What is the main difference between five and eight precepts?

The Eight Precepts require celibacy rather than only avoiding sexual misconduct, and add restraint around afternoon and evening food, entertainment and adornment, and luxurious beds.

Do the Eight Precepts make me a monk or nun?

No. Lay people can keep them for a day, a retreat or longer. Ordination is a separate commitment with a monastic community.

Can married people observe the Eight Precepts?

Yes. During the period of observance, the third precept means abstaining from sexual activity, including within marriage. Discuss the temporary commitment with your partner beforehand.

Can I eat dinner at Wat Pa Tam Wua?

There is no full evening meal. Breakfast and lunch are provided; some fruit or biscuits may be available later under the monastery’s arrangements for guests.

Can I use a phone while keeping the precepts?

At Tam Wua you may keep your phone. Silence it during group activities, avoid disturbing others and set aside entertainment. Necessary communication does not need to turn into browsing throughout every break.

Are washing and basic toiletries allowed?

Yes. Cleanliness is part of considerate shared living. The restraint on adornment concerns beautification and display; it does not mean giving up washing, dental care or necessary medication.

Do I have to keep all eight precepts after going home?

No. You can undertake them for the agreed retreat period, then use the Five Precepts in ordinary life. Some lay practitioners choose to keep eight again on observance days.

What should I do if I break a precept?

Acknowledge what happened, correct the harm where possible and renew your intention. During a stay, tell the appropriate person if the mistake affects someone else or breaches monastery rules.

Five and Eight Buddhist Precepts: What They Mean in Daily Life

Name: Wat Pa Tam Wua
Address: Ban Mae Suya, Huay Pha, Mae Hong Son, 58000, TH
Price range: Free

Published: September 7, 2026

The Five Precepts are commitments to avoid harming others through your actions and speech. The Eight Precepts add a simpler way of living for a retreat or observance day. At Wat Pa Tam Wua, guests follow the Eight Precepts as lay practitioners; you do not have to become a monk to keep them.

Illustration of simple belongings beside a meditation mat — Illustration: The precepts connect meditation with everyday choices and considerate living.

What is a precept?

A precept is something you undertake to practise: “I will try to live this way.” It is more useful to think of it as a daily commitment than a belief you agree with in theory. Telling the truth about a mistake, leaving someone else’s belongings alone and letting an insect outside are ordinary examples.

The purpose is to reduce harm and make the mind less troubled by regret. When people can trust one another, a shared retreat becomes easier too. You still have to make choices; the precepts give those choices a clear direction.

The Five Precepts, one by one

Do not intentionally kill living beings. This includes small creatures. Move an insect away gently instead of automatically crushing it.
Do not take what has not been given. Borrow a charger only with permission, and use shared supplies for their intended purpose.
Avoid sexual misconduct. Do not cause harm through sexual behaviour, coercion or betrayal. This precept allows responsible family life.
Do not lie. Speak honestly. Kind, timely speech also helps prevent arguments and gossip.
Avoid intoxicants that lead to carelessness. Alcohol and recreational drugs make it harder to keep a clear mind and the other commitments.

Lay Buddhists commonly use these five in everyday life. Keeping them does not require leaving your job, giving away everything you own or living at a temple.

What changes with the Eight Precepts?

The Eight Precepts keep the commitments against killing, stealing, lying and intoxication. The third becomes complete celibacy, including for married people during the period of observance. Three more commitments simplify the day:

No food after midday until the next dawn. Traditionally, full meals are eaten in the morning.
No entertainment or beautification. Set aside music, shows, games and adornment used for display.
No high or luxurious beds. Use simple sleeping arrangements.

These changes free time and attention for practice. An evening without streaming a show, for example, lets you notice restlessness instead of immediately filling it. You can undertake the Eight Precepts for one day or during a retreat; they need not become a lifelong promise.

Illustration of a simple sleeping mat and folded bedding — Illustration: The Eight Precepts include restraint around sleeping arrangements and comfort.

Phones, toiletries and ordinary needs

For a retreat, keep entertainment apps closed and put your phone on silent before practice. Necessary travel arrangements or a message about a family matter are different from spending every break scrolling. At Tam Wua, you keep your devices, but their use must not disturb classes, chanting or other guests.

Wash, brush your teeth and keep clothes clean. The restraint on beautification is not a request to neglect hygiene. Pack practical toiletries and necessary medication, and leave perfume or decorative items you do not need at home. If a health need affects food or sleeping arrangements, explain it when arranging your stay rather than quietly forcing yourself through a problem.

How this works at Wat Pa Tam Wua

Guests wear white, attend required activities and observe celibacy. Smoking, alcohol, recreational drugs, stealing and sexual activity are prohibited. Breakfast is at 07:00 and lunch at 11:00; there is no full dinner.

Tam Wua allows some practical flexibility for lay guests: small amounts of fruit or biscuits may be available later, and small items of jewellery are permitted. That is the local guest arrangement alongside the traditional Eight Precepts. It does not mean the traditional food precept includes an evening meal.

Silence is encouraged, but quiet conversation is allowed in suitable places. Truthful, considerate speech matters whether or not you choose a silent badge. Keeping the precepts also continues during chores, in the dormitory and when you are away from a meditation cushion.

What if you make a mistake?

If you forget and begin chatting in a silent area, stop and move the conversation. If you borrow something without permission, return it and apologise. Recognise the action, repair any harm you can and begin again with more care.

A mistake does not require abandoning the whole practice. Serious breaches of monastery rules can, however, lead to being asked to leave. Being honest when something goes wrong gives you and the community a chance to deal with it.