The Buddha's instruction to dwell accomplished in virtue, quoted in full and then taken up by the reciters as their own undertaking.
- When chanted
- Recited by monastics among the regular reflections, as a periodic restatement of what the training asks.
A note on this chant. The book prints this chant in Pali only, with no Thai translation. The English here is a working translation prepared for this edition — it is not the book's own, and has not yet been checked by a teacher.
Historical background
สีลุทเทสะ is a summary or setting-out of virtue. The passage is short and its construction is unusual: four lines of the Buddha's words, and then the same four lines again, spoken by the assembly about itself.
Nothing is added in the second half and nothing is left out. What changes is who is speaking and what mood the verbs are in.
Meaning and purpose
The quoted instruction has four parts. Dwell accomplished in virtue and in the Pāṭimokkha. Dwell restrained by that restraint, accomplished in conduct and in resort — that is, in how one behaves and where one goes. And, seeing danger in the slightest fault, train in the rules of training already undertaken.
Then the turn: therefore we should train ourselves thus. The four are repeated with every verb moved out of the imperative and into the first person plural future — we shall dwell, we shall train. The instruction has become an undertaking without a word of it being altered.
That is the whole point of the passage, and the reason it is recited rather than read. An instruction heard is not the same as an undertaking made, and the gap between the two is where most training quietly goes. This text closes the gap in a single breath, and ends on a line that is neither quotation nor promise but agreement: thus indeed should we train ourselves.
The chant
As the book prints it: page 56 →
ภาสิตะมิทัง เตนะ ภะคะวะตา ชานะตา ปัสสะตา อะระหะตา สัมมาสัมพุทเธนะ,
Bhāsitamidaṃ tena bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena,
This was said by the Blessed One, who knows and sees, the Worthy One, perfectly enlightened by himself:
สัมปันนะสีลา ภิกขะเว วิหะระถะ สัมปันนะปาฏิโมกขา,
Sampannasīlā bhikkhave viharatha sampannapāṭimokkhā,
Dwell, monks, accomplished in virtue, accomplished in the Pāṭimokkha;
ปาฏิโมกขะสังวะระสังวุตา วิหะระถะ อาจาระโคจะระสัมปันนา,
Pāṭimokkhasaṃvarasaṃvutā viharatha ācāragocarasampannā,
dwell restrained by the restraint of the Pāṭimokkha, accomplished in conduct and in resort;
อะณุมัตเตสุ วัชเชสุ ภะยะทัสสาวี สะมาทายะ สิกขะถะ สิกขาปะเทสูติ.
Aṇumattesu vajjesu bhayadassāvī samādāya sikkhatha sikkhāpadesūti.
seeing danger in the slightest fault, train yourselves in the rules of training you have undertaken.
ตัส๎มาติหัมเหหิ สิกขิตัพพัง,
Tasmātihamhehi sikkhitabbaṃ,
Therefore we should train ourselves thus:
สัมปันนะสีลา วิหะริสสามะ สัมปันนะปาฏิโมกขา,
Sampannasīlā viharissāma sampannapāṭimokkhā,
We shall dwell accomplished in virtue, accomplished in the Pāṭimokkha;
ปาฏิโมกขะสังวะระสังวุตา วิหะริสสามะ อาจาระโคจะระสัมปันนา,
Pāṭimokkhasaṃvarasaṃvutā viharissāma ācāragocarasampannā,
we shall dwell restrained by the restraint of the Pāṭimokkha, accomplished in conduct and in resort;
อะณุมัตเตสุ วัชเชสุ ภะยะทัสสาวี สะมาทายะ สิกขิสสามะ สิกขาปะเทสูติ.
Aṇumattesu vajjesu bhayadassāvī samādāya sikkhissāma sikkhāpadesūti.
seeing danger in the slightest fault, we shall train ourselves in the rules of training we have undertaken.
เอวัญหิ โน สิกขิตัพพัง.
Evañhi no sikkhitabbaṃ.
Thus indeed should we train ourselves.
สีลุทเทสะปาโฐ นิฏฐิโต
Sīluddesapāṭho niṭṭhito
Here ends the Summary of Virtue.