Exploring the Path - Pāli Course

Kimānisaṃsaṃ sīlanti avippaṭisārādi-anekaguṇapaṭilābhānisaṃsaṃ.

Vuttañhetaṃ– “avippaṭisāratthāni kho, ānanda, kusalāni sīlāni avippaṭisārānisaṃsānī”ti.

What are the benefits of sīla? Its benefits are the acquirement of several qualities starting with non-remorse.

For thus it is said: “Ānanda, wholesome virtues have non-remorse as their reason and non-remorse as their result.”

Aparampi vuttaṃ “pañcime gahapatayo ānisaṃsā sīlavato sīlasampadāya.

Katame pañca?

Idha gahapatayo sīlavā sīlasampanno appamādādhikaraṇaṃ mahantaṃ bhogakkhandhaṃ adhigacchati, ayaṃ paṭhamo ānisaṃso sīlavato sīlasampadāya.

And further it is said: “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.

Puna caparaṃ gahapatayo sīlavato sīlasampannassa kalyāṇo kittisaddo abbhuggacchati,

ayaṃ dutiyo ānisaṃso sīlavato sīlasampadāya.

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.

Puna caparaṃ gahapatayo sīlavā sīlasampanno yaññadeva parisaṃ upasaṅkamati yadi khattiyaparisaṃ yadi brāhmaṇaparisaṃ yadi gahapatiparisaṃ yadi samaṇaparisaṃ,

visārado upasaṅkamati amaṅkubhūto,

ayaṃ tatiyo ānisaṃso sīlavato sīlasampadāya.

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.

Puna caparaṃ gahapatayo sīlavā sīlasampanno asammūḷho kālaṃ karoti,

ayaṃ catuttho ānisaṃso sīlavato sīlasampadāya.

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.

Puna caparaṃ gahapatayo sīlavā sīlasampanno kāyassa bhedā paraṃ maraṇā

sugatiṃ saggaṃ lokaṃ upapajjati,

ayaṃ pañcamo ānisaṃso sīlavato sīlasampadāyā”ti

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.”