Journals

Section 2: Observing Precepts Precepts are the Source of Prosperity "Let prosperity be lost if it must, but never let your precepts be broken. You must safeguard them, for precepts are the creators and owners of prosperity... If you possess precepts, you are deemed a good and pure person, an owner of wealth. The wealth of the world will naturally be drawn to you without you having to struggle. But you must be genuinely pure—not falsely pure, for that will not work."

Cultivating Merit Through Pleasing Speech "If you train yourself to speak with pleasing and gentle words in this lifetime, in all future lifetimes, whatever you speak will effortlessly accomplish every task. If you use harsh speech, it is equivalent to sabotaging your own words. Even in this lifetime, your words will lose power and authority; they will amount to nothing, and whatever you say will fail to succeed because you did not cultivate verbal merit. If you have cultivated verbal merit, whatever words you utter become sacred. The matter of sacred speech is no ordinary thing; it is of paramount importance."

Source: Page 738, line 14

Intoxicants are Delusion "Among the Five Precepts, the abstention from intoxicants is a crucial factor. Just like greed, hatred, and delusion—among these three, who is the leader? Delusion is the leader; the state of being lost is the key factor. If one truly lacks precepts and yet claims to practice the religion, they are merely cheating themselves. They cannot free themselves from suffering and will remain stuck in the mire of defilements, unable to strip them away. For this reason, one must always remain vigilant and guarded..."

Source: Page 230

Do Not Cheat Yourself "If inner purity is lacking, it is deeply shameful. To live blindly and carelessly is to cheat oneself, which is disgraceful; one wouldn't dare do it. Keep yourself pure and do not cheat yourself. Examine the Five Precepts to ensure they are absolutely pure. If impurity remains, feel ashamed—feel ashamed and dread the consequences, for you will surely reap bad results due to that lack of purity."

Source: Hiri-Ottappa 2, Page 866

Restraint in Accordance with the Pāṭimokkha "Exercise restraint in accordance with the Monastic Code. Abstain from what the Buddha prohibited and practice what He permitted, remaining purely and completely fulfilled. If one is not pure and complete, it is deeply shameful and terrifying. To be a monk who is impure means that upon death, one goes straight to hell, nowhere else. If one purifies oneself excellently, it is called ‘Sukka-dhamma-samāhitā’—being firmly established in the bright, pure Dhamma..."

Source: Hiri-Ottappa 1, Page 860, line 21

Purity of Body, Speech, and Mind "Every human being, both men and women, whether laypeople or monks, must be thoroughly pure in body, speech, and mind, without deviating from the intentions of the Arahant Buddhas at all. Maintain this cleanliness throughout the 5, 8, 10, or 227 precepts, keeping body, speech, and mind pristine without any flaws. This aligns perfectly with the Pali text:

Sabpa-pāpassa akaraṇaṃ — Refraining from doing evil through body, speech, and mind absolutely.

Kusalassūpasampadā — Cultivating goodness through body, speech, and mind to the utmost of one's ability.

Sacitta-pariyodapanaṃ — Purifying one's own mind. This is called Dhamma through the path of scriptural study."

Source: Dhamma Heritage, Volume 2, Pages 83 – 84

The Five Precepts "Sīlaṃ rakkhati — If there are many people, meaning two or more, we must observe precepts. We must possess purity of body, purity of speech, and purity of mind, sharing these precepts together. The Five Precepts consist of abstaining from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, and taking intoxicants. These five training rules must be kept genuinely pure. Guard them well; do not let these downfalls overcome you, so that you may experience peace of body and mind. No matter how many people there are, all will live in peace—though it is just ordinary peace. To attain a higher state of bliss and wisdom, one must practice meditation."

Source: Dhamma Heritage, Volume 4, Pages 43 – 44