From: ,
Sīlānussatikathā[(4) Recollection of Virtue]
Sīlānussatiṃ bhāvetukāmena pana rahogatena paṭisallīnenaOne who wants to develop the recollection of virtue should go into solitary retreat
‘‘aho vata me sīlāni akhaṇḍāni acchiddāni asabalāni akammāsāniand recollect his own different kinds of virtue in their special qualities of being untorn, etc., as follows: Indeed, my various kinds of virtue are “untorn, unrent, unblotched, unmottled,
bhujissāni viññuppasatthāni aparāmaṭṭhāni samādhisaṃvattanikānī’’ti (a. ni. 6.10) evaṃ akhaṇḍatādiguṇavasena attano sīlāni anussaritabbāni.liberating, praised by the wise, not adhered to, and conducive to concentration” (A III 286).
Tāni ca gahaṭṭhena gahaṭṭhasīlāni, pabbajitena pabbajitasīlāni.And a layman should recollect them in the form of laymen’s virtue while one gone forth into homelessness should recollect them in the form of the virtue of those gone forth.
Gahaṭṭhasīlāni vā hontu pabbajitasīlāni vā,Whether they are the virtues of laymen or of those gone forth,
yesaṃ ādimhi vā ante vā ekampi na bhinnaṃ,when no one of them is broken in the beginning or in the end,
tāni pariyante chinnasāṭako viya na khaṇḍānīti akhaṇḍāni.not being torn like a cloth ragged at the ends, then they are *untorn*. [222]
Yesaṃ vemajjhe ekampi na bhinnaṃ, tāni majjhe vinividdhasāṭako viya na chiddānīti acchiddāni.When no one of them is broken in the middle, not being rent like a cloth that is punctured in the middle, then they are *unrent*.
Yesaṃ paṭipāṭiyā dve vā tīṇi vā na bhinnāni,When they are not broken twice or thrice in succession,
tāni piṭṭhiyā vā kucchiyā vā uṭṭhitena dīghavaṭṭādisaṇṭhānena visabhāgavaṇṇena kāḷarattādīnaṃ aññatarasarīravaṇṇā gāvī viyanot being blotched like a cow whose body is some such colour as black or red with discrepant-coloured oblong or round patch appearing on her back or belly,
na sabalānīti asabalāni.then they are *unblotched*.
Yāni antarantarā na bhinnāni,When they are not broken all over at intervals,
tāni visabhāgabinduvicitrā gāvī viya na kammāsānīti akammāsāni.not being mottled like a cow speckled with discrepant-coloured spots, then they are *unmottled*.
Avisesena vā sabbānipi sattavidhena methunasaṃyogena kodhupanāhādīhi ca pāpadhammehi anupahatattā akhaṇḍāni acchiddāni asabalāni akammāsāni.Or in general they are *untorn*, *unrent*, *unblotched*, *unmottled* when they are undamaged by the seven bonds of sexuality (I.144) and by anger and enmity and the other evil things (see §59).
Tāniyeva taṇhādāsabyato mocetvā bhujissabhāvakaraṇena bhujissāni.Those same virtues are *liberating* since they liberate by freeing from the slavery of craving.
Buddhādīhi viññūhi pasatthattā viññuppasatthāni.They are *praised by the wise* because they are praised by such wise men as Enlightened Ones.
Taṇhādiṭṭhīhi aparāmaṭṭhatāyaThey are *not adhered to* (*aparāmaṭṭha*) since they are not adhered to (*aparāmaṭṭhattā*) with craving and [false] view,
kenaci vā ayaṃ te sīlesu dosoti evaṃ parāmaṭṭhuṃ asakkuṇeyyatāya aparāmaṭṭhāni.or because of the impossibility of misapprehending (*parāmaṭṭhuṃ*) that “There is this flaw in your virtues.”
Upacārasamādhiṃ appanāsamādhiṃ vā,They are *conducive to concentration* since they conduce to access concentration and absorption concentration,
atha vā pana maggasamādhiṃ phalasamādhiñcāpi saṃvattentīti samādhisaṃvattanikāni.or to path concentration and fruition concentration.
Evaṃ akhaṇḍatādiguṇavasena attano sīlāni anussaratoAs long as he recollects his own virtues in their special qualities of being untorn, etc., in this way,
nevassa tasmiṃ samaye rāgapariyuṭṭhitaṃ cittaṃ hoti.then: “On that occasion his mind is not obsessed by greed,
Na dosa…pe… na mohapariyuṭṭhitaṃ cittaṃ hoti.or obsessed by hate, or obsessed by delusion,
Ujugatamevassa tasmiṃ samaye cittaṃ hoti, sīlaṃ ārabbhātihis mind has rectitude on that occasion, being inspired by virtue” (A III 286).
purimanayeneva vikkhambhitanīvaraṇassaSo when he has suppressed the hindrances in the way already described (§66),
ekakkhaṇe jhānaṅgāni uppajjanti.the jhāna factors arise in a single conscious moment.
Sīlaguṇānaṃ pana gambhīratāya nānappakāraguṇānussaraṇādhimuttatāya vāBut owing to the profundity of the virtues’ special qualities, or owing to his being occupied in recollecting special qualities of many sorts,
appanaṃ appatvā upacārappattameva jhānaṃ hoti.the jhāna is only access and does not reach absorption.
Tadetaṃ sīlaguṇānussaraṇavasena uppannattā sīlānussaticceva saṅkhaṃ gacchati.And that access jhāna itself is known as “recollection of virtue” too because it arises with the virtues’ special qualities as the means.
Imañca pana sīlānussatiṃ anuyutto bhikkhu sikkhāya sagāravo hotiAnd when a bhikkhu is devoted to this recollection of virtue, he has respect for the training.
sabhāgavutti,He lives in communion [with his fellows in the life of purity].
paṭisanthāre appamatto,He is sedulous in welcoming.
attānuvādādibhayavirahito,He is devoid of the fear of self-reproach and so on.
aṇumattesu vajjesu bhayadassāvī,He sees fear in the slightest fault.
saddhādivepullaṃ adhigacchati,He attains fullness of faith, and so on.
pītipāmojjabahulo hoti.He has much happiness and gladness.
Uttari appaṭivijjhanto pana sugatiparāyano hoti.And if he penetrates no higher, he is at least headed for a happy destiny.
Tasmā have appamādaṃ, kayirātha sumedhaso; Evaṃ mahānubhāvāya, sīlānussatiyā sadāti.Now, when a man is truly wise, His constant task will surely be This recollection of his virtue Blessed with such mighty potency.
Idaṃ sīlānussatiyaṃ vitthārakathāmukhaṃ.This is the section dealing with the recollection of virtue in the detailed explanation. [223]