Appendix
More Interesting Facts about
Sila Practice
Sila practice is not only about not killing, not stealing, not committing sexual misconduct, not lying, and not consuming alcohol and other addictive substances, but it is also about not harming or exploiting other living beings.
1. The Intention to Abstain from Killing
It means the intention to abstain from the following forms of unwholesomeness.
a. Killing
This pertains to all living beings which include human beings, animals, and fetuses.
b. Inflicting Injury
Here, it means not causing another human being
- To become physically impaired.
- To become physically marred.
- To become wounded.
c. Torture
Here, it means the different forms of animal mistreatment and include:
- Overworking an animal, not allowing it to get enough rest or food.
- Confining an animal to a small area such that it cannot move around.
-Delivering an animal by tying it and causing it to suffer hardship.
- Abusing an animal for one's entertainment.
- Bringing animals together for the specific purpose of having them fight each other as in cockfighting, etc.
2. The Intention to Abstain from Stealing
It means the intention to abstain from the following forms of unwholesomeness.
a. Thievery: It includes:
- Burglary
- Snatching
- Extortion
- Robbery
-Making a false claim of ownership.
- Embezzlement
- Swindling
- Cheating
- Counterfeit goods
- Claiming ownership of a borrowed item.
- Pilferage
- Exchanging one's inferior item for another person's superior item.
- Skimming, selling illegal goods
- Hiding the possessions about to be confiscated.
b. Indirect Thievery: It includes:
- Lending support to theft such as buying stolen goods, giving shelter, food, and water to a thief, etc.
- Fleecing someone.
- Acts of corruption.
c. Other Forms of Indirect Thievery: They include:
- Vandalism such as setting someone's house on fire, etc.
- Taking liberty with other people's things.
3. The Intention to Abstain from Sexual
Misconduct
The following persons are considered to be forbidden and must never be transgressed against sexually.
Forbidden women include:
- A married woman
- An underage female
- A female ascetic
Forbidden men include:
- Other men besides one's husband
- A male ascetic
Sexual misconduct is considered to be more damaging to a woman than a man.
4. The Intention to Abstain from Lying
It means the intention to abstain from the following forms of unwholesomeness.
a. False Speech: It includes
- Telling a lie.
- Swearing to tell the truth despite the fact that one is lying.
- Boasting about one's supernormal powers when one does not really possess them.
- Being deliberately misleading.
- Using words that can be misleading.
- Embellishing the facts.
-Cutting out certain parts of a document or a story with the intention to mislead.
b. Telling an Untrue Story but without the intention to mislead others. It includes:
- Using words to make someone feel hurt or embarrassed.
- Using false speech for fun.
c. Not Honoring One's Word: It includes:
- Not honoring one's part in an agreement.
- Not honoring one's promise.
- Not doing what one has agreed to do.
Note: There are other forms of lying that incur no retribution and they include:
-The use of salutation as when writing a letter, words like "respectfully yours", etc.
- Fictional writing.
- Misunderstanding what one has heard and telling others about it without realizing one's misunderstanding.
- The words exclaimed out loud when startled.
5. The Intention to Abstain from the Consumption of Alcohol and Other Addictive Substances
Alcohol and addictive substances are the sources of recklessness and they include:
- Alcohol: It includes hard liquor, beer and other alcoholic beverages.
- Addictive Substances: They include non-distilled alcoholic preparations, opium, marijuana, heroin, amphetamine, and every substance that causes one to lose control of one's behavior.
The Tenfold Wholesome Course
of Action
The Tenfold Wholesome Course of Action includes:
1. The intention to abstain from killing
2. The intention to abstain from stealing
3. The intention to abstain from sexual misconduct
4. The intention to abstain from false speech
5. The intention to abstain from divisive speech
6. The intention to abstain from offensive speech
7. The intention to abstain from nonsensical speech
8. Non-covetousness
9. Non-ill will
10. Having Right View
The first three concern physical honesty. The fourth to the seventh concern verbal honesty. And the eighth to the tenth concern mental honesty. On the contrary, the Tenfold Unwholesome Course of Action includes three forms of physical dishonesty, four forms of verbal dishonesty, and three forms of mental dishonesty.
It can be seen that the first to the seventh parts of the Tenfold Wholesome Course of Action correspond to the first four Precepts. As for the fifth Precept, the Lord Buddha categorizes it as part of the Six Causes of Ruin.
Both the Tenfold Wholesome Course of Action and the Five Precepts are the human virtues that have always been the mark of humanity. For this reason, the Lord Buddha has incorporated them into His teachings.
The Importance of Sila Practice
Sila Is Like the Ground
On one occasion when our Lord Buddha was staying at the Jetavana Temple in the city of Savatthi, He said to the His disciples,
"Behold, monks, whatever one has to undertake, one is enabled to do it because one has the ground to stand on. Likewise, it is because of his Sila practice that the Buddhist monk can be well trained in the Noble Eightfold Path.
