S¨la: [cp. Sk. sh¨la. It is interesting to note that the Dhtp puts down a root s¨l in meaning of sam¤dhi...1. nature, character, habit, behaviour; usually as-in adj. function "being of such a nature," like, having the character of . . ., e. g. ad¤na- of stingy character, illiberal...parisuddha- of excellent character A III.124...- duss¨la (of) bad character D III.235;...- 2. moral practice, good character, Buddhist ethics, code of morality. (a) The dasa-s¨la or 10 items of good character (not "commandments") are (1) p¤¼a-tip¤t¤ verama¼¨, i. e. abstinence from taking life; (2) adinn'¤d¤n¤ (from) taking what is not given to one; (3) abrahmacariy¤ adultery (oÂherwise called k¤mesu micch¤-c¤r¤); (4) mus¤v¤d¤ telling lies; (5) pisuna-v¤c¤ya slander; (6) pharusa-v¤c¤ya harsh or impolite speech; (7) samphappal¤p¤ frivolous and senseless talk; (8) abhijjh¤ya covetousness; (9) by¤p¤d¤ malevolence; (10) micch¤diÂÂhiy¤ heretic views. - Of these 10 we sometimes find only the first 7 designated as "s¨la" per se, or good character generally. See e. g. A I.269...- (b) The pa¾ca-s¨la or 5 items of good behaviour are Nos. 1-4 of dasa-s¨la, and (5) abstaining from any state of indolence arising from (the use of) intoxicants, viz. sur¤-meraya-majjapam¤da-ÂÂh¤n¤ verama¼¨. These five also from the first half of the 10 sikkha-pad¤ni. They are a sort of preliminary condition to any higher development after conforming to the teaching of the Buddha...- (c) The only standard enumerations of the 5 or 10 s¨las are found at two places in the Sa¸yutta...S IV.342...S II.68...- (d) Three special tracts on morality are found in the Canon. The Cullas¨la (D I.3 sq.) consists first of the items (dasa) s¨la 1-7; then follow specific injunctions as to practices of daily living and special conduct,...and then the Mah¤s¨la D I.9 sq. The whole of these 3 s¨las is called s¨lakkhandha and is (in the S¤ma¾¾aphala sutta e. g.) grouped with sam¤dhi- and pa¾¾¤kkhandha: D I.206 sq.; at A V.205, 206 s¨la-kkhandha refers to the Culla-s¨la only. The three (s., sam¤dhi and pa¾¾¤) are often mentioned together, e. g. D II.81, 84...
-anga constituent of morality...
-kkhandha all that belongs to moral practices, body of morality as forming the first constituent of the 5 khandhas or groups (+sam¤dhi-, pa¾¾¤-, vimutti-, ¾¤¼adassana-kkhandha), which make up the 5 sampad¤s or whole range of religious development...- Vin. 162 sq.; III.164; A I.124, 291; II.20; S I.99 sq.;...
-gandha the fragrance of good works...
-cara¼a moral life J IV.328, 332.
-bbata ...good works and ceremonial observances...A I.225; S IV.118...
-par¤m¤sa the contagion of mere rule and ritual, the infatuation of good works, the delusion that they suffice Vin I.184; M I.433;...A III.377; IV.144 sq.;...s¨labbatup¤d¤na grasping after works and rites D II.58;...- The old form s¨lavata still preserves the original good sense, as much as "observing the rules of good conduct," "being of virtuous behaviour."...
-bheda a breach of morality...
-mattaka a matter of mere morality D I.3...
-vatta morality, virtue S I.143...
-sa¸vara self-restraint in conduct D I.69;...
-sampad¤ practice of morality Vin I.227; D II.86; M I.194, 201 sq.; A I.95, 269 sq., II.66;...