Chapter 10
How to Observe the Precepts
Immaculately
One may wonder how it is possible for an ordinary person to observe the Precepts immaculately amidst temptations or scarcity or when no one else is watching.
The answer is, it is possible. Sila practice can be aided by cultivating the two virtues called Hiri and Ottappa. Hiri means feeling ashamed of unwholesomeness. Whatever is unwholesome or evil, one dares not think, say, or do it because one is repulsed by unwholesomeness the way one is repulsed by filth. Ottappa means feeling fearful of the ill consequences of unwholesomeness the way one is fearful of a poisonous snake.
A person who has cultivated Hiri and Ottappa can observe the Precepts immaculately wherever he may be and whether or not anyone is watching.
During the time that the Lord Buddha was staying at the Jetavana Temple, 500 Buddhist monks became fretful during the night thinking about the happiness derived from physical form, taste, smell, sound, and touch that they had experienced before entering the monkhood. With supernormal insight, the Lord Buddha saw how the 500 monks were fretting so and could see that they would come to harm. Therefore, He told Venerable Ananda to fetch all 500 monks and said to them,
"Behold, monks, there are no secrets in this world. One particular sage in the past knew this so he refused to commit an unwholesome deed."
And then the Lord Buddha told them the following story.
The Silavimansa Jataka
At the time that King Brahmadata was the ruler of the city of Varanasi, our Bodhisatta was born in a Brahmin family. When he was of age, he went to study the arts with a famous teacher in Varanasi. In time, he became the head of the class of 500 students.
The teacher had a daughter who was of age and he wanted her to marry one of his students who could observe the Precepts immaculately. Therefore, he wanted to put all of his students to a test.
The teacher called his students together and said to them,
"Now that my daughter is of age, I wish for her to marry. She has need of cloths and jewelry. I want all of you to steal cloths and jewelry from your families. I will accept only the cloths and jewelry that you can steal without being seen by anyone."
All the young men went home and did what their teacher told them to do. They returned with stolen things for the teacher. Our Bodhisatta was the only one who returned empty-handed. The teacher asked our Bodhisatta,
"You've brought nothing for me."
"No, sir, you specifically said that you would accept only the things that I could steal without being seen by anyone. I happen to believe that an unwholesome deed can never be kept a secret."
Then our Bodhisatta said,
"There is no place on earth for an evildoer to hide. A tree grown in the forest, someone can come across it.
A fool makes the mistake of thinking that evil can be hidden.
I see no hiding places, I see no empty space.
I may not see anyone,
But I most certainly see myself."
Our Bodhisatta's answer was beyond the teacher's expectation, and he said,
"Son, in my house there is nothing of any value except for my daughter. I have put all of you to a test and you are the only one who passes it. Therefore, you are worthy of my daughter."
Having arranged for his daughter to marry our Bodhisatta, the teacher told his students to return all of the things that they had stolen to their families.
At the end of the story, all of the Buddhist monks came to know Hiri and Ottappa. They were able to keep their minds still as the Lord Buddha taught them the Four Noble Truths. At the end of which, all 500 Buddhist monks were able to attain Arahatship.
In this story, our Bodhisatta was just a young man and yet he was able to observe the Precepts immaculately. He possessed Hiri and Ottappa; therefore, he refused to commit an unwholesome deed even when no one was watching. He resisted the pressure from his teacher and held firmly to his belief in Sila practice.
Hiri and Ottappa are the two virtues that enable one to practice Sila earnestly.
Without Hiri and Ottappa, it is not possible for one to practice Sila earnestly.
It is said that ...
"With Hiri and Ottappa, Sīla practice is made possible. Without Hiri and Ottappa, Sila practice is made impossible."
Therefore, Hiri and Ottappa are the virtues that make possible a society where its members can live together in peace and harmony. The persons who possess Hiri and Ottappa will meet with good things now and in the hereafter.
As noble as Hiri and Ottappa may be, they can be easily cultivated. Hiri means feeling ashamed of unwholesomeness. It can be cultivated by contemplating the following four factors.
1. By contemplating one's birth in that one was born in a family that earns right livelihood. Therefore, to earn wrong livelihood will damage the family's reputation.
2. By contemplating one's age in that one is old enough to know better. Therefore, one would not transgress the Sila because one has the ability to remind oneself.
3. By contemplating one's courage in that one should have the courage to be virtuous and altruistic. One should not transgress the Sila by falling prey to one's defilements and causing problems for others.
4. By contemplating one's scholarliness in that one is learnt in the Lord Buddha's Teachings. Therefore, one should practice the Lord Buddha's Teachings by practicing Sila.
Ottappa means feeling fearful of the illconsequences of an unwholesome deed. It can be cultivated by contemplating the following four factors.
1. By contemplating the harm wrought by self-blame in that when one transgresses the Sila, one will feel anxious and worried. And one will incur self-blame for having done what is shameful.
2. By contemplating the harm wrought by criticism in that when others learn about one's transgression of the Sila, one will be called a fool, an evil-doer who brings harm to one's self and others.
3. By contemplating the harm wrought by punishment in that Sila transgression will cause one to receive punishment according to the rule of law.
4. By contemplating the harm wrought by the States of Unhappiness in that when one is reborn in the Hell Realm, the Animal Realm, the Peta Realm, or the Asurakaya Realm, one will meet with untold suffering and for an unimaginably long time.
Such earnest contemplation will enable one to successfully cultivate Hiri and Ottappa. And then Sila practice will no longer be such a difficult feat.
One day in the life of a person who practices Sila and meditation is better than 100 years in the life of a person who practices neither Sila nor meditation.
