Precepts

Ten Buddhist Precepts

Ten training precepts extending the five lay precepts with celibacy, restricted eating, entertainment, adornment, luxury and money restrictions.

Tradition or school
Buddhism
Framework type
Precepts
Authority classification
Canonical
Observance
Monastic or clerical
Research status
Published and reviewed
Origin period
Early Buddhist monastic tradition
Origin region
Indian subcontinent
Attributed origin
The Buddha and early Buddhist monastic communities
Intended audience
Buddhist novice monks and nuns; sometimes adopted temporarily by lay practitioners
Published constituent items
10
Last reviewed
28 June 2026

Names and terminology

Alternative names: Ten Training Rules; Dasa-sila

Primary texts and authority

Traditional novice ordination and discipline sources preserve the ten training rules.

Rules, principles or steps

  10. Refrain from Accepting Money

    Avoid personally accepting or controlling gold, silver and money within novice discipline.

    Practice or observance · Mandatory

Historical development

The ten precepts function as novice discipline in Theravada and related traditions, with differing forms elsewhere in Buddhism.

Variations

The seventh and eighth items are combined in the eight precepts but separated in the ten. Money terminology may be expressed as gold and silver.

Traditional interpretation

The additional precepts simplify life, reduce sensory distraction and prepare novices for fuller monastic discipline.

Controversies and disputes

The ascetic rules are role-specific and should not be presented as universal moral duties for all people.

Truth By Reason analysis

The first five address broadly recognisable harms. The later rules are voluntary disciplines whose value depends on informed consent and their practical purpose.

Ethical themes

  • Nonviolence
  • Intoxicants
  • Use of wealth
  • Honesty
  • Non-stealing
  • Sexual conduct
  • Self-control

Explanations, comparisons and discussions

Sources