Hello, I would like to ask about fourth precept.
How should be this precept understood correctly? Is it just about speach or actions (reactions) are involved too?
For example: If someone tell me something and I will smile even if that information wasn’t funny and against my believes too… Is that smile (intentional) of mine against fourth precept? Or without deliberate verbal lie is that still unviolated fourth precept?
I feel bad about that and I would like to avoid this kind of reacting from now. I think it’s not right…
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I think this is great topic. It is about interaction. How to express oneself etc.
I think your own heart gives the answers you need. That’s the real judge, i belief.
For me it also feels wrong when i am faking but it is also a kind of confronting when you do not smile when your smile is expacted, or someone longs for your smile. But your heart and my heart know the answers what to do.
How is smiling to a joke lying?
There’s a few criterion to fulfill for lying. This is from the book, one life 5 precepts.
Conditions Under Which A Violation Is Considered
to Have Occurred
• Object: A human being other than oneself
• Intention: The intent to misrepresent the truth and to
deceive
• The Act: The act of communicating the untruth through
words or gestures or by being silent
• Consequence: The person comprehends the meaning of the
lie. Otherwise, our words are considered idle talk
Exception
• Unintentional misrepresentation
Ok, maybe it can be. So not approving of the joke, but pretend to be approving. Then train to not smile at jokes you don’t approve. Don’t give face.
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Before act, while/during act, & after act; one should reflect on the action whether it leads to harm of yourself or others. If not harming others & yourself, then you are good to go. If it is harming others & yourself, then don’t do it anymore. Like using a mirror as a reflection.
Note: To do this initially, one needs to slowdown speech/act to let your mind watch how your reaction is. This is the real Vipassana that needs to be practice in daily life (24hours).
By reflecting, one can purify their act, speech and mind. When bodily act and speech are purified, Mind will become happy and in samadhi all the time. The sati (introspection) will be strong to handle any real life situation.
Look at MN 61 Ambalaṭṭhika Rāhulovāda sutta:
Before act
When you want to act with your speech, you should check on that same deed: ‘Does this act with the speech that I want to do lead to hurting myself, hurting others, or hurting both? Is it unskillful, with suffering as its outcome and result?’ If, while checking in this way, you know: ‘This act with the speech that I want to do leads to hurting myself, hurting others, or hurting both. It’s unskillful, with suffering as its outcome and result.’ To the best of your ability, Rāhula, you should not do such a deed. But if, while checking in this way, you know: ‘This act with the speech that I want to do doesn’t lead to hurting myself, hurting others, or hurting both. It’s skillful, with happiness as its outcome and result.’ Then, Rāhula, you should do such a deed.While acting
While you are acting with the speech, you should check on that same act: ‘Does this act with the speech that I am doing lead to hurting myself, hurting others, or hurting both? Is it unskillful, with suffering as its outcome and result?’ If, while checking in this way, you know: ‘This act with the speech that I am doing leads to hurting myself, hurting others, or hurting both. It’s unskillful, with suffering as its outcome and result.’ Then, Rāhula, you should desist from such a deed. But if, while checking in this way, you know: ‘This act with the speech that I am doing doesn’t lead to hurting myself, hurting others, or hurting both. It’s skillful, with happiness as its outcome and result.’ Then, Rāhula, you should continue doing such a deed.After acting
After you have acted with the speech, you should check on that same act: ‘Does this act with the speech that I have done lead to hurting myself, hurting others, or hurting both? Is it unskillful, with suffering as its outcome and result?’ If, while checking in this way, you know: ‘This act with the speech that I have done leads to hurting myself, hurting others, or hurting both. It’s unskillful, with suffering as its outcome and result.’ Then, Rāhula, you should confess, reveal, and clarify such a deed to the Teacher or a sensible spiritual companion. And having revealed it you should restrain yourself in future. But if, while checking in this way, you know: ‘This act with the speech that I have done doesn’t lead to hurting myself, hurting others, or hurting both. It’s skillful, with happiness as its outcome and result.’ Then, Rāhula, you should live in rapture and joy because of this, training day and night in skillful qualities.
Also refer to SN 55.7. These 2 sutta provide how to purify the morality. There are also some other suttas, but these 2 are very complete.
When you smile, does it harm yourself or others. I think it doesn’t. Then it should be ok at that time. But depending on your thoughts at that moment. Why do you smile at that time? Can you not smile, instead bring up other good things in your mind?
This a remorse on your part, it become a hindrance (nivarana) on your mind. Your Mind will grasp on this hindrance until you let go. But what has been done can’t be fixed. Only one can move forward.
So in future, slow down before/while/after speech, then there will be no remorse on your part (i.e. not harming yourself) and hence it will purify your action.
To purify a morality is a practice according to Buddha. This is explain in above Sutta.
MN 61
Therefore, Rāhula, thinking: ‘We will purify a deed of body after repeated reflection, we will purify a deed of speech after repeated reflection, we will purify a deed of mind after repeated reflection’, this is how you must train yourself, Rāhula.”
As one of Buddha qualities:
Vijjacaranasampanno
The action/behavior and knowledge go together (act, speech, mind in 1 good direction).
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In addition to the suttas above, the vinaya goes into detail as to how a bhikkhu should practice:
I will try to be more mindful then. But is there something that should be done in situations when lay person violate precept, like when there are confessions etc. among monks?
You could confess to who you think you deceived. But also remember not to get too attached to precepts! Obsessing over them is a fetter. If you can do better, do better, but if you are driving yourself to distraction second guessing everything you do it is not good for you.
Metta
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I think it refers to self-deceit and other-deceit. It feels untrue, not sincere.
I think this is an important sign to listen to. A Dhamma-lesson from the heart. The living Buddha.
Not easy to develop sati (“mindfulness”) before perfecting the morality and getting right view. Unless you are close to non returner level and/or above, it is impossible for one to maintain sati/samadhi for 24 hours.
Just remember and retake the five precepts again. And try to avoid doing it again now and in future. The perfecting of morality involves practice over and over. It could take multiple lives for majority people.
It is best if you can find A noble devotee or Ariya. He/she can help further progress faster depending on your conditions.
Confessing to monk probably ok, but how do you know that that monk is noble or good in character? Look/image/form (Rupa) can be deceiving as Buddha said.
It is good to keep in mind that while a breakdown like this is found in the Vinaya, there is, to my knowledge, nothing like it directed at lay people in the EBTs. It may be useful for lay people to keep in mind, though.
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It is about speech, telling lies, and to which divisive talk, hate talk and frivolous talk.
All the five precepts for the householder are concerned with bodily and verbal actions. Unwholesome mental actions do not constitute a violation of the 5 precepts.
Avoiding unwholesome thoughts belongs into the category of precepts which are higher than the 5 precepts. This higher precept is called adhisila.