By Arjanyai
One who follows the Dhamma in this Realm of Sense Desires ought to be on guard against the "Road to Ruin", which, people have been warned against since ancient times. This "Road to Ruin" includes those allurements which lead to downfall. They are of six types, as follows:
1. Running after women.
2. Habitual drunkenness.
3. Habitual gambling.
4. Having bad friends.
5. Being lazy and dissatisfied in one's work.
6. Wandering abroad at night.
These six are the "Road to Ruin" of the pleasures of the senses; they are allurements which lead one to become fascinated with enjoying oneself to the exclusion of one's duties in life.
One may go through life enjoying these pleasures, but in the end, they will only bring suffering, so one should be on guard against them.
If one goes astray, one should be quick to return to the path of virtue and develop it more strongly than before.
One must also avoid practising wrong livelihood. This includes five types of wrong dealing, including:
1. Selling or keeping animals for slaughter.
2. Selling intoxicants for the purpose of dulling the mind.
3. Selling arms, weapons and other devices for harming beings.
4. Selling poisons for killing animals or people.
5. Selling or trading in human beings as though they were animals [slave trading].1
The Virtues of being a Lay Devotee (Upasika and Upasaka)
One who is the chief of his household and who takes upon himself the position of a Lay-Devotee should know the five benefits of this, which are as follows:
1. He has faith (Saadha) in the Three Jewels (Ti-Ratana),2 and he does not believe in any external support3
2. He uses morality to guard body and speech so that they shall be correct and orderly.
3. He does not believe in luck, nor get excited by rumours. In other words, although he cannot see the causes which give rise to effects, he has confidence in the workings of Kamma and it's results.
4. He does not look for merit outside the systems of Buddhism (the Sasana).
5. He looks for merit only within the systems of Buddhism.
Each of these five are further explained as follows:
Section 1.
He has faith in the virtues of the Three Jewels and does not believe in other religious systems, because they have been tried out by the Buddha and He found what was right and wrong in them, without overlooking any of them. He found out what was good and of benefit, by his own experience and afterwards, He taught others to follow Him. He taught the way to know the highest Truths in the way in which they should be known, understood and taught.
The Dhamma leads one who listens, ponders, and follows it's teachings, to understand the truth for himself, for the Buddha taught in an incomparable way, so that those who practise the teachings will gain experience accordingly.
When one follows the teachings of the Buddha, the Dhamma will protect one from falling into evil ways.
The Sangha follows the teachings of the Buddha and also exhorts others to put these teachings into practice.
Therefore one has the assurance of the Buddha that to have faith in the Three Jewels is good.
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