..续本文上一页 Sometimes however, it happens that the nature of moral behaviour is altered from its true or “inherent nature” into doctrines and traditions which come from a people”s national, class, or cultural background. This is the reason why moral behaviour becomes a thing of nation, class or cult, in accordance with these popular doctrines; and this is why different peoples throughout the world are constantly criticizing and blaming each other. But apart from this, moral behaviour is the way of merit which can always lead this age towards progress and development for as long as people in this world are still interested in adjusting their own actions of body, speech, and heart to accord with the ways of moral behaviour.

　　 Whenever the world has been disturbed and troubled, it is obvious that it is because people have been lacking in moral behaviour and nowadays, if people do not hasten to improve themselves in accordance with the true nature of moral behaviour, the powers of the world will soon erupt in their full fury, and even those who wield the power will not survive and all will be destroyed.

　　 But in particular in each family circle, if sila, which is the basis of proper behaviour is lacking both husband and his wife will lack confidence in each other. Before long there will arise doubt and suspicions that each is associating with other women and men and having clandestine love affairs, which will undermine the unity and prosperity of their family. If moral behaviour is lacking to this extent, the dissatisfaction in their hearts will begin to come to fruition and they will be full of trouble and worry. Even work, which is the basis of steady family life, will be ­disrupted, and the children will all be involved in the prevailing air of dissension. But those who continue to act in immoral ways that are progressively worse than the foregoing, are sure to find that sooner or later, all those things which were firmly established suddenly start to flare up into dissension and trouble. Like a pot full of water which is hit and breaks and all the water pours out and disperses at once.

　　 So if the world wants prosperity and civilisation, it is still necessary that it should conform to the standards of moral behaviour – and how can anyone truly speaking, object to the principle of truth which is moral behaviour, which has been in the world since time immemorial

　　 Natural moral behaviour does not have to be asked for as precepts from a bhikkhu (monk) or from someone in an official capacity in a Wat (monastery) or elsewhere before it is established. For if a person respects and likes those characteristics within himself which are right, good and graceful, and if he behaves in this way personally as well as in association with others, avoiding actions which are contrary to such good behaviour, it indicates that he has moral behaviour within his character.

　　 The reasons why morality arises in the heart and in behaviour of a person are: Firstly – that it arises from a person”s “inherent nature”, as already mentioned above.

　　 Secondly – that it comes from association with wise people, such as recluses and teachers – and that after learning from them one puts their teaching on moral behaviour into practice.

　　 These two things are sufficient to arouse the practise of moral behaviour in oneself, and to enable one to become a person in whom it is constantly present. These two will also be sufficient to preserve one”s own status and that of one”s family in all forms of society with which they have dealings, and it will maintain a freedom from suspicion and doubt both within one”s family circle and amongst friends.

　　 Lay people may practise only the five sila, and while their activities are within the bounds of moral behaviour, it will enable them and their families to be at ease with a clear heart.

　　 As for the eight, ten, and 227 sila, they are based upon the five sila and are progressively more refined for those people who wish to practise the higher levels of moral behaviour. But both in the practices of maintaining sila and in paying attention to what one is doing, the rules or the method differ progressively from those of the five sila as one goes higher.

　　 Summarizing briefly, sila of every grade is for the purpose of controlling “outgoing exuberance” in the behaviour of body and speech. For one who practises it correctly, it is also for the purpose of living in a “peaceful” way with a happy and easy heart. And if one associates with other people, who themselves maintain sila, it is essential that one should oneself be a good person. But those who have low or vulgar minds are not likely to understand the necessity for sila, because they do not want to become good people, nor to get involved in the world of good people, and they always try to break up the happiness of others and to instigate trouble and anger in the world whenever they get a chance to do so.

　　 One should not think that moral behaviour is exclusively a human faculty, for even animals can have some aspects of it. One needs only to observe the animals which people look after in their homes to see how in some degree the hearts and the behaviour of animals are permeated with the nature of Dhamma.

　　 One who always has moral behaviour as the basis of his character, besides being good natured, having the confidence and being popular with the people of his village or district, will also be good-natured within himself every day of this life and the next life also.

　　 Moral behaviour is therefore a quality which is always necessary in the world.

《Wisdom Develops Samadhi - Sila》全文阅读结束。