The Buddhist Precepts

The five basic Buddhist precepts, which complement the three cumulative pure precepts, can be taken partially. It is not necessary to take all five. These five precepts are: not killing, not stealing, not lying, not committing sexual misconduct, and not taking intoxicants.

Why do the shravaka precepts last only a lifetime? The seed generated by taking and maintaining the Buddhist precepts can be regarded as the precept essence. Different from ordinary matter, this subtle essence is a hidden, non-manifested form-dharma1 or phenomena of form that arises from material phenomena such as body and speech. Therefore, when physical life ceases, that precept essence also ceases.

On the other hand the essence generated by the bodhisattva vows is established on the subtle level of one's mind-stream, or mental continuum. The virtuous seed that is generated by the bodhisattva precepts and vows is imbedded in one's subtle mind-stream, and will continue to mature until the ultimate attainment of buddhahood. It is actually a mind-dharma, not a form-dharma. Since the mind-stream is without beginning or end, the precept essence persists until one achieves full buddhahood.

While the bhikshu (monk) or bhikshuni (nun) precepts are taken once per lifetime, the bodhisattva precepts can be taken cumulatively over and over again. This is how bodhisattvas integrate the precepts into their conduct and being over many lifetimes.