A few questions on morality

[Stephen K]

1.1 Is getting someone to kill someone else a breach of the first precept? Is it as heavy a karma as to kill by one's own hand?
1.2 Is intentional injury a breach of the precept?
2. I go to buy a souvlaki. I take it and return home. I open the package and see they had given me two souvlakia instead of one. If eat both and don't go to pay for the second one too, have I broken the second precept? On the one hand, it is not "taking what is not given" because they have given me both souvlakia. On the other hand, they did not intend to give me two souvlakia but did so by mistake, therefore it is not the case that I have taken what was given.
4.1 Someone asks me something. I lie to him. He didn't hear what I had said. Is the precept broken?
4.2 I insult someone in a language he doesn't understand. Have I broken the precept of harsh speech?

[PeterB]

1.1 Yes
1.2 Yes
3. It is taking what is not freely given probably. Although if the owner served you, not an employee, and included a second one as a gift it wouldnt be.
4.1 Yes the precept is broken, your intention was to deceive.
4.2 Yes, again its the intention which is crucial.

[Lazy_eye]

1.1 Is getting someone to kill someone else a breach of the first precept? Is it as heavy a karma as to kill by one's own hand?
1.2 Is intentional injury a breach of the precept?
2. I go to buy a souvlaki. I take it and return home. I open the package and see they had given me two souvlakia instead of one. If eat both and don't go to pay for the second one too, have I broken the second precept? On the one hand, it is not "taking what is not given" because they have given me both souvlakia. On the other hand, they did not intend to give me two souvlakia but did so by mistake, therefore it is not the case that I have taken what was given.
4.1 Someone asks me something. I lie to him. He didn't hear what I had said. Is the precept broken?
4.2 I insult someone in a language he doesn't understand. Have I broken the precept of harsh speech?

Situation #2 strikes me as being a bit complex -- because an opened souvlaki is not something that can be "returned". If you take it back to the shop, they will just throw it out (unless they are really unscrupulous and sell to someone else!). It's not good to waste food.

You could, I suppose, contact them and explain what happened.

[Annapurna]

1.1 Is getting someone to kill someone else a breach of the first precept? Is it as heavy a karma as to kill by one's own hand?
1.2 Is intentional injury a breach of the precept?
2. I go to buy a souvlaki. I take it and return home. I open the package and see they had given me two souvlakia instead of one. If eat both and don't go to pay for the second one too, have I broken the second precept? On the one hand, it is not "taking what is not given" because they have given me both souvlakia. On the other hand, they did not intend to give me two souvlakia but did so by mistake, therefore it is not the case that I have taken what was given.
4.1 Someone asks me something. I lie to him. He didn't hear what I had said. Is the precept broken?
4.2 I insult someone in a language he doesn't understand. Have I broken the precept of harsh speech?

What Peter said. And Lazy too.

Question to the Souvlaki:

Is this a speculative question for dhamma training purposes?

If no, and it did happen to you, you could always go back,and inform them. You might find they will not charge you extra, for one, because you didn't order it, and it was their mistake.

Or it was simply a gift.

[Annapurna]

I would try to clear it up with the person personally.
S-he could get in trouble.

But I wouldn't do a thing. It was given, it can't be returned, only thrown away. By them.

[Stephen K]

1.1 Is getting someone to kill someone else a breach of the first precept? Is it as heavy a karma as to kill by one's own hand?
1.2 Is intentional injury a breach of the precept?
2. I go to buy a souvlaki. I take it and return home. I open the package and see they had given me two souvlakia instead of one. If eat both and don't go to pay for the second one too, have I broken the second precept? On the one hand, it is not "taking what is not given" because they have given me both souvlakia. On the other hand, they did not intend to give me two souvlakia but did so by mistake, therefore it is not the case that I have taken what was given.
4.1 Someone asks me something. I lie to him. He didn't hear what I had said. Is the precept broken?
4.2 I insult someone in a language he doesn't understand. Have I broken the precept of harsh speech?

What Peter said. And Lazy too.

