Sramanerika (Getsulma) Precepts
by Venerable Thubten Chodron©

The motivation for taking sramanerika ordination is the strong wish to be free from cyclic existence and its miseries and to attain liberation. The ordination is a lifelong commitment that liberates us from following our impulsive behavior patterns. It helps us be clear on which actions we want to do and which we want to avoid. Thus, living according to our precepts keeps our mind peaceful, and establishes a firm foundation for the higher trainings in concentration and wisdom.

"My Lord, until I gain Enlightenment; I will not violate the sacred precepts. I will not be arrogant before people who are older than myself. I will cherish love in my heart and be a good example to all."

The Ten Precepts

The sramanerika vow consists of ten precepts, or in a more expanded way they are listed as thirty-six precepts. The ten are to abandon:

1. killing (to break from the root, one must kill a human being with intention)
2. taking what is not given (stealing) (to break from the root, one must steal something that could bring about legal intervention in one's society)
3. Sexual intercourse (to break from the root, one must have intention and experience orgasm)
4. lying (to break from the root, one must lie about one's spiritual attainments)
5. taking intoxicants
6. singing, dancing, playing music
7. wearing perfume, ornaments or cosmetics to beautify the body
8. sitting on a high or expensive bed or throne
9. eating after midday
10. touching gold, silver or precious objects (including money)

Precepts 1-4 are root precepts and deal with actions that are by nature negative. Precepts 6-10 are branch precepts and deal with actions that are to be avoided because of a precept established by the Buddha.

The Thirty-Six Precepts

1. Taking a human life
2. Killing an animal or insect
3. For selfish reasons, doing an action which may kill an animal or insect and not caring about it; for example, using water that contains insects without straining it; digging a hole in the earth without considering the creatures that might die as a result; cutting grass; overburdening an animal, which causes its death
4. While doing something for others, doing an action which may kill an animal or insect and not caring about it; for example, splashing water which has insects on a dry place.
5. Sexual intercourse
6. Stealing, taking what has not been given. This includes borrowing things and not returning them, not paying fees and taxes one is required to.
7. Lying in which one claims to have spiritual realizations or powers that one does not have.
8. Accusing a pure bhikshu or bhikshuni of transgressing one of the four root precepts when he or she has not.
9. Insinuating that a pure bhikshu or bhikshuni has transgressed one of the four root precepts when he or she has not.
10. Causing disunity among the sangha community through untrue slander or taking sides in a disagreement.
11. Supporting someone who is creating disunity in the sangha community, taking sides in the dispute.
12. Doing actions which obliterate lay people's faith in the sangha; for example complaining untruthfully to lay people that action brought by the sangha against oneself was unfair.
13. Telling others lies.
14. Criticizing the storekeeper in the monastery of giving more to those who are near to her instead of sharing them with all, when this is not the case.
15. Criticizing directly or by insinuation the storekeeper in the monastery of not giving oneself a share of the food or other things equal to that given to other monastics, when this is not the case.
16. Claiming that a monastic gave a teaching in return for a little food, which is not the case.
17. Criticizing a bhikshu or bhikshuni by saying that he or she transgressed a precept in the second group (sanghavasesa) when this is not the case.
18. Abandoning the training, for example, rejecting the good advice of a nun or monk; criticizing the Pratimoksha Sutra.
19. Covering the vegetables with rice; covering the rice with vegetables.
20. Taking intoxicants.
21. Singing with self-attachment or for nonsensical reasons.
22. Dancing with self-attachment or for nonsensical reasons.
23. Playing music with self-attachment or for nonsensical reasons.
24. Wearing ornaments.
25. Wearing cosmetics.
26. Wearing perfumes.
27. Wearing the rosary like jewelry, wearing flower garlands.
28. Sitting on an expensive throne.
29. Sitting on an expensive bed
30. Sitting on a high throne.
31. Sitting on a high bed.
32. Eating after midday. (Exceptions: if one is ill, if one is traveling, or if one cannot meditate properly without food.)
33. Touching gold, silver or precious jewels (includes money).
34. Wearing lay people's clothing and ornaments; letting one's hair grow long.
35. Not wearing the robes of a Buddhist monastic.
36. Disrespecting or not following the guidance of one's ordination master. (34-36 are called the three degenerating actions.)

Four Factors Which Make a Transgression of a Precept Complete

1. Object
2. Intention
3. Action
4. Completion of the action

Five Conditions Conducive to Keeping One's Precepts

1. External: cultivate a relationship with a spiritual mentor who keeps pure ethical discipline and who knows the Vinaya well, and rely on his/her teachings.
2. Internal: develop mindfulness and introspective alertness with a pure motivation.
3. Know the actions that one has to abstain from.
4. Attend the sojung ceremony to purify and restore the training precepts.
5. Rely on conducive circumstances (shelter, clothes, food, medicine, etc.)

Some of the Benefits of Living According to the Precepts

1. The positive potential (merit) of doing any constructive action increases.
2. We are supported by the Buddhas and bodhisattvas.
3. We have many more conducive circumstances for Dharma practice and fewer distractions.
4. We are able to recognize our disturbing attitudes more clearly and counteract them.
5. We overcome our bad habits and unproductive behavior.
6. We create a safe place: no one who comes in contact with us needs to be afraid of our harming them.
7. We establish a firm foundation for the cultivation of bodhicitta, the higher trainings of concentration and wisdom, and tantra.
8. We create the cause to be a monastic at the time of Maitreya Buddha.