Sīla Sutta
(The Two Ways of Seclusion)
[373]
Bhikkhus, a bhikkhu who is accomplished in sīla, accomplished in samādhi, accomplished in paññā, accomplished in vimutti, and accomplished in vimutti-ñāṇadassana — seeing such a bhikkhu, hearing such a bhikkhu, sitting close to such a bhikkhu, recollecting such a bhikkhu — each of these, I say, brings great benefit.
Why? Because one who hears the Dhamma from such a bhikkhu lives secluded in two ways:
- Secluded in body,
- Secluded in mind.
Living secluded in this way, he recollects and attends to that Dhamma.
[374]
Bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu, living thus secluded, recollects and attends to that Dhamma, then the sati-sambojjhaṅga is aroused in him. He is said to develop the sati-sambojjhaṅga. The sati-sambojjhaṅga of that bhikkhu grows and reaches fulfilment.
With mindfulness thus established, he examines, investigates, and carefully considers that Dhamma with wisdom.
[375]
Bhikkhus, when with mindfulness established he examines, investigates, and carefully considers that Dhamma with wisdom, then the dhamma-vicaya-sambojjhaṅga is aroused in him. He is said to develop the dhamma-vicaya-sambojjhaṅga. The dhamma-vicaya-sambojjhaṅga grows and reaches fulfilment.
While he examines and investigates that Dhamma with wisdom, an unrelenting energy is stirred up in him.
[376]
Bhikkhus, when, while he examines and investigates that Dhamma with wisdom, unrelenting energy is stirred up in him, then the viriya-sambojjhaṅga is aroused. He is said to develop the viriya-sambojjhaṅga. The viriya-sambojjhaṅga grows and reaches fulfilment.
When he arouses energy, a non-material rapture (pīti) arises in him.
[377]
Bhikkhus, when non-material pīti arises in the bhikkhu who arouses energy, then the pīti-sambojjhaṅga is aroused. He is said to develop the pīti-sambojjhaṅga. The pīti-sambojjhaṅga grows and reaches fulfilment.
His body and mind, suffused with pīti, become tranquil and pacified.
[378]
Bhikkhus, when the body and mind of the bhikkhu suffused with pīti become tranquil and pacified, then the passaddhi-sambojjhaṅga is aroused. He is said to develop the passaddhi-sambojjhaṅga. The passaddhi-sambojjhaṅga grows and reaches fulfilment.
The mind of the bhikkhu, whose body is tranquil and who experiences happiness, becomes steadfast.
[379]
Bhikkhus, when the mind of the bhikkhu whose body is tranquil and who experiences happiness becomes steadfast, then the samādhi-sambojjhaṅga is aroused. He is said to develop the samādhi-sambojjhaṅga. The samādhi-sambojjhaṅga grows and reaches fulfilment.
He well focuses upon and observes that concentrated mind.
[380]
Bhikkhus, when the bhikkhu well focuses upon and observes that concentrated mind, then the upekkhā-sambojjhaṅga is aroused. He is said to develop the upekkhā-sambojjhaṅga. The upekkhā-sambojjhaṅga grows and reaches fulfilment.
[381]
Bhikkhus, when the seven bojjhaṅga are thus developed and thus made much of, seven fruits and benefits may be expected.
What are the seven?
[382] The Seven Fruits and Benefits
- In this very life, he may attain the fruit of arahantship immediately.
- If not in this life, he may attain it at the moment of death.
- If neither in this life nor at the moment of death, he becomes an antarā-parinibbāyī anāgāmī — one who attains Nibbāna in-between, because the five lower fetters are destroyed.
- If not thus, he becomes an upahacca-parinibbāyī anāgāmī — one who attains Nibbāna upon arrival in the Brahmā world.
- If not thus, he becomes an asaṅkhāra-parinibbāyī anāgāmī — one who attains Nibbāna without exertion, because the five lower fetters are destroyed.
- If not thus, he becomes a sasaṅkhāra-parinibbāyī anāgāmī — one who attains Nibbāna with exertion.
- If not thus, he becomes an uddhamsota-akanittha-gāmī anāgāmī — one who goes upstream to the Akaniṭṭha realm because the five lower fetters are destroyed.
Bhikkhus, when the seven bojjhaṅga are thus developed and thus made much of, these seven fruits and benefits may be expected.
End of the Sīla Sutta (No. 3)
Short Pāli Glossary
Core terms
- sīla — moral virtue; ethical conduct (the moral base of practice).
- samādhi — concentration; stabile one-pointedness of mind (jhānic equipoise when ripe).
- paññā — wisdom; discriminative insight into the true nature of phenomena.
- vimutti — liberation; release from defilements.
- vimutti-ñāṇa-dassana — the direct insight-knowledge and vision of liberation (seeing liberation by direct knowing).
The Seven Bojjhaṅga (factors of awakening) — terms and brief role
- sati-sambojjhaṅga — established mindfulness (basis for investigation).
- dhamma-vicaya-sambojjhaṅga — investigation of dhammas (discriminative analysis of phenomena).
- viriya-sambojjhaṅga — energy / effort (to prevent unwholesome and sustain wholesome).
- pīti-sambojjhaṅga — rapture (joy arising from sustained practice; here non-sensual).
- passaddhi-sambojjhaṅga — serenity/tranquillity (of body and mind).
- samādhi-sambojjhaṅga — concentration (collected, unified mind).
- upekkhā-sambojjhaṅga — equanimity (balanced, undisturbed awareness).
Results / attainment terms
- arahatta / arahant — one who has destroyed the āsava; fully liberated.
- anāgāmī — non-returner (one who does not return to the sensual world); the sutta lists several sub-modes of success leading to different types of parinibbāna.
Subtypes of attainment and parinibbāna named in the sutta (brief)
- antarā-parinibbāyī — attains parinibbāna in between (immediately, not on return).
- upahacca-parinibbāyī — attains parinibbāna on arrival (after rebirth in higher realm).
- asaṅkhāra-parinibbāyī — attains parinibbāna without further conditioning (without renewed formations).
- sasaṅkhāra-parinibbāyī — attains parinibbāna with (some) renewed conditioning/exertion.
- uddhamsota-akanittha-gāmī — one who goes upstream to Akaniṭṭha (the highest Pure Abode), i.e. destined for the top Pure Abode.
- Akaniṭṭha — the highest of the Pure Abodes (suddhāvāsa); the realm for those who complete the training of non-returners.
Fetters (saṅyojana) — the five lower fetters (destroyed by anāgāmī)
- sakkāya-diṭṭhi — personality-view / identity-view.
- vicikicchā — doubt / perplexity regarding the Buddha-Dhamma-Saṅgha.
- sīlabbata-parāmāsa — clinging to rites and rituals (attachment to external rules as salvific).
- kāma-rāga — sensual lust / desire.
- byāpāda (vyāpāda) — ill-will / aversion.
(Note: these five are the “lower five” fetters; their destruction defines the level of non-returner.)
Practice vocabulary
- seclusion in two ways — the sutta’s phrase meaning: (1) bodily seclusion (withdrawal from unwholesome contexts), and (2) mental seclusion (inner withdrawal of attention from unwholesome objects).
- recollection / recollect (anussati / paṭisaṃvedana) — bringing the Dhamma to mind and reflecting on it (as described in the sutta sequence).
Miscellaneous
- bojjhaṅga — awakening factors (see the seven above).
- phala / parinibbāna — fruit / final liberation (various phalas named in the sutta).