THE GREAT CHRONICLE OF BUDDHAS
1560
responsible for prompting the mind to take notice of an object; it serves as a link between
the mind and an object. Without its prompting, there would be no mind-object linkage; the
mind will not rest on the object; it will not be aware of the object. It is only through the
services of volition that a mind-object linkage is possible at all. Thus, every volition
accompanying consciousness that arises for each moral act is called Morality.
(d) Morality of Restraints (SaÑvara-sÊla)
(e) Morality of Avoiding Transgression (Avitikkama-sÊla)
The kinds of morality, as described, apply to laymen and bhikkhus equally. But there are
other forms of morality which are concerned with bhikkhus only, viz.: morality of
restraints (
saÑvara-sÊla
) and morality of avoiding transgressions (
avitikkama-sÊla
).
(d) Morality of Restraints (SaÑvara-sÊla):
(i)
PÈtimokkha SaÑvara: Restraint through the Fundamental Precepts for bhikkhus,
observance of which liberates the observer from the dangers of rebirths in the realms
of miseries and continuous suffering.
(ii)
Sati SaÑvara: Restraint through Mindfulness, which means keeping close guard over
the doors of the five senses, viz. eye, ear, nose, tongue, body and mind, so that no
‘thief of demeritoriousness’ can gain entry into one.
(iii)
©ÈÓa SaÑvara: Restraint through Wisdom, which means control of the mind with
Insight, so that the current of mental defilements of craving, wrong view and
ignorance which normally flows incessantly, stops flowing. Under this type is also
included
Paccayasanissita SÊla
, exercise of proper care over the use of requisites.
(iv)
Khanti SaÑvara: Restraint through Forbearance, which means controlling the mind,
so that no defiling thoughts disturb it when enduring extreme heat or cold.
(v)
VÊriya SaÑvara: Restraint through Development of Energy, which means strenuous
mental exertion, to prevent the arising of demeritorious thoughts, such as sensuous
thought (
kÈma-vitakka
), thought of ill-will (
byÈpÈda-vitakka
), thought of cruelty
(
vihimsÈ-vitakka
). Purification of livelihood (
ÈjivapÈrisuddhi-sÊla
) is also included
under this type.
(e) Morality of Avoiding Transgression (Avitikkama-sÊla)
This is the morality cultivated through avoidance of physical and verbal transgression of
precepts which one has undertaken to observe.
From the above descriptions of five kinds of SaÑvara SÊla and Avitikkama SÊla, it could
be inferred that, in essence, Patimokkha SaÑvara SÊla means a group of mental factors
(
cetasikas
) including volition and the three abstentions of non-greed (
alobha
), non-hate
(
adosa
) and non-delusion (
amoha
): Sati SaÑvara means the mental factor of
Sati
,
mindfulness (which is also accompanied by volition); ©ÈÓa SaÑvara means the mental
factor of wisdom (which is also accompanied by volition); Khanti SaÑvara means a group
of moral consciousness and mental factors headed by non-hate which has the characteristic
of not losing temper, in other words, the mental factor of non-hate; VÊriya SaÑvara means
mental factor of energy (which is also accompanied by volition).
As for
avitikkama-sÊla
, in ultimate sense, it is a group of moral consciousness and mental
factors which lead one to avoid transgression of precepts which one is observing. In the
case of generosity (
dÈna
), volition forms its basis. For morality too, volition serves as a
main factor, but in addition to it, the group of moral consciousness and mental factors led
by the three abstentions, the three mental factors of non-greed, non-hate, non-delusion and
the three mental factors of mindfulness, wisdom, energy also play their respective roles.
2. WHY IS IT CALLED MORALITY?
The PÈli word ‘
sÊla
’ is translated as ‘morality’ or ‘virtue’; it is adopted in toto in the
Myanmar language. ‘
SÊla
’ has two meanings: first, it is employed to convey the sense of