32. 8. In the seventh dyad all virtue subject to cankers is mundane; that not subject to cankers is supramundane. Herein, the mundane brings about improvement in future becoming and is a prerequisite for the escape from becoming, according as it is said: “Discipline is for the purpose of restraint, restraint is for the purpose of nonremorse, non-remorse is for the purpose of gladdening, gladdening is for the purpose of happiness, happiness is for the purpose of tranquility, tranquility is for the purpose of bliss, bliss is for the purpose of concentration, concentration is for the purpose of correct knowledge and vision, correct knowledge and vision is for the purpose of dispassion, dispassion is for the purpose of fading away [of greed], fading away is for the purpose of deliverance, deliverance is for the purpose of knowledge and vision of deliverance, knowledge and vision of deliverance is for the purpose of complete extinction [of craving, etc.] through not clinging. Talk has that purpose, counsel has that purpose, support has that purpose, giving ear has that purpose, that is to say, the liberation of the mind through not clinging” (Vin V 164). The supramundane brings about the escape from becoming and is the plane of reviewing knowledge. So it is of two kinds as mundane and supramundane.
33. 9. In the first of the triads the inferior is produced by inferior zeal, [purity of] consciousness, energy, or inquiry; the medium is produced by medium zeal, etc.; the superior, by superior (zeal, and so on). That undertaken out of desire for fame is inferior; that undertaken out of desire for the fruits of merit is medium; that undertaken for the sake of the noble state thus, “This has to be done” is superior. Or again, that defiled by self-praise and disparagement of others, etc., thus, “I am possessed of virtue, but these other bhikkhus are ill-conducted and evil-natured” (M I 193), is inferior; undefiled mundane virtue is medium; supramundane is superior. Or again, that motivated by craving, the purpose of which is to enjoy continued existence, is inferior; that practiced for the purpose of one’s own deliverance is medium; the virtue of the perfections practiced for the deliverance of all beings is superior. So, it is of three kinds as inferior, medium, and superior.
34. 10. In the second triad that practiced out of self-regard by one who regards self and desires to abandon what is unbecoming to self [14] is virtue giving precedence to self. That practiced out of regard for the world and out of desire to ward off the censure of the world is virtue giving precedence to the world. That practiced out of regard for the Dhamma and out of desire to honour the majesty of the Dhamma is virtue giving
precedence to the Dhamma. So it is of three kinds as giving precedence to self, and so on.
35. 11. In the third triad the virtue that in the dyads was called dependent (no. 5)
is adhered-to because it is adhered-to through craving and [false] view. That practiced by the magnanimous ordinary man as the prerequisite of the path, and that associated with the path in trainers, are not-adhered-to. That associated with trainers’ and non-trainers’ fruition is tranquillized. So it is of three kinds as adhered-to, and so on.
36. 12. In the fourth triad that fulfilled by one who has committed no offence or has made amends after committing one is pure. So long as he has not made amends after committing an offence it is impure. Virtue in one who is dubious about whether a thing constitutes an offence or about what grade of offence has been committed or about whether he has committed an offence is dubious. Herein, the meditator should purify impure virtue. If dubious, he should avoid cases about which he is doubtful and should get his doubts cleared up. In this way his mind will be kept at rest. So, it is of three kinds as pure, and so on.
37. 13. In the fifth triad the virtue associated with the four paths and with the [first] three fruitions is that of the trainer. That associated with the fruition of Arahantship is that of the non-trainer. The remaining kinds are that of the neithertrainer- nor-non