith & Empiricism

2.4.4The Design Argument

2.4.5Is The Design Argument Convincing?

2.4.6The Cosmological Argument

2.4.7Criticisms of The Cosmological Argument

2.4.8The Problem of Evil

2.4.9Free Will Theodicy

2.4.10Soul-Making Theodicy

2.4.11Religious Experience

2.4.12Types of Religious Experience

2.4.13Criticisms of Religious Experience

3Year 9

3.1Life & Death

3.1.1What is the Right Thing To Do?

3.1.2Thomas Aquinas - Natural Law

3.1.3Building a Moral Code

3.1.4Criticisms of Natural Law

3.1.5Joseph Fletcher - Situation Ethics

3.1.6Understanding Situation Ethics

3.1.7Criticisms of Situation Ethics

3.1.8Sanctity of Life

3.1.9Quality of Life

3.1.10Abortion

3.1.11Moral Questions About Abortion

3.1.12Euthanasia

3.1.13Moral Questions About Euthanasia

3.1.14Capital Punishment

3.1.15Arguments Against Captial Punishment

3.1.16Animal Rights

3.1.17Alternative Views on Animal Rights

3.2Extremism

3.2.1What Does Extremism Mean?

3.2.2Extremism Explained

3.2.3Why do People Become Extremists?

3.2.4What are Conspiracy Theories?

3.2.5Why do People Believe Conspiracy Theories?

3.2.6What is Anti-Semitism?

3.2.7Anti-Semitic Stereotyping

3.2.8The Holocaust

3.2.9After the Holocaust

3.2.10Religious Fundamentalism

3.2.11The Problem of Fundamentalism

3.2.12Nationalism

3.2.13Nationalism & Extremism

3.2.14What is a Terrorist?

3.2.15Political & Religious Terrorism

3.2.16Free Speech

3.2.17Hate Speech

3.2.18How do we Fight Extremism?

3.3Equality

3.3.1Introduction to Equality

3.3.2Is the UK an Equal Society?

3.3.3Religion and Equality

3.3.4Interpreting the Scripture

3.3.5Racism and Scripture

3.3.6Scripture Against Racism

3.3.7The Fight for Racial Equality

3.3.8Gender Equality and Scripture

3.3.9Gender Equality; Women in Worship

3.3.10LGBTQ+ Matters

3.3.11The Fight for LGBTQ+ Equality

3.3.12Disability Matters

3.3.13The Fight for Disability Equality

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The Buddha’s Noble Eightfold Path to Enlightenment

The Four Sights