Dalit movement in India

My ex-untouchable friend in India asked for threads of thoughts on the 5 precepts, he's got to talk to the sangha on an upcoming retreat about that. So here's my riff:

In my life I spun off into perfection of wisdom to justify my misconduct, and I have a healthy respect for how the precepts are good. 

I was telling myself stillness, simplicity and contentment in my second meditation today. I really like how the positive precepts aren't just slapping your hand, they're pointing to something beautiful. 

They're really basic though and the 227 rule vinaya is something that should be considered also, because that's just an application of those 5 rules, for a specific time and place. Triratna is a bit loosey goosey, lets you be married and doesn't have a lineage, it's a lay movement even though Sangharakshita says neither monastic nor lay. All the new movements are the most vibrant, but there are questions about them. IMS is a lay Theravada movement. NKT is a rogue Tibetan movement. Triratna is a new movement that is ecumenical, ekkhayana, inclusive of the one dharma, which is also Goldstein's of IMS' approach. I think these new movements are kind of shepherding people towards the more harsh asceticism of lots of meditation and paired down simplified life, but it's also a bit loosey goosey. 

If you're really serious about the 5 precepts, you are vegan, you can't be like Suella Braverman in England who says she's a mitra in Triratna, and lie in politics. You can't use drugs or sell alcohol, work as a butcher or sell meat, you can't really exploit people for work, which is what most work situations do. Not stealing means you can't be late, you can't take other's time. Sexual misconduct is larger, you can't watch porn because it's an inherently corrupt industry. Really communicating well with people is not easy. There is some real call to greatness with Non-Violent Communication, real insight into yourself and how you try to manipulate people. No drug use is hard for younger people who are still experimenting. Supposedly in the USA they stop experimenting by age 27. It seems like my Iranian friends struggle with marijuana. I don't mind if people want to take hallucinatory mushrooms a few time, but on the spiritual path, you're even winding down coffee and caffeinated teas.

When the Buddha discovered the middle way, he'd been an ascetic where he nearly starved to death, he ate his own shit, didn't sleep for day, did all kinds of crazy things to test the boundaries. When he came to just sitting and not moving, that was almost easy after that. Today's people come to the middle way from a life of indulgence and hedonism. That's a bit different, the middle way is going to feel like asceticism. I think really pushing yourself ethically you will evolve into a vegan, celibate, environmentalist who participates in politics and advocates for the environment and social justice. 

You can only choose to do these things yourself, I don't believe in prescriptive morality, I believe in supporting people's ethical development. I don't think sangha should shame other members who aren't vegan or celibate or politically active. You just rejoice when people are.

Anyway, hope that is helpful.