Exploring the Path - Pāli Course

3.6.10 What are the Benefits of a Virtuous Life?¹

What are the benefits of sīla? Its benefits are the acquirement of several qualities starting with non-remorse. For thus it is said: “O’ Ananda, wholesome virtues have non-remorse as their reason and non-remorse as their result.”

And further it is said: “O’ householder, there are five benefits a virtuous person derives from his performance of sīla. What are these five?

Here a householder, who is following sīla without negligence, being engaged in maintaining moral principles, acquires large wealth in consequence of this. That is the first benefit of someone following sīla, engaged in maintaining moral principles.

Further for a householder, who is following sīla, being engaged in maintaining moral principles, his renown and positive fame spreads, that is the second benefit of someone following sīla, engaged in maintaining moral principles.

Further whenever a householder, who is following sīla, being engaged in maintaining moral principles, joins an assembly, whether of Khattiyas or of Brahmins, of householders or of Samaṇas, he enters any meeting self-confident and self-assured. That is the third benefit of his following sīla, engaged in maintaining moral principles.

Further a householder, who is following sīla, being engaged in maintaining moral principles, passes away unconfused whenever his time has come. That is the fourth benefit of his following sīla, being possessed with virtue.

Further a householder, who is following sīla, being engaged in maintaining moral principles, after the breaking away of the body, after his death he reappears in a happy destiny and goes up to the heavenly fields. That is the fifth benefit of his following sīla, engaged in maintaining moral principles. ……

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