Sila Niddesa

Exposition of Sila (Virtue)

What is Sila (Virtue)?
In what sense is it called Sila (Virtue)?
What are its characteristic, function, manifestation, and
proximate cause?
What are the benefits of Sila (Virtue)?
How many kinds of Sila (Virtue) are there?
What is the defiling of Sila (Virtue)?
What is the cleansing of Sila (Virtue)?
What is Sila (Virtue)?
The volition present in one who abstains from killing etc or in one who fulfils
the practice of the duties etc.

Different Names of Sila (Virtue) in Patisambhidhamagga Pali

1. Volition (Cetana)
2. Consciousness-concomitant (Cetasika)
3. Restraint (Samvara)
4. Non-transgression (Avitikkama)
Patisambhidhamagga Pali,
Khuddaka nikaya, p.43
(1).Volition (Cetana sila)
• The volition present in one who abstains from killing etc or in one who fulfils
the practice of the duties etc.
• The seven volitions that associate with the first seven of the ten courses of
wholesome actions (Satta Kammapath cetana)

(2).Consciousness-concomitant (Cetacika sila)

• Three mental factors of abstinence (Virati): Sammavaca, Sammakamanta, and
Sammaajiva
• The three remaining: non-covetousness, non-ill will and right view of ten
courses of wholesome actions
“Abhijjham pahaya vigatabhijjhena cetasa viharati ”D.1.193
(3).Restraint (Samvara sila)

• Restraint by obeying the rules of the monk community (Patimokkhasamvara sila)

• Restraint of six faculties by being mindful not to allow defilements to arise in the six
doors (Satisamvara)
• Restraint by knowledge to prevent defilements from arising and eradicate them
• Using the four requisites (Catupassaya) with Knowledge to hinder the defilements
• Restraint by patience (Khantisamvara) with the abilities to endure heat and cold etc.
• Restraint by energy (Viriyasamvara) that is practicing an effort to drive away evil
thoughts, sensual thoughts as soon as they arise
• Leading a right livelihood (Ajivaparisudddhisila)
(4).Non-transgression (Avitikkama sila)
• The non-transgression by bodily and verbal actions that is moral precept that
have been observed
In what sense is it called Sila (Virtue)?
• It is called Sila (Virtue) in the sense of composing (Silana).

• Samadhana
• It is keeping very well (Samadhana) that is controlling one’s bodily and verbal
actions well without disordering.
• Upadharana
• It is an upholding (Upadharana), that is a state of basis (Adhara) such as Samadhi
and Panna due to its serving as foundation for wholesome states.
What are its characteristic, function, manifestation, and proximate cause?

Characteristic (Silana Lakkhanan)

• Composing (Silana lakkhanan)
Function (Dussilyaviddhamsana rasam, Anavajjaguna rasamva)
• The function of stopping misconduct (Dussila) as its action (Kiccarasa) and the quality of
blamelessness as its achievement (Sampattirasa).
Manifestation (Soceya paccupatthanan)
• Purity, that is bodily purity, verbal purity and mental purity. Just as we know a man by his
appearance, we know virtue by purity –its appearance.
Proximate cause (Hiri , ottappa padatthanan)
• Moral shame (Hiri) and Moral dread (Ottappa)
What are the benefits of Sila (Virtue)?

• Obtaining much wealth as a consequence of diligence (Appamadadhikaranam mahantam bhogakkhandham

adhigacchati)

• Spreading good fame far and wide (Kalyano kittisaddo abbhuggacchati)

• Entering and standing in an assembly without fear and hesitation (Visarado upasankamati amankubhuto)

• Dying unconfused (Asammulho kalam karoti)

• Reappearing in a happy destiny on the breakup of the body, after death (Kayassa bheda param marana
sugatim saggam lokam upapajjati)

Mahaparinibbana sutta, Digha nikaya

Sila sutta, Anguttara nikaya
Moreover, the other benefits of virtues (Sila) are described in Akankheya sutta
of Majjhima nikaya as follows.

“Akankheyya ce bhikkave bhikkhu sabrahmacarinam piyo ca assam manapo

ca garu ca bhavaniyo cati silesvevassa paripurakari” ti adina…

If a monk should wish to be enjoyed, loved, respected, honored by the

fellows in the life of purity (Sabrahmacari), he should lead virtuous life, must be
perfect the virtues etc.
Saggarohana sopanam annan silasamam kuto
Dvaram va pana nibbana, nagarassa pavesane.
Buddhavamsa atthakatha,
Visuddhimagga atthakatha Vol.1

Virtue (Sila) is like a stair to climb up the heaven ( a place of happiness).

