LANMAN. — BUDDHAGHOSa's VISUDDHI-MAGGA, BOOK 1. 153 



19 Seven questions which form the frame-work of the discussion of Morality 



1. What is morahty? [discussed at §20] 



2. What is the etymological import of the word morality? [§21] 



3. What is its characteristic, its essence, its manifestation, etc. [§22] 



4. What are its advantages? [§23-§24] 



5. How many kinds of it are there? [§25 - §126] ■'• 



6. How is it defiled? [§128- §129] 



7. How is it kept undefiled? [§130 - §134] 



20 Question 1 : What is morality? It is the thought and the mental attributes 

 and the restraint and the non-transgression of one who refrains from sin 

 and fulfils his duties. Proof from the Patisambhida-magga 



21 Question 2: What is the etymological meaning of morality (slla)? 

 It is a being moral (silana) in the sense 

 either of a reposefulness of body and voice and mind 

 or of a basis of good states of mind 



22 Question 3: What is its characteristic, its essence, its manifestation, its 

 immediate basis? 



Its characteristic (lakkhana) is a being moral 



Its essence (rasa), in the sense of function, is to put an end to bad morals 

 Its essence (rasa), in the sense of success, is blamelessness 

 Its manifestation (paccupatthana) is purity of body and speech and mind 

 Its immediate basis (padatthana) is self-respect and respect for others 



23 Question 4: What are the advantages of morality? They are: absence of 



remorse; five others (cited from the Digha), wealth, good name, self- 

 confidence in public, a serene death, and a happy hereafter; and others 



24 The advantages of morality — summary in verse — 10 stanzas 



1 As appears from these section-numbers and from the sequel, the discus- 

 sion of this fifth question forms the bulk of book 1; and of this discussion, 

 the treatment of Tetrad 4 (see p. 155 and note) forms by far the largest part, 

 just one half of the whole book. 



