sutta » sn » sn47 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 47.21

Sīlasutta

Ethics

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—
So I have heard.

ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā ca ānando āyasmā ca bhaddo pāṭaliputte viharanti kukkuṭārāme.
At one time the venerables Ānanda and Bhadda were staying near Pāṭaliputta, in the Chicken Monastery.

Atha kho āyasmā bhaddo sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yenāyasmā ānando tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā ānandena saddhiṁ sammodi.
Then in the late afternoon, Venerable Bhadda came out of retreat, went to Venerable Ānanda, and exchanged greetings with him.

Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā bhaddo āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ etadavoca:
When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to Ānanda:

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

“Sādhu sādhu, āvuso bhadda.
“Good, good, Reverend Bhadda!

Bhaddako kho te, āvuso bhadda, ummaṅgo, bhaddakaṁ paṭibhānaṁ, kalyāṇī paripucchā.
Your approach and articulation are excellent, and it’s a good question.

Evañhi tvaṁ, āvuso bhadda, pucchasi:
For you asked:

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

“Evamāvuso”ti.
“Yes, reverend.”

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

Katamesaṁ catunnaṁ?
What four?

Idhāvuso, bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ;
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.

vedanāsu …pe…
They meditate observing an aspect of feelings …

citte …pe…
mind …

dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.
principles—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.

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

Paṭhamaṁ.