Buddhist Lay Ethics - Five Precepts, Sigālovāda Sutta Moral Code

Compiled by Jayaram V

Summary: This comprehensive guide presents Buddhist moral and ethical teachings for lay followers (upasaka) and householders who have taken refuge in the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha. Drawing primarily from the Sigālovāda Sutta (DN 31), it outlines the framework of avoiding fourteen evils: four vices of action, four evil motives, and six ways of squandering wealth. The essay details the Five Precepts (Pañca-sīla) - fundamental ethical restraints on killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, and intoxication - along with ten virtues from Milindapatha, five qualities of faithful lay followers, four types of happiness, and duties toward the six directions (parents, teachers, spouse, friends, servants, ascetics), providing a complete foundation for righteous living and spiritual progress within the householder life.

Important Canonical Quotes on Buddhist ethics for lay people

Buddhist Morals For Lay Followers

The Mahanama Sutta defines a lay Buddhist follower as the one who has taken refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha and declares him to be virtuous to the extent he abstains from destroying living beings, taking what is not given, sexual misconduct, lying and intoxicants. According to the Anguttara Nikaya (5.175) a lay follower (upasaka) has the following five qualities: "He has faith; he is virtuous; he is not superstitious; he believes in action (kamma) and not in luck or omen; he does not seek outside (of the Order) for those worthy of support and does not attend there first."

Although not yet fully committed to the teachings of the Buddha, a lay follower is expected to build his life on the foundation of the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. Cultivating virtue and avoiding vice, constitute the core principle of his life. Right understanding, right effort and right mindfulness are the means by which he is expected to mould himself in order to make progress on the path and live up to the ideals suggested by the Buddha, namely avoiding evil, doing good and purifying the mind.

The Digga Nikaya stipulates the lay followers to guard themselves against the following evils. These rules of restraint are meant for the lay followers of Buddhism and the householders, who have committed themselves to the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha, but not yet ready for the full fledged monkhood. They are essentially part of the right living under the Eightfold Path. They also help the lay followers to cultivate detachment and other virtues. A disciple is advised to avoid the fourteen evils which consist of the four vices of action, the four evil motives and the six ways of squandering his wealth. He who leads a virtuous life in this manner is said to be ready to conquer both the worlds and on death will reborn in heaven. Even for those who are not interested in the teachings of the Buddha, these rules are useful in cultivating virtues and avoiding vices.

I. The four vices of action

1. Injury to life.
2. Taking what is not given.
3. Base conduct in sexual matters.
4. False speech.

II. The four motives of evil deeds

1. Evil deeds committed because of partiality
2. Evil deeds committed because of enmity
3. Evil deeds committed because of stupidity.
4. Evil deeds committed out of fear.

III. The six ways of squandering wealth

1. Addiction to drink, the cause of carelessness. Addiction to drinks results in (i) loss of wealth, (ii) increase of quarrels, (iii) susceptibility to disease, (iv) earning an evil reputation, (v) shameless exposure of body, (vi) weakening of intellect.
2. Roaming the streets at improper times. It leads to (i) he who roams himself is unprotected and unguarded, (ii) his wife and children are unprotected and unguarded, (iii) his property is unprotected and unguarded, (iv) he is suspected of evil deeds,3 (v) he is subject to false rumors, (vi) he meets with many troubles.
3. Frequenting fairs, theatrical performances and other entertainment avenues. It makes a person think obsessively about (i) where is the dancing? (ii) where is the singing? (iii) where is the music? (iv) where is the recitation? (v) where is the playing with cymbals? and (vi) where is the pot-blowing?
4. Indulging in gambling, which results in such unhappy consequences as (i) the winner begets hate, (ii) the loser grieves for lost wealth, (iii) loss of wealth, (iv) his word is not relied upon in a court of law, (v) he is despised by his friends and associates, (vi) he is not sought after for matrimony; for people would say he is a gambler and is not fit to look after a wife.
5. Keeping bad company or associating with evil companions results in friendship with evil people such as any gambler, any libertine, any drunkard, any swindler, any cheat and any rowdy.
6. The habit of idleness makes a person come out with such excuses as (i) that it is extremely cold, (ii) that it is extremely hot, (iii) that it is too late in the evening, (iv) that it is too early in the morning, (v) that he is extremely hungry, (vi) that he is too full.

Source: Sigālovāda Sutta (DN 31)

The five Qualities of a lay follower

1. Faith
2. Virtue
3. Rejection of superstition
4. Belief in kamma
5. Loyalty to the Sangha

Source: AN 5.175

Four types of happiness for lay people

1. The happiness of ownership
2. The happiness of enjoyment
3. The happiness of freedom from debt
4. The happiness of blamelessness

Source: AN 4.62 — Bhoga Sutta

The ten virtues of lay followers

The Milindapatha lists the following ten virtues of the lay followers.

1. He shares the joys and sorrows of the Order;
2. He places the Dhamma first;
3. He enjoys giving according to his ability;
4. If he sees a decline in the Dispensation of the Teaching of the Buddha, he strives for its strong growth;
5. He has right views, disregarding belief in superstitions and omens; he will not accept any other teacher, not even for the sake of his life;
6. He guards his deeds and words;
7. He loves and cherishes peace and concord;
8. He is not envious or jealous;
9. He does not live a Buddhist life by way of deception or hypocrisy;
10. He has gone for refuge to the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha.

Source: Milindapatha

The Five Precepts (Pañca‑sīla)

The Pañca‑sīla, meaning the five virtues or percepts stipulate the five fundamental ethical commitments or restraints that should be undertaken by lay Buddhists. They appear throughout the Pāli Canon, including DN 31 (Sigālovāda Sutta), AN 8.25 (Mahanama Sutta), and many Vinaya passages. Each precept begins with the phrase: “I undertake the training rule to abstain from…” They are mostly similar to the five restraints yogis are supposed to practice on the path of Ashtanga Yoga except for the last one due to fundamental differences between the two paths on emphasis. The Buddhist ethics focus on the practices necessary to cultivate mindfulness and the Yoga system focuses on self-purification to cultivate equanimity, dispassion, and detachment. The five abstainments are:

1. Abstaining from killing living beings
2. Abstaining from taking what is not given
3. Abstaining from sexual misconduct
4. Abstaining from false speech
5. Abstaining from intoxicants that cause heedlessness

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