It is because of his Sīla practice that he can cultivate the Noble Eightfold Path, namely, Right View, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration to the extent that detachment, the absence of lust, and the cessation of suffering can be brought about."
Sila and Panna Are the Foremost Virtues
On one occasion, our Lord Buddha trekked in the company of a large number of His disciples to the city of Campa. They went to stay by the bank of the Gaggara River.
At the time, the Brahmin by the name of Sonadanda, who was the ruler of Campa City, came to see the Lord Buddha. In the Lord Buddha's presence, he became worried that he might not be able to ask an intelligent question or answer the Lord Buddha's question in a satisfactory manner. He did not want to be thought of as a stupid person, which would cause him to lose position and material wealth. Therefore, he felt inclined to leave.
The Lord Buddha knew the Brahmin's thought and made sure to ask the Brahmin about the Vedas at which he was an expert. The Lord Buddha asked him what qualified someone as a Brahmin.
The Brahmin answered that to qualify as a Brahmin, one has to possess the following five attributes.
1. One must be born in a family where both parents are descended from seven generations of Brahmins.
2. One must be able to memorize the Vedas.
3. One must have a good complexion.
4. One must practice Sila.
5. One must possess Panna (or insight).
The Lord Buddha asked the Brahmin if one could still qualify as a Brahmin if one possessed just four of such attributes. And if so, what attribute could be forgone. The Brahmin said that having a good complexion could be omitted.
The Lord Buddha asked the Brahmin if one could still qualify as a Brahmin if one possessed just three attributes. And if so, what other attribute could be forgone. The Brahmin said that memorizing the Vedas could be omitted.
The Lord Buddha asked the Brahmin if one could still qualify as a Brahmin if one possessed just three attributes. And if so, what attribute could be forgone. The Brahmin said that having Brahmin parents could be omitted.
At this point, all the other Brahmins present atthe congregation began to fret and they entreated Sonadanda not to say such things because what he was saying had an impact on the Brahmin caste.
But Sonadanda was adamant and said that my grandson, Angaka, who is also sitting among us, possesses a good complexion, can memorize the Vedas, and was born of parents who are descended from seven generations of Brahmins, and yet he kills, he steals, he commits sexual misconduct, he lies, and he drinks. It only goes to show that his good complexion, his good memory, and his good lineage cannot help him. Therefore, a person who practices Sila and possesses Panna (insight) can call himself a Brahmin.
The Lord Buddha asked Sonadanda if one more attribute could be omitted, but Sonadanda answered in the negative. He said that Sila practice gives rise to Panna and Panna gives rise to Sila. Within Sila, there is Panna. Within Panna, there is Sila. Sila and Panna are the foremost virtues. It is like using one hand to wash another hand and using one foot to wash another foot. Sila and Panna must go hand-in-hand.
The Lord Buddha confirmed that what Sonadanda said was correct.
Sila Practice Leads to Supernormal Insight
On one occasion while our Lord Buddha was staying at the Jetavana Temple in the city of Savatthi, a Buddhist monk came to see Him. He entreated the Lord Buddha to give him a short lesson which would inspire him to go in search of solitude and endeavor to practice meditation until he could gain supernormal insight.
The Lord Buddha said to him, "Behold, monk, the first thing you must do is to observe the Precepts immaculately by practicing the Tenfold Wholesome Course of Action and cultivating Right View. Once you have observed the Precepts immaculately and have cultivated Right View, you will then be ready to practice meditation according to the Four Foundations of Mindfulness.
Once you have performed these things, you will certainly grow in wholesomeness all day and all night long."
The Buddhist monk was so inspired by the Lord Buddha's words that he arose to pay homage to the Lord Buddha and went in search of solitude where he could practice according to the Lord Buddha's advice in earnest. Soon afterward, he was able to attain Arahatship.
The Benefits of Sila Practice
A Buddhist monk, who has observed the Precepts immaculately together with the manner in which he holds his alms-bowl and puts on his robe, is an image of inspiration.
The mind of a Buddhist monk who has observed the Precepts immaculately will not wander into a dangerous zone. He is like the sun that does not wander into darkness.
A Buddhist monk practicing religious austerity in the forest is beautiful because of his earnest Sila practice. He is like the moon that shines gloriously in the night sky.
The scent of a Buddhist monk who observes the Precepts immaculately spreads far and wide giving joy to the celestial beings. The scent of Sila overpowers the scent of all the flowers. It pervades everywhere with and against the wind.
The small number of alms offered to a person who practices Sila bears many fruits. The person who practices Sila is like a vessel used to contain articles of worship.
The corruption of this world cannot taint a person who practices Sila.
A person who practices Sīla removes the root of suffering inherent in the hereafter.
Whatever wealth in the Human Realm and the Celestial Realm can be obtained by the person who practices Sila if he so desires. The mind of a person who practices Sila is pure and is attracted by the wealth of Nibbana which is lasting bliss.
These are but a few sayings about Sila practice mentioned in the Tipitaka. Nonetheless, they should serve to inspire the reader to have confidence in the incomparable value of Sila practice.
