SN 47.21

Sīlasutta

Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā ca ānando āyasmā ca bhaddo pāṭaliputte viharanti kukkuṭārāme. Atha kho āyasmā bhaddo sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yenāyasmā ānando tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā ānandena saddhiṁ sammodi. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā bhaddo āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ etadavoca: “yānimāni, āvuso ānanda, kusalāni sīlāni vuttāni bhagavatā, imāni kusalāni sīlāni kimatthiyāni vuttāni bhagavatā”ti?

Ethics

So I have heard. At one time the venerables Ānanda and Bhadda were staying near Pāṭaliputta, in the Chicken Monastery. Then in the late afternoon, Venerable Bhadda came out of retreat, went to Venerable Ānanda, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to Ānanda: “Reverend Ānanda, the Buddha has spoken of skillful ethics. What’s their purpose?”

“Sādhu sādhu, āvuso bhadda. Bhaddako kho te, āvuso bhadda, ummaṅgo, bhaddakaṁ paṭibhānaṁ, kalyāṇī paripucchā. Evañhi tvaṁ, āvuso bhadda, pucchasi: ‘yānimāni, āvuso ānanda, kusalāni sīlāni vuttāni bhagavatā, imāni kusalāni sīlāni kimatthiyāni vuttāni bhagavatā’”ti? “Evamāvuso”ti. “Yānimāni, āvuso bhadda, kusalāni sīlāni vuttāni bhagavatā, imāni kusalāni sīlāni yāvadeva catunnaṁ satipaṭṭhānānaṁ bhāvanāya vuttāni bhagavatā.

“Good, good, Reverend Bhadda! Your approach and eloquence are excellent, and it’s a good question. For you asked: ‘The Buddha has spoken of skillful ethics. What’s their purpose?’” “Yes, reverend.” “The Buddha has spoken of skillful ethics to the extent necessary for developing the four kinds of mindfulness meditation.

Katamesaṁ catunnaṁ? Idhāvuso, bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ; vedanāsu …pe… citte …pe… dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ. Yānimāni, āvuso bhadda, kusalāni sīlāni vuttāni bhagavatā, imāni kusalāni sīlāni yāvadeva imesaṁ catunnaṁ satipaṭṭhānānaṁ bhāvanāya vuttāni bhagavatā”ti.

What four? It’s when a mendicant meditates by observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world. They meditate observing an aspect of feelings … mind … principles—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world. The Buddha has spoken of skillful ethics to the extent necessary for developing the four kinds of mindfulness meditation.”