pañca-śīla

(Sanskrit; Pāli, pañca-sīla). The Five Precepts. A set of five moral rules, dating to the origins of Buddhism and common to almost all schools. They are:(1) not to kill or injure living creatures; (2) not to take what has not been given; (3) to avoid misconduct in sensual matters; (4) to abstain from false speech; (5) not to take intoxicants. The Five Precepts are the cornerstones of Buddhist morality, particularly for the laity. monks and nuns have additional codes of rules to follow (see Prātimokṣa; Vinaya).