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PANCHA SHILA
Panchashila, pronounced as Pansil in Pali, is a Budhist term, but it implications are universal. It constitutes the foundation of ancient morality. Every religion, has accepted it as basic code for social as well as the individual conduct. It is the primary requirement of a good citizen. The person neglecting it is regarded a danger to society. He is a sinner as well as a criminal.
In the
Theravada Buddhism five principles are recited along with the hymn of refugee on every auspicious occasion. After salutation to the Buddha a monk recites three times the hymn of refugee, repeating "I go to the Buddha for refuge, I go to the doctrine (Dharma) for refuge. I go to the order for refuge.” Then he takes a pledge for the five moral precepts. By the first pledge he declares to abstain from Prānāti pāta, i.e., injury to life, by the second from taking anything without permission of the owner, by the third from sexual immorality, by the forth from falsehood and by the fifth from taking intoxicants. A Buddhist promises to observe these five precepts immediately after declaring his faith in , and an. They are also known as five Shiksā Padās. In the Mahayana school the same are included into Shila Pāramitā, i.e., Perfection in conduct. This is the second perfection
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