9. The Fourfold Characteristics or Classifications of Sīla

It is called sīla in the sense of composing. The term ‘sīla’ includes other similar terms, such as,

1. volition (cetanā),
2. mental factor (cetasika),
3. restraint (saṃvara) and
4. non-transgression (anatikkamo).

Here, composing means non-inconsistency of bodily and verbal actions, or serving as a foundation of wholesome states.

The characteristics of virtue are mentioned in the sub-commentary of Sīlakkhandhavagga as follows:—

“Silanalakkhanaṃ slīlaṃ, samādhānalakkhanṃ, patiṭṭhānalakkhanañ-cāti vuttaṃ hoti.
Dussīlyaviddhaṃsanarasaṃ, anavajjarasaṃ vā, soseyyapaccupaṭṭhānaṃ, hirottappapadaṭṭhānaṃ.”^[1]

(1) The characteristic (lakkhaṇa) is composing,
(2) Its function (rasa) has a double sense: action to stop misconduct and achievement as the quality of blamelessness,
(3) Its manifestation (paccupaṭṭhāna) is a pure state in all actions, and
(4) Its proximate cause (padaṭṭhāna) is a combination of shame and conscience.

On the other hand,

(1) It has the characteristic of preserving good bodily and verbal actions (lakkhaṇa),
(2) Its function is to destroy unwholesome or unruly actions (rasa),
(3) It is manifested as the purity of actions (paccupaṭṭhāna), and
(4) Its proximate cause are moral shame (hiri) and moral dread (ottappa) (padaṭṭhāna)

The purpose of studying the fourfold characteristic of sīla is to understand the true nature of it.

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

D.T. I, P. 71. Pali Text Society I, P. 91. Sīlakkhandhavagga Abhinava Tīkā, P. 262. Caturārakkhadīpanī, P. 222.