Examine 'The Five Precepts' in the context of 'The Eightfold Path'

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Part A-Examine ‘The Five Precepts’ in the context of  ‘The Eightfold Path’

        Both ‘The Five Precepts’ and ‘The Eightfold Path’ are significant elements of the Buddhist religion. The precepts act as a guide for the average everyday lay Buddhist on how to create the least amount of karmic energy possible. It by no means is the way directly to reaching Nirvana. The Eightfold Path however, is known as “the way.” It is, in itself, the Fourth Noble Truth, and the path to enlightenment. In this examination of the Five Precepts I will endeavour to relate them in context to the different aspects of the Eightfold Path.

        All the precepts begin with, “ I abstain from” so a definition of this word is relevant. The Oxford Dictionary states the meaning of ‘abstain’ as: “ to undertake or restrain oneself.” Any undertaking involves not only skill, but work and practice and therefore appreciation of the five precepts would be enhanced by developing  the different aspects of the Eightfold Path.

        Right understanding would enhance appreciation of The First Precept, which is to abstain from the destruction of life, because it would enable a Buddhist to understand not simply that it is wrong to kill, but why you should not take life. It would enable one not only to see the true meaning behind the wrongdoing of taking life, but also to be aware of the consequences of their actions for themselves and their victim, which is that if anyone kills another human being, they are preventing them from making spiritual progress and consequently themselves also.

        Right Understanding would help the enrichment of comprehension for The Second Precept which is not to take things which are not given, because they would learn not only that it is wrong to steal but the reason why it is wrong. It would help the enrichment of appreciation for The Third Precept, which is to not to indulge in sexual misconduct, because it would enable one to gain supra-mundane intellectual understanding of the reasons why they should not partake in sexual transgression. Enrichment of appreciation for The Fourth Precept which is not to tell lies or speak falsehood would be helped because right understanding would teach an individual the supra-mundane understanding of why it wrong to lie.  Appreciation for The Fifth Precept, which is to abstain from the use of intoxicants, would be enhanced because it would teach an individual the supra-mundane understanding of why it is wrong to use intoxicants.

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The consequences of all the actions abstained from in the precepts would be fully realised and contemplated to reach a full understanding. Those consequences of such actions would be suffering and bad karma, preventing spiritual development for all people involved.

        Right Thought would help the enhancement of appreciation for the first precept, which is to abstain from the destruction of life, as it would eliminate negative thoughts of greed and ill-will, by over coming sense pleasures and replace it with the cultivation of loving kindness, by practicing acts of amity and concord. It would enhance the appreciation of the second precept, ...

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