Question to the Suvlakia:

Is this a speculative question for dhamma training purposes?

If no, and it did happen to you, you could always go back,and inform them. You might find they will not charge you extra, for one, because you didn't order it, and it was their mistake.

Or it was simply a gift.

OK. All of the cases were made up except the souvlaki one. It actually happened a month or so ago. I went back and said they had given me an extra souvlaki, but the owner said it was a gift (probably because I am a regular customer ).

[Annapurna]

Ah! How cool of him. I have witnessed and enjoyed similar generosity from Greeks often.
Did you enjoy it?

[Stephen K]

Ah! How cool of him. I have witnessed and enjoyed similar generosity from Greeks often.
Did you enjoy it?

Yup!

[Bhikkhu Pesala]

The Buddhist Monastic Discipline is a good place to check regarding these kind of questions. Look at the factors for fulfilling the offence, and the non-offence clauses. E.g. regarding deliberate lying:

Result is not a factor under this rule. Thus whether anyone understands the lie or is deceived by it is irrelevant to the offense.

[Stephen K]

Thank you very much Bhante.

[Individual]

1.1 Is getting someone to kill someone else a breach of the first precept? Is it as heavy a karma as to kill by one's own hand?
1.2 Is intentional injury a breach of the precept?
2. I go to buy a souvlaki. I take it and return home. I open the package and see they had given me two souvlakia instead of one. If eat both and don't go to pay for the second one too, have I broken the second precept? On the one hand, it is not "taking what is not given" because they have given me both souvlakia. On the other hand, they did not intend to give me two souvlakia but did so by mistake, therefore it is not the case that I have taken what was given.
4.1 Someone asks me something. I lie to him. He didn't hear what I had said. Is the precept broken?
4.2 I insult someone in a language he doesn't understand. Have I broken the precept of harsh speech?

1. Yes. Maybe.
1.2 Not sure, but probably. Intentional violence is regarded as wrong.
2. Yes.
3. THERE IS NO 3!
4.1 Technically yes, but it might be skillful.
4.2 Yes.

[Annapurna]

1.1 Is getting someone to kill someone else a breach of the first precept? Is it as heavy a karma as to kill by one's own hand?

I'd like to illuminate this with an example.
Surely most have heard of Charles Manson. "Charlie".

He was a Hippiecult -leader, who totally brainwashed his followers.

When he ordered them to kill others, they did.

Without his order, they wouldn't have killed those people, thus argued the prosecution,and he was sentenced to death, of first degree murder,just like those who committed the crimes with their own hands.

They penalty was later changed into jail ,and they all still do time, to this day, 40 years later.

[Stephen K]

1.1 Is getting someone to kill someone else a breach of the first precept? Is it as heavy a karma as to kill by one's own hand?
1.2 Is intentional injury a breach of the precept?
2. I go to buy a souvlaki. I take it and return home. I open the package and see they had given me two souvlakia instead of one. If eat both and don't go to pay for the second one too, have I broken the second precept? On the one hand, it is not "taking what is not given" because they have given me both souvlakia. On the other hand, they did not intend to give me two souvlakia but did so by mistake, therefore it is not the case that I have taken what was given.
4.1 Someone asks me something. I lie to him. He didn't hear what I had said. Is the precept broken?
4.2 I insult someone in a language he doesn't understand. Have I broken the precept of harsh speech?

1. Yes. Maybe.
1.2 Not sure, but probably. Intentional violence is regarded as wrong.
2. Yes.
3. THERE IS NO 3!
4.1 Technically yes, but it might be skillful.
4.2 Yes.

Thanks. The numbers refer to the order of the precepts, "1" - first precept, "2" second precept, etc...

[catmoon]

The great souvlaki debate:


The correct answer is: you eat the souvlaki and don't sweat it. Is no biggie. Relax already.

[notself]

If the souvlaki was included by accident then it was not freely given. Therefore, it is a violation of the precept. You must go back to the store and pay for the extra one. (Trust me you will feel terrific when you do so.)