Five precepts

In modern times, traditional Buddhist countries have seen revival movements to promote the five precepts. As for the West, the precepts play a major role in Buddhist organizations. They have also been integrated into mindfulness training programs, though many mindfulness specialists do not support this because of the precepts' religious import. Lastly, many conflict prevention programs make use of the precepts.

In Thailand, a leading lay person will normally request the monk to administer the precepts.

In the Theravāda tradition, the precepts are recited in a standardized fashion, using Pāli language. In Thailand, a leading lay person will normally request the monk to administer the precepts by reciting the following three times:

Mayaṃ bhante visuṃ visuṃ rakkhaṇatthāya tisaraṇena saha pañca sīlāniyācāma.

After the lay people have repeated the five precepts after the monk, the monk will close the ceremony reciting:

Imāni pañca sikkhāpadāni. Sīlena sugatiṃ yanti, sīlena bhogasampadā, sīlena nibbutiṃ yanti, tasmā sīlaṃ visodhaye.
Living a life in violation of the precepts is believed to lead to rebirth in a hell.
A layperson who upholds the precepts is described in the texts as a "jewel among laymen".
The first of the five precepts includes abstention from killing small animals such as insects.
Studies discovered that people who reported not adhering to the five precepts more often tended to pay bribes.
Work that involves online scams can also be included as a violation of the fourth precept.
Some scholars have proposed that the five precepts be introduced as a component in mindfulness training programs.