Prepared by
Evelin Halls, DipFLC
Pennie White, BA DipEd
Abhidhamma Class No. 45, 29 April 2003
Virati Cetasikas
(Abstinences - 3)
Glossary
lofty: exalted in dignity, character or quality; of high rank; elevated in style.
virati (Pali language): The three abstentions or abstinences are: abstention from wrong speech, wrong (bodily) action and wrong livelihood; corresponding to right speech, action and livelihood of the eight-fold path. Here abstention does not simply mean the non-occurrence of the evil things in question, but the deliberate abstaining therefrom, whenever occasion arises. They belong to the ‘secondary’ (not constant) mental concomitants obtaining in lofty consciousness.
sila (Pali language): ‘morality’, ‘virtue’, is a mode of mind and volition (cetana) manifested in speech or bodily action. It is the foundation of the whole Buddhist practice, and therewith the first of the 3 kinds of Training (sikkha) that form the 3-fold division of the 8-fold path (magga), i.e. morality, concentration and wisdom.
Virati cetasikas (3) are a sub-group of the 25 sobhana cetasikas (beautiful mental concomitants). They are connected with the abstinence from immoral actions, speeches and livelihood.
Dr Mehm Tin Mon writes:
“The three virati-cetasikas are known as the sila-maggangas (morality components of the Path). They constitute the sila-sikkha (morality-training) which is the foundation of the noble Eightfold Path (Mon 1995, p.92, 93). They are:
1. Samma-vacca = right speech
2. Samma-kammanta = right action
3. Samma-ajiva = right livelihood
1. Samma-vaca
“The right speech is fourfold, i.e., abstaining from:
(1) Musavada = lying
(2) Pisunavaca = slandering
(3) Pharusavaca = harsh speech
(4) Samphappalapa = frivolous talk
When one comes face to face with the situation to commit one of the above four false speeches, and one abstains from saying it, then one acquires samma-vaca at the instant of abstinences.
2. Samma-kammanta
“The right action here means the bodily actions which is abstinence from:
(1) Panatipata = killing
(2) Adinnadana = stealing
(3) Kamesu=micchacara = sexual misconduct
Again when one is in the situation about to commit one of the above immoral action, and one abstains from committing it, then one acquires samma-kammanta at the moment of abstinence.
3. Samma-ajiva
“The right livelihood means abstaining from a livelihood that brings harm to other beings, such as trading in arms, living beings, intoxicating drinks and poison as well as slaughtering, fishing, soldiering, deceit, treachery, soothsaying, trickery, etc.”
The Venerable Bhikkhu Bodhi expounds:
“Abhidhamma... equates sila with the mental factors of abstinence (viratiyo) - right speech, right action, and right livelihood - an equation which makes it clear that what is really being cultivated through the observance of moral precepts is the mind. Thus while the training in sila brings the “public” benefit of inhibiting socially detrimental actions, it brings the personal benefit of mental purification, preventing the defilements from dictating to us what we should do (Bhikkhu Bodhi, p. 47)”.
Furthermore, the Venerable Bhikkhu Bodhi explains: “The English word “morality” and its derivatives suggest a sense of obligation and constraint quite foreign to the Buddhist conception of sila; this connotation probably comes from the theistic background to Western ethics. Buddhism, with its non-theistic framework, grounds its ethics, not on the notion of obedience, but on that of harmony. In fact the commentaries explain the world sila by another word, samadhana, meaning “harmony” or “coordination” (p.47)”.
“Careful in speech, controlled in body,
aware of the workings of the mind;
patient under insult, never angry;
this is the path of great progress.”
(Dharmapada, cited in Hsing Yun, p. 7)
The Venerable Master Hsing Yun writes:
“Speech is so important to the successful practice of Buddhism that the Buddha accorded it the same prominence as the mind and the body.
“The Buddha said that good speech generates ten kinds of merit. These ten are: a warm voice, fluent speech, the ability to reason well, accurate speech, straightforward speech, fearless speech, beautiful speech, respectful speech, the ability to speak well about the Dharma, and a good rebirth once this life is over. (Hsing Yun, p.23, 24).
“Control of the body means that we know when to act and when not to act, and that we know how to behave with moderation.
“If we see something that contradicts our understanding of the Dharma, it is usually best to ignore it because, in the first place, we might be wrong about what we thin, and in the second place, we should always remember that every person must learn in his or her own way.
“When we decide to speak or act, we should always be as compassionate as we are able. Compassion itself is a guide that always prompts us to be tolerant, patient, and as wise as possible (Hsing Yun, p.7).
