THE ANUD¢PAN¢
(3) Virati-sÊla and Avirati-sÊla
(a) Virati-sÊla means the mental concomitants of three abstinences, that is, right speech,
right action and right livelihood as explained under the subtitle ‚What is morality?‛
(b)
Avirati-sÊla consists of precepts associated with various mental concomitants, such
as volition, etc., other than the mental factors of three abstinences (
virati
).
(4) Nissita-sÊla and Anissita-sÊla
(a) Nissita-sÊla is morality practised depending upon craving or upon wrong view.
When one observes precepts with the aim of achieving a happy existence in the
future abounding in wealth and property, one's
sÊla
is called morality of
dependence upon craving. Observance of precepts or rituals (such as imitating
cows or dogs) in the wrong belief that they are conducive to spiritual purification is
called morality of dependence upon wrong view.
(Those who have embraced Buddhism are not likely to practise the morality of
dependence upon wrong view; but they should guard themselves against practising
the morality of dependence upon craving which they are liable to do).
(b) Anissita-sÊla is morality practised without depending upon craving or upon wrong
view with the sole aim of cultivating the noble practice. This means practice of
mundane morality which is prerequisite for that supramundane morality.
(5) KÈlapariyanta-sÊla and ŒpÈnÈkoÔika-sÊla
(a) KÈlapariyanta-sÊla is morality observed for a limited period.
(b) ŒpÈnakotika-sÊla is morality observed for life.
In describing KÈlapariyanta-sÊla, the Visuddhi-magga mentions only in a general way the
limit of the observing period (
kÈlaparicchedam katvÈ samÈdinnam sÊlam
). But its TikÈ is
more specific in prescribing the time limit: whole day or whole night, etc.
(
kalaparicchedam katvÈ ti imaÒ ca rattim imaÒ ca divan ti ÈdinÈ viya kÈlavasena
paricchedam katvÈ
).
Nowadays, many people take the precepts without mentioning any time limit; so it seems
for life. But as the intention is to observe a certain precept for a day or a limited period
only, it is certainly a temporary morality. As the formulae in the Commentary and the Sub-
Commentary for taking the vow of precept, mentioned above, require the stating of the
period of observance, one should mention the period during which one would observe the
precept. However, neglecting to do so constitutes no fault; it would still be a temporary
practice of morality.
The intention, though unspoken, is generally assumed to be for the whole period of a day,
or a night, or a whole day and night. But it is not necessarily so, according to the
Commentary on the PatisambhidÈ Magga, which states that one may observe the precepts
for one sitting, like lay devotees who, having established themselves in the Triple Gem,
observe a set of Precepts while making a donation to an invited
bhikkhu
in their home.
They observe the Precepts only for the duration of the ceremony of alms-giving. Or they
may undertake to observe a set of precepts during their sojourn at a monastery for a day or
two or more. These are all observances of temporary morality.
Thus, according to this Commentary, it is beneficial to observe precepts even for a very
short period. Therefore, teachers explain that it is quite proper to encourage children, who
are not used to go without an evening meal, to take the eight precepts on
uposatha
days and
observe them all throughout the morning only. One always gains merit for doing the good
deed of observing precepts. however short the duration of the observance may be.
Two stories in the
Cula Vagga
of the Peta Vatthu illustrate this point. During the time of
the Buddha, there was, in RÈjagaha, a hunter who earned his living by killing deer day and
night. A friend of his was a disciple of the Buddha, being established in the Triple Refuge.
The friend advised the hunter to refrain from the evil act of killing game animals. But his