Nyanatiloka Buddhist Dictionary

silver.In the 8 rules (attha-síla) which on full and new moon days, and on the first and last quarterof the moon, are observed by many lay-followers (upásaka, q.v.), the 7th and 8th of the above10 rules are fused into one as the 7th rule, while the 9th becomes the 8th.síla: 'morality', 'virtue', is a mode of mind and volition (cetana, q.v.) manifested in speech orbodily action (s. karma). It is the foundation of the whole Buddhist practice, and therewiththe first of the 3 kinds of training (sikkhá, q.v.) that form the 3-fold division of the 8-foldPath (s. magga), i.e. morality, concentration and wisdom.Buddhist morality is not, as it may appear from the negative formulations in the Sutta-texts,something negative. And it does not consist in the mere not committing of evil actions, but isin each instance the clearly conscious and intentional restraint from the bad actions inquestion and corresponds to the simultaneously arising volition.Morality of the 8-fold Path, namely, right speech, right action and right livelihood, is called'genuine or natural morality' pakatisíla), as distinguished from the external rules for monksor laymen, the so-called 'prescribed morality' (paññatti-síla, q.v.), which, as such, iskarmically neutral."What now is karmically wholesome morality (kusala-síla)? It is the wholesome bodily action(káya-kamma, s. karma), wholesome verbal action (vací-kamma, s. karma), and also the puritywith regard to livelihood which I call morality" (M. 78). Cf. magga, 3-5.For the 5, 8 and 10 rules, s. sikkhápada. Further cf. cáritta- and váritta-síla.The 4 kinds of morality consisting of purification (catupárisuddhi-síla) are: (1) restraint withregard to the monks' Disciplinary Code, (2) restraint of the senses, (3) purification oflivelihood, (4) morality with regard to the 4 requisites (of the monk) .(1) Restraint with regard to the Disciplinary Code (pátimokkha-samvara-síla)."Here the monk is restrained in accordance with the monks' Disciplinary Code, isperfect in conduct and behaviour, and perceiving danger even in the leastoffences, he trains himself in the rules he has taken upon him" (A . V, 87,109 ,114,etc. ) .(2) Restraint of the senses (indriya-samvara-síla). "Whenever the monk perceivesa form with the eye, a sound with the ear, an odour with the nose, a taste with thetongue, an impression with the body, an object with the mind, he neither adheresto the appearance as a whole, nor to its parts. And he strives to ward off thatthrough which evil and unwholesome things, greed and sorrow, would arise, if heremained with unguarded senses; and he watches over his senses, restrains hissenses" (M 38).(3) Purification of livelihood (ájíva-párisuddhi-síla). It consists therein that themonk does not acquire his livelihood in a way unbefitting to a monk.(4) Morality with regard to the 4 rcquisites (paccaya-sannissita-síla). It consists