Moral virtue functions as the foundation atone upon which the higher pursuits of meditation and wisdom are built.In his book BUDDHIST ETHICS,the Venerable Saddhatissa,has observed that the fundamental concern of the Buddha was an ethical one. The Buddha was not interested in constructing a philosophical system.Indeed,the Buddha taught that speculation about metaphsical questions such as whether or not the world was eternal or noneternal was useless.Likewise, the Buddha would consider many questions debated by Christian and Jewish theologians a waste of time.In this sense the Buddha's message was a practical or ethical one. For his followers he outlined a way that would eliminate hatred,greed,destructive ambition,and all exploitative activities aimed at self-enhancement at the expense of others. By following this way, a moral and ethical transformation would take place. In countries such as Thailand,primary and secondary students study a required ethics curriculum based primarily on Buddhism.

Ethics,then form the focus of the Buddha's teaching.Not unlike the law of Moses in Judaism, the Buddha teaches his followers not to kill, not to lie or tell slanderous stories, not to commit acts of fornication, not to steal his neighbor's property,and not to take intoxicants or hallucinogenic drugs.Elsewhere in the texts, the Buddha advises children to respect thier parents and parents to be responsible for thier children. Buddhist ethics are the formal moral rules faithful Buddhists are to follow much like the Torah was for Israelites.Rather than detailing these rules in dry fashion, the abbot in village temple might instruct Buddhist lay persons by relating the rules in story form. Telling stories illustrated by beautifully painted murals on the temple walls is a more effective and interesting teaching method, especially for those unable to read. Abstract concepts are more difficult to comperhend than are lively stories. People can identify with stories and internalize the moral being taught.