The Venerable Bhikkhu Bodhi writes that right livelihood is concerned with ensuring that one earns one’s living in a righteous way.
The Buddha mentions five specific kinds of livelihood which bring harm to others and are therefore to be avoided: dealing in weapons, in human beings (slavetrade and prostitution), in living beings (meat production and butchery), in poisons, and in intoxicants.
He further names several dishonest means of gaining wealth which fall under wrong livelihood: practising deceit, treachery, soothsaying, trickery, and usury.
Obviously any occupation which requires violation of right speech and right action is a wrong form of livelihood (Bhikkhu Bodhi, (p.64, 65).
“The only requirements for reaching the final goal [liberation] are two: to start and to continue. If these requirements are met there is no doubt the goal will be attained. This is the Dhamma, the undeviating law (Bhikkhu Bodhi, p.131)”.
Buddhagosa writes that when the abstinence from bodily misconduct, the abstinence from verbal misconduct, and the abstinence from wrong livelihood arise they do not arise together. (Buddhagosa, no date, XIV, 134)
Buddhagosa (XIV,155) writes:
“The three abstinences have the characteristic of non-transgression in the respective fields of bodily conduct, etc.; they have the characteristic of not treading there, is what is said.
“Their function is to draw back from the fields of bodily misconduct, and so on.
“They are manifested as the no doing of these things.
“Their proximate causes are the special qualities of faith, conscience, shame, fewness of wishes, and so on.
“They should be regarded as the mind’s averseness from evil-doing.
Bhadantachariya Buddhagosa (XVI, 78) writes that when he or she “sees and thinks thus, his or her abstinence from wrong speech, which abstinence is associated with that [right view], abolishes bad verbal conduct, and that is called right speech. It has the characteristic of embracing. Its function is to abstain and is manifested as the abandoning of wrong speech.”
“When he or she abstains thus his [or her] abstinence from killing living things, which abstinences is associated with that [right view], cuts off wrong action, and that is called right action. It has the characteristic of originating. Its function is to abstain. It is manifested as the abandoning of wrong action.” (Bhadantachariya Buddhagosa, no date, XVI, 79)
“When his or her right speech and right action are purified, his [or her] abstinence from wrong livelihood, which abstinence is associated with that [right view], cuts off scheming, etc., and that is called right livelihood. It has the characteristic of cleansing. Its function is to bring about the occurrence of a proper livelihood. It is manifested as the abandoning of wrong livelihood.”
(Bhadantachariya Buddhagosa, no date, XVI, 80)
Now virtue, so say those who know,
Itself as purity will show;
And for its proximate cause they tell
The pair, conscience and shame, as well.
This virtue is manifested as the kinds of purity stated thus: ‘bodily purity, verbal purity, mental purity’; it is manifested, comes to be apprehended, as a pure state. But conscience and shame are said by those who know to be its proximate cause; its near reason, is the meaning. For when conscience and shame are in existence, virtue arises and persists; and when they are not it neither arises nor persists. This is how virtue’s characteristic, function, manifestation, and proximate cause, should be understood. (Buddhagosa, no date, I, 22)
‘Blessings for our Teachers’ long life’
Our Teacher John D. Hughes is recovering.
His wife Anita and students are attending to him 24 hours each day.
We thank all the Doctors, Advisers, Nurses, Staff, Chief Deva and his retinue at the Maroondah Hospital for their dedication in caring for our Teacher.
We will continue with the 49 days of Medicine Buddha Practice.
May the merit of these good actions increase the health, strength and long life of John D. Hughes.
May the merit of these good actions increase the health, strength and long life of Anita M. Hughes.
May you be well and happy.
May all beings be well and happy.
References
Bhikkhu Bodhi (1984), “The Noble Eightfold Path”, Buddhist Publication Society, Kandy, Sri Lanka, p. 46,47).
Brown, Lesley (Ed.) (1993), “The New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary”, Clarendon Press, Oxford.
Buddhaghosa, Bhadantacariya, (no date), “The Visuddhi Magga”, translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Nanamoli, Singapore Buddhist Meditation Centre, Singapore, I, 22; XIV, 143; XIV, 155; XVI, 78; XVI, 79; XVI, 80.
Hsing Yun, Master (1998), “Being Good”, Weatherhill, Inc., New York, p.7, 23-24.
Mon, Dr. Mehm Tin (1995), “The Essence of Buddha Abhidhamma”, publisher Mehm Tay Zar Mon, Yangon, p. 92, 93.
Nyantiloka (no date) Buddhist Dictionary, The Corporate Body of the Buddha Educational Foundation, Taiwan, p. 210, 247.
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