Ethics Sīlasutta

So I have heard. Evaṁ me sutaṁ—At one time the venerables Ānanda and Bhadda were staying near Pāṭaliputta, in the Chicken Monastery. ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā ca ānando āyasmā ca bhaddo pāṭaliputte viharanti kukkuṭārāme. Then in the late afternoon, Venerable Bhadda came out of retreat, went to Venerable Ānanda, and exchanged greetings with him. Atha kho āyasmā bhaddo sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yenāyasmā ānando tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā ānandena saddhiṁ sammodi. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to Ānanda: Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā bhaddo āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ etadavoca:

“Reverend Ānanda, the Buddha has spoken of skillful ethics. What’s their purpose?” “yānimāni, āvuso ānanda, kusalāni sīlāni vuttāni bhagavatā, imāni kusalāni sīlāni kimatthiyāni vuttāni bhagavatā”ti?

“Good, good, Reverend Bhadda! “Sādhu sādhu, āvuso bhadda. Your approach and eloquence are excellent, and it’s a good question. Bhaddako kho te, āvuso bhadda, ummaṅgo, bhaddakaṁ paṭibhānaṁ, kalyāṇī paripucchā. For you asked: Evañhi tvaṁ, āvuso bhadda, pucchasi: ‘The Buddha has spoken of skillful ethics. What’s their purpose?’” ‘yānimāni, āvuso ānanda, kusalāni sīlāni vuttāni bhagavatā, imāni kusalāni sīlāni kimatthiyāni vuttāni bhagavatā’”ti?

“Yes, reverend.” “Evamāvuso”ti.

“The Buddha has spoken of skillful ethics to the extent necessary for developing the four kinds of mindfulness meditation. “Yānimāni, āvuso bhadda, kusalāni sīlāni vuttāni bhagavatā, imāni kusalāni sīlāni yāvadeva catunnaṁ satipaṭṭhānānaṁ bhāvanāya vuttāni bhagavatā.

What four? Katamesaṁ catunnaṁ? 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. Idhāvuso, bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ; They meditate observing an aspect of feelings … vedanāsu …pe… mind … citte …pe… principles—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world. dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ. The Buddha has spoken of skillful ethics to the extent necessary for developing the four kinds of mindfulness meditation.” Yānimāni, āvuso bhadda, kusalāni sīlāni vuttāni bhagavatā, imāni kusalāni sīlāni yāvadeva imesaṁ catunnaṁ satipaṭṭhānānaṁ bhāvanāya vuttāni bhagavatā”ti.