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{{Short description|Important rule of action and behavior}}
{{For|the community in the United States|Precept, Nebraska}}
{{Unfocused|date=May 2023}}
A '''precept''' (from the {{langx|la|præcipere}}, to teach) is a [[wikt:commandment|commandment]], instruction, or order intended as an [[authority|authoritative]] rule of action.

==Religious law==
In [[religion]], precepts are usually commands respecting [[morality|moral]] conduct.

===Christianity===
{{main article|Christian ethics}}

The term is encountered frequently in the Jewish and Christian [[Scripture]]s:

{{quote|Thou hast commanded thy precepts to be kept diligently. O that my ways may be steadfast in keeping thy statutes!|[[Psalm 119|Psalm&nbsp;119(118)]]:4–5|[[Revised Standard Version|RSV]]}}

The usage of precepts in the [[Revised Standard Version]] of the Bible corresponds with that of the [[Hebrew Bible]]. The [[Septuagint]] (Samuel Rengster edition) has [[Greek language|Greek]] ''entolas'', which, too, may be rendered with precepts.

====Latin Catholicism====
{{Main|Decree (canon law)}}
The [[Latin Church]] of the [[Catholic Church]]'s [[Canon law (Catholic Church)|canon law]], which is based on [[Roman Law]], makes a distinction between ''precept'' and ''law'' in Canon&nbsp;49:

{{Quote|A singular precept is a [[decree (canon law)|decree]] which directly and legitimately enjoins a specific person or persons to do or omit something, especially in order to urge the observance of law.}}

In [[Catholicism]], the "[[Commandments of the Church]]" may also be called "Precepts of the Church".

[[Holy days of obligation]] may also be known simply as '''precepts'''.

===Buddhism===
{{main article|Buddhist ethics|Dhammika Sutta}}
In [[Buddhism]], the fundamental code of ethics is known as the [[The Five Precepts|Five Precepts]] (''Pañcaśīla'' in [[Sanskrit]], or ''Pañcasīla'' in [[Pāli]]), practiced by [[Upasaka|laypeople]], either for a given period of time or for a lifetime. The precepts also relate to right speech, action and livelihood aspects of the [[Noble Eightfold Path]], which is essential in [[Buddhist paths to liberation|Buddhist practices]]. There are other levels of precepts, varying amongst traditions. In [[Theravadin]] tradition, there are [[Eight Precepts]], [[Ten Precepts (Buddhism)|Ten Precepts]], and the [[Patimokkha]]. Eight Precepts are a more rigorous practice for laypeople. Ten Precepts are the training rules for ''[[samanera]]s'' and ''[[samaneri]]s'', novice [[monk]]s and [[nun]]s, respectively. The Patimokkha is the basic Theravada code of monastic discipline, consisting of 227&nbsp;rules for monks, (''[[bhikkhu]]s'') and 311&nbsp;rules for nuns (''[[bhikkhuni]]s'').<ref>{{cite web|last=Roshi|first=Robert Aitken|title=The Second Paramita (Buddhist Precepts)|url=http://zenproject.faithweb.com/zen_teachings/buddhist_precepts.html/|publisher=Kaohsiung, Taiwan Expat Community Forum|access-date=28 August 2012}}</ref>

==Secular law==
In secular [[law]], a precept is a command in writing; a species of [[writ]] issued from a court or other legal authority. It is now chiefly used of an order demanding payment (in the UK, for example, the term is applied by local [[Council Tax#Precepting authorities|precepting authorities]] as part of the [[Council Tax]] system). The Latin form ''praecipe'' (i.e.,&nbsp;to enjoin, command) is used of the note of instructions delivered by a [[plaintiff]] or his [[lawyer]] to be filed by the officer of the court, giving the names of the plaintiff and [[defendant]].<ref>{{EB1911 |wstitle=Precept |volume=22 |page=274 |inline=1}}</ref>

==Higher education==
[[Princeton University]] uses the term ''precept'' to describe what many other universities refer to as [[recitation#Education|recitations]]: large classes are often divided into several smaller discussion sections called precepts, which are led by the professor or graduate [[teaching assistant]]s. Precepts or recitations usually meet once a week to supplement the lectures and provide a venue for discussion of the course material.<ref>Aaron Sommers, ''The Nature of Time''. Preceptorial [[University of New Hampshire]].[http://www-ssg.sr.unh.edu/preceptorial/Summaries_2001/outline8_2001.html]</ref>

==See also==
* [[Five precepts  (Taoism)]]
* [[Ten precepts (Taoism)]]
* [[Preceptor]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
{{wiktionary}}
*Article ''entolē'' in ''Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament'', H. Balz and G. Schneider (ed.), Edinburgh 1990, Vol. I, pp.&nbsp;459–60, which also cites sources for a discussion of the term's distinction from [[Greek language|Greek]] ''nomos''/"law".
*'' The [[1983 Code of Canon Law|Code of Canon Law]]'', 1983, in the English translation prepared by the Canon Law Society of Great Britain and Ireland [https://web.archive.org/web/20060619055307/http://www.deacons.net/Canon_Law/cci.htm]
*The [[Oxford English Dictionary]] lists the origin of precept as from the Latin roots of pre-septum. Thus precept is a pre coming-together/closure.
*{{WD1913}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Statements]]
[[Category:Canon law of the Catholic Church]]
[[Category:Religious philosophical concepts]]