The Five precepts provide practical guidelines on our way of life, enabling us to avoid future suffering, to become responsible persons, and to obtain happiness and peace of mind. By upholding the five precepts, one will be guaranteed return in the human realm. People can be rich or poor, have long or short lives, be smart or stupid, be beautiful or ugly, be tall or short—these are all results of different degrees of observing the five precepts.

No Killing : To refrain from abortion, killing, and harming human beings and other sentient beings such as animals, birds, even insects. The direct karmic result of killing is usually shortened life span and illness.

No Stealing : To refrain from taking things that belong to another without permission. To obtain something with improper means is also stealing. The karmic consequence of stealing is poverty or worse.

No Sexual Misconduct : To refrain from improper sexual acts, such as promiscuity and adultery. Lust is one of human beings’ strongest drives, and if it is not properly controlled, it can cause much harm and heartache to oneself and to those involved.

No Lying : To refrain from deceitful and other false speech. Those who are dishonest will lose their integrity and have no friends.

No Intoxicants : To refrain from taking alcohol, illegal substances and the like, which delude and muddle the mind. When one is drunk or under the influence, rationality dissipates.

    By upholding one of the five precepts, one will be protected by five guardian spirits. By upholding all of the five precepts, one will be pro- tected by twenty-five guardian spirits. Those who strictly observe the superior grade of the five precepts will be outstanding beings in the world, en- joy great wealth and nobility. Those who observe the medium grade of the five precepts will enjoy a certain amount of wealth & nobility. Those who observe the lower level of the five precepts can achieve rebirth in the human realm. Those who observe the lowest level of the five precepts will be reborn as humans but will not have perfect sense organs.

   The five precepts are the foundations of all virtues. One should uphold the five precepts in this lifetime to liberate oneself from the suffering of samsara.