There is no more excellent stair than Sila stair in order to gain heaven. It is
also like a door to enter onto the city of Nibbana.
How many kinds of Sila (Virtue) are there?

• One kind by reason of its own characteristic of composing that is

keeping one’s bodily and verbal actions well and upholding wholesome
states (Silana lakkhanavasena).
• Two kinds as
• Keeping and avoiding (Caritta Varitta vasena);
• Good behavior and the beginning of the life of purity (Abhisamacarika
Adhibrahmacariyaka vasena);
• Abstinence and non-abstinence (Virati Avirati vasena);
• Dependent and independent (Nissita Anissita vasena);
• Temporary and lifelong (Kalapariyanta Apanakoti vasena);
• Limited and unlimited (Sapariyanta Apariyanta vasena);
• Mundane and supra-mundane (Lokiya Lokuttara vasena);
• Three kinds as
• Inferior, medium, and superior (Hina Panita Majjhima vasena);
• Giving precedence to self, giving precedence to the world, giving
precedence to the Dhamma (Attadhipateyya Lokadhipateyya
Dhammadhipateyya);
• Adhered to, not adhered to, and tranquillized (Paramattha Aparamattha
Patipapassaddhi vasena);
• Purified, unpurified, and dubious (Visuddha Avisuddha Vematika vasena);
• Trainer, non trainer and neither trainer nor non-trainer (Sekkha Asekkha
Nevasekkha nasekkha vasena);
• Four kinds as
• Partaking of diminution, partaking of stagnation, partaking of distinction,
partaking of penetration (Hanabhagiya Thitibhagiya Visesabhagiya
Nibbedhabhagiya vasena);
• Bhikkhu, bhikkhuni, the not fully-admitted, and laity (Bhikkhu Bhikkhuni
Atupasampanna gahatthasila vasena);
• Natural, customary, necessary, due to previous causes (Pakati Acara
Dhammata Pubbahetukasila vasena);
• Patimokka restraint, restraint of sense faculties, purification of livelihood
and concerning requisites (Patimokkhasamvara Indriyasamva
Ajivaparisuddhi Paccayasannissitasila vasena);
• Five kinds as
• Virtue consisting in limited purification,
• Virtue consisting in unlimited purification,
• Virtue consisting in fulfilled purification
• Virtue consisting in un-adhered-to purification
• Virtue consisting in tranquillized purification
(Pariyantaparisuddhisila Apariyantaparisuddhisila Paripunnaparisuddhisila
Aparamatthaparisuddhisila Patippassadhiparisuddhisila)
Patisambhidamagga
• Five kinds as
• Abandoning,
• Refraining
• Volition
• Restraint and
• Non-transgression
• (Pahana Veramani Cetana Samvara Avitikkama vasena)
Keeping (Caritta sila) and avoiding (Varitta Sila)

• Fulfilling what should be done (the training precepts) taught by the

Buddha is Keeping (Caritta sila).
• Abstaining what should not be done (evil actions) that is prohibited by
the Buddha is Avoiding (Varitta Sila).

• Keeping (Caritta sila)= Faith and energy

• Avoiding (Varitta sila)= Faith
• Good behavior (Abhisamacarika sila) and the beginning of the life of
purity (Adhibrahmacariyaka sila)

• Abhisamacarika sila
• Noble practice that is training precepts announced by the Buddha in
order to achieve noble path or to be good behaviour.
• The term of virtue (sila) except Ajivatthamaka sila.
• Adhibramacariyaka sila
• The initial state of the life of purity consisting in the path and it has to be
purified initially to the path.
• In Mahasalayatanani sutta of Majjhima nikaya, it states ”his bodily
actions, verbal action, and his livelihood have already been purified
earlier”.
Abhisamacarika sila
• The training precepts that are lesser and minor.
• Adhibramacariyaka sila
• The rest (except the training precepts that are lesser and minor)

Adhisamacarika sila
• The training precepts included in Double code (Bhikkhu, Bhiihunis
Patimokkha)
• Adhibramacariyaka sila
• The duties set out in the Khandhakas of Vinaya.
Virtue of Patimokka restraint, (Patimokkhasamvara Sila)

• Dwelling restrained with the parimokkha restrained.

• Training oneself by undertaking the precepts of training.
Virtue restraint of sense faculties (Indriyasamva slla)

• Guarding the six faculties,

• undertaking the restraint of the six faculties
Virtue of livelihood purification (Ajivaparisuddhi sila)

• Abstinence from wrong livelihood

Virtue concerning requisites (Paccayasannissitasila sila)

• Using of the four requisites that is purified by the reflection.

• When a monk use the four requisites, he must use them reflecting
wisely.

• The four requisites

• Robe
• Alms food
• Resting place
• Medicine