sīlaṁ

feminine a stone, rock Vin.i.28; SN.iv.312 sq.; Vin.445; DN-a.i.154; Ja.v.68; Vism.230 (in comparison) Vb-a.64 (var. kinds); a precious stone, quartz Vin.ii.238; Mil.267, Mil.380; Vv.84#15 (= phalika˚ Vv-a.339) pada-silā a flag-stone Vin.ii.121, Vin.ii.154. Cp. sela.

• -uccaya a mountain AN.iii.346; Thag.692; Ja.i.29 Ja.vi.272, Ja.vi.278; Dāvs v.63.
• -guḷa a ball of stone, a round stone MN.iii.94.
• -tthambha (sila˚) stone pillar Mhvs.15 Mhvs.173.
• -paṭimā stone image Ja.iv.95.
• -paṭṭa a slab of stone, a stone bench Ja.i.59; Ja.vi.37 (mangala˚); Snp-a.80 Snp-a.117.
• -pākāra stone wall Vin.ii.153.
• -maya made of stone Ja.vi.269, Ja.vi.270; Mhvs.33, Mhvs.22; Mhvs.36, Mhvs.104.
• -yūpa a stone column SN.v.445; AN.iv.404; Mhvs.28, Mhvs.2.
• -santhāra stone floor Vin.ii.120.

cp. Sk. śilā

neuter

1. nature, character, habit behaviour; usually as-˚ in adj. function “being of such a nature,” like, having the character of…, e.g. adāna˚; of stingy character, illiberal Snp.244; Pv-a.68 (+ maccharin); kiṃ˚; of what behaviour? Pv.ii.9#13 keḷi˚; tricky Pv-a.241; damana˚; one who conquers Pv-a.251; parisuddha˚; of excellent character AN.iii.124 pāpa˚; wicked Snp.246; bhaṇana˚; wont to speak Dhp-a.iv.93; vāda˚; quarrelsome Snp.381 sq
   ■ dussīla (of) bad character DN.iii.235; Dhs.1327; Pp.20, Pp.53; Pv.ii.8#2 (noun); Pv.ii.9#69 (adj.); Dhp-a.ii.252; Dhp-a.iv.3; Sdhp.338; Mil.257; opp. susīla SN.i.141.
2. moral practice, good character, Buddhist ethics, code of morality.
   1. The dasa-sīla or 10 items of good character (not “commandments”) are
      1. pāṇātipātā veramaṇī, i.e. abstinence from taking life;
      2. adinn’ādānā (from) taking what is not given to one;
      3. abrahmacariyā adultery (oṭherwise called kāmesu micchā-cārā);
      4. musāvādā telling lies;
      5. pisuna-vācāya slander;
      6. pharusa-vācāya harsh or impolite speech;
      7. samphappalāpā frivolous and senseless talk;
      8. abhijjhāya covetousness
      9. byāpādā malevolence;
      10. micchādiṭṭhiyā heretic views
      ■ Of these 10 we sometimes find only the first 7 designated as “sīla” per se, or good character generally See e.g. AN.i.269 (where called sīla-sampadā); AN.ii.83 sq (not called “sīla”), & sampadā
   2. The pañca-sīla or 5 items of good behaviour are Nos. 1–4 of dasa-sīla and (5) abstaining from any state of indolence arising from (the use of) intoxicants, viz. surā-meraya-majjapamāda-ṭṭhānā veramaṇī. These five also from the first half of the 10 sikkha-padāni. They are a sort of preliminary condition to any higher development after conforming to the teaching of the Buddha (saraṇaṃgamana) and as such often mentioned when a new follower is “officially” installed, e.g. Bv.ii.190: saraṇâgamane kañci nivesesi Tathāgato kañci pañcasu sīlesu sīle dasavidhe paraṃ. From Pv.iv.1#76 sq. (as also fr. Kp ii. as following upon Kp i.) it is evident that the sikkhāpadāni are meant in this connection (either 5 or 10), and not the sīlaṃ, cp. also Pv.iv.3#50 sq., although at the above passage of Bv and at Ja.i.28 as well as at Mhvs.18, Mhvs.10 the expression dasa-sīla is used: evidently a later development of the term as regards dasa-sīla (cp. Mvu translation 122, n. 3), which