Sambodhi 2014 Vol 37

Author(s): J B Shah
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 42

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Yajneshwar S. Shastri
SAMBODHI
Right effort : It means to avoid bad ideas and cultivate good ones or positive ideas.
Right mindfulness : It means one has to be very careful in holding good ideas in mind and not to allow negative ideas to enter your mind. It also means to be mindful, seeing and thinking clearly without prejudice and assumption.
Right concentration : It is practice of Meditation to sharpen and strengthening the mind.
Five Precepts are included in Right Action. Moral conduct for Buddhists differs according to whether it applies to the laity or the monks or the Sangha.
Like many religions and social orders around the world, Buddhism prescribes certain rules and precepts that will help its followers to achieve their goal of enlightenment. These precepts are included in Right Actions or conduct. They are five in number and known as 'Pañcaśīla'. These are the basic precepts that all people should practice and abide by. By observing these precepts, not only do you cultivate your moral strength, but you also perform the highest service to your fellow beings. They are :
1] Do not kill. Do not harm anybody. It means absence of violence. One must not kill any living creatures either by committing the act oneself, instructing others to kill, or approving of act of killing. It is respect to others' lives. One should not deprive others including animals of the right to live. In observing this precept, one tries to protect life whenever possible. Furthe more, one cultivates the attitude of loving kindness to all beings. By killing, one creates much negative karma because all sentient beings actually belong to one family. To kill is the most severe negative karma that one can create. There is no promise that one can be born as a human being or sentient being again.
2] do not steal. Do not take which does not belong to you. If something is not given, one must not take it away by stealing by force or by fraud. There is a sense of universality in protecting lives and properties. Thus, no one should arbitrarily deprive anybody of their lives and their properties.
3] Dot not lie. Avoid telling lies, slander and gossiping. One lies in order to protect one's own interest, my and me. The more one lies, the further away one is from the truth. When one is far away from the truth, one looses