(Or perceptions? It says perceptions but I think it is precepts, because I don't know about the five or eight perceptions. There are millions of perceptions! So I think it is the precepts)
In case any of you don't know about the precepts, in Buddhist training, we have what we call Morality training. These are the five precepts for the lay person, and sometimes if people want to take on the eight precepts during times of intensive contemplation, this is what they do. Or if they want to develop a little bit more Renunciation in their life, they may take on eight precepts, or they become white robed people, who take on the eight precepts.
These are rules of training which are usually worded, "I undertake the rule of training to abstain from (the first one) killing living beings." Well, the benefit of undertaking this training of abstaining from killing living beings is that hopefully we will develop a little bit more Compassion and Lovingkindness for living beings. Usually we try to increase the qualities of Compassion and Lovingkindness in people so this will come a bit more easily, rather than taking on the rules. However, for some people who haven't developed enough Compassion and Lovingkindness, sometimes taking on the rule is helpful for them, to limit their actions to actions that are beneficial for themselves and other living beings.
The second one is to undertake the rule of training to abstain from taking what is not given. As we all usually really like our own things and we have probably worked very hard to obtain these things, through our livelihood, then we try to develop Compassion and Lovingkindness for other beings and not take what belongs to somebody else. This is also developing Compassion and Lovingkindness for others. So the development of Morality is the development of the Right Intention, the Compassionate intention.
The next one is to undertake the rule of training to abstain from wrong conduct in sexual relations. Usually this is defined in the scriptures as having wrong sexual relations with a minor, people who are under age, under the protection of family, etc.; also adultery. It is very obvious, if you look at it closely, that these actions can cause harm to others. To have sex that is consensual, that is not forced. Again, it is out of Compassion and Lovingkindness for ourselves and others, so that we don't abuse this type of desire, as often is happening in the world these days. It is also obvious that if you have wrong sexual conduct, you could cause family breakups, children who have one parent, etc.
For children who are very sensitive, this causes harm to them, because they haven't yet reached the age where they can really make wise decisions for themselves. It goes further because these days there usually isn't a lot of marriage happening, so in our days, we look at it and try and see what the Buddha meant. That is, if a person is in a relationship to others, to respect that, and realize that this particular person is not really available to us. This is through compassion to them and compassion to their partner. If you are in a relationship with another person, then you consider the hurt you might bring to your partner, and if things are not going so well, then you wait and break up the relationship first before you then have sexual relations with somebody else. It is developing compassion for ourselves and others.
The next one is to undertake the rule of training to abstain from false speech. Well, have you ever been lied to? Doesn't feel very good if you find out, does it? It is not very skillful to lie to others, because not only does it harm others if you try to put something over them, it is also harmful for yourself, because you are trying to cover up for the lie all the time, and you have all this worry and thoughts, and if they find out about the lie then nobody trusts you any more. As well, once you have lost people's trust, it is very hard to regain it. So there is a great benefit in learning how to speak truthfully, so that people trust you, so that you lessen the harm you cause for yourself.
And it also covers in a finer way, if we really are developing compassion, gossiping about others, especially if what we are saying we don't know if it is true. Then we may actually be spreading lies about people, and causing other people to not really like them because of these things that we have heard which may not be true. Which could affect people's reputation. So the benefit of Morality is very great, and to undertake these rules of training, as it is stated, we do not take them as "I should not" but we undertake the training to abstain from, realizing that we are not perfect yet, and we will make mistakes, but when we make mistakes, to see the Dukkha that it causes for ourselves and others.
The last one, which many Westerners don't like very much, is to undertake the rule of training to abstain from taking intoxicants which confuse the mind. That includes alcohol, drugs, etc. Once we have become true meditators, it is quite easy to see why this is so, because we start to realize how difficult it is to look at these energies in the mind and let them go. With all this awareness we are trying to develop it is really hard, so can you imagine how difficult it would be if we don't have that awareness? Thus by abstaining from intoxicants, we protect ourselves and others.
We only have to look in the world and see the suffering that is created from people who become intoxicated. On the roads, people dying, people going home and beating their kids or whatever. So through Compassion to ourselves, we don't want to cloud our awareness, because it is difficult enough with this awareness, to protect ourselves. It's difficult enough to protect ourselves, and protect others.
Eight precepts is more: one is to abstain from using high and luxurious beds. I don't think you have to worry about that here. The benefit of this is that you can sleep anywhere and be content with it. Just imagine if you had to take your bed on your back somewhere, so by not being attached to high and luxurious beds, you're content with sleeping any particular place where you can. It also possibly came about, because sometimes when we get in a high and luxurious bed, it's more easy to indulge in sloth and torpor. So, for meditators this is not very helpful. Then instead of getting up at the 4am bell, you may be more inclined to want to stay in bed.
Another one is to abstain from eating anything after noon. Again, these precepts are usually for people who are meditating. So, you can start to see the benefits of this, if you cut down on the amount of food you eat in the afternoon, the body is not digesting food all day, has more energy, not so much sloth and torpor. According to the scriptures it came about because some monks would just go wandering any time and then this placed an inconvenience for the lay people, especially if they went at night time, because the people actually didn't know who was coming to the door, and they often became frightened by strange people at the door. Since the ascetics were only supposed to eat the one meal a day, the Buddha made a rule to make it in the morning hours, so that the lay people would know who was coming and when to expect them.
The last one concerns jewelry and to refrain from creams and things; from wearing jewelry and that sort of thing that adorns yourself. The benefit of this, of course, is so that we're less distracted by trying to make the body beautiful and being less attached to the body and less attached to what other people think of us.
So the benefit of Morality is great, if we look at the compassionate intention, it's actually how we relate to others in the world, and this is very important for us.