Reading guide
A name that states its own subject
Sīlava — ‘possessed of ethics’, ‘the virtuous one’ — opens this book with a poem whose entire content is his own name's subject matter, its twelve verses devoted almost exclusively to praising sīla in one image after another.
A cascade of metaphors, rarely repeating an image twice
Across verses six through nine alone, ethics is compared to a boundary, a restraint, an enjoyment for the mind, the ford where all Buddhas cross, matchless power, the ultimate weapon, the best ornament, a marvelous coat of armor, a mighty bridge, the unsurpassed scent, the best perfume, the best provision, the unsurpassed supply for a journey, and the best vehicle. Few single-theme poems anywhere in this collection sustain such variety of comparison for one subject without repeating an image.
Practical benefits named before the metaphors begin
The second through fifth verses ground the later metaphor-cascade in concrete outcomes: praise, prosperity, delight in heaven; many friends versus friends driven away; good reputation versus infamy. Before ethics becomes armor or perfume, it is first shown to simply work, in ordinary social and karmic terms.
Both this life and what follows, held together
The tenth and eleventh verses pair present and future consequences directly: the unethical are criticized ‘in this life’ and grieve ‘in a lower realm’ after death; the ethical are renowned now and happy in heaven later. The poem refuses to separate immediate social benefit from long-term karmic consequence, treating them as two faces of one principle.
A final verse that quietly ranks wisdom above ethics itself
After twelve verses building ethics up as foundation, power, ornament, and vehicle all at once, the closing verse adds a qualification: ‘ethical conduct is best in this life, but one with wisdom is supreme... victorious among men and gods’. The poem's own structure enacts this ranking — eleven verses on ethics, then a twelfth that places wisdom one step higher, without undoing anything the eleven verses before it established.
Key terms
The text
§1One should train just in ethical conduct, for in this world, when ethical conduct is cultivated and well-trained, it provides all success.
§2Wishing for three kinds of happiness—praise, prosperity, and to delight in heaven after passing away—the wise would take care of their ethics.
§3The well-behaved have many friends, because of their self-restraint. But one lacking ethics, of bad conduct, drives away their friends.
§4A man whose ethics are bad has ill-repute and infamy. One who is ethical always has a good reputation, fame, and praise.
§5Ethical conduct is the starting point and foundation; the mother at the head of all good things: that’s why you should purify your ethics.
§6Ethics provide a boundary and a restraint, an enjoyment for the mind; the ford where all the Buddhas cross over: that’s why you should purify your ethics.
§7Ethics are the matchless power; ethics are the ultimate weapon; ethics are the best ornament; ethics are a marvelous coat of armor.
§8Ethics are a mighty bridge; ethics are the unsurpassed scent; ethics are the best perfume, that float from place to place.
§9Ethics are the best provision; ethics are the unsurpassed supply for a journey; ethics are the best vehicle that take you from place to place.
§10In this life they’re criticized; after departing they grieve in a lower realm; a fool is unhappy everywhere, because they are unsteady in ethics.
§11In this life they’re renowned; after departing they’re happy in heaven; the attentive are happy everywhere, because they are steady in ethics.
§12Ethical conduct is best in this life, but one with wisdom is supreme. Someone with both virtue and wisdom is victorious among men and gods.
Self-check quiz
Ten questions. Click an answer to see immediate feedback. No score is recorded — this is for your own checking.