8 Precepts

A bit lazy...copied from one of my posts in the Buddhist forum...

I think it's ok to observe precepts to gain merits in order to free all defilement. But practice requires sila, samadhi and panna.

Also, the reason for observing 8 precepts instead of 5 is more than just making more merits, or providing better state of mind to develop samadhi and panna. It's to get rid of attachments to sensory pleasures altogether - no longer desire to be born in sensory realms (if not all realms). Practicing with 8 sila, with required samadhi and panna, should lead one to let go of attachments to sensory pleasures for good.

One forest tradition Ajahn said to an assembly of monks; "some people are too busy observing the 227 precepts they forget to observe even the 5 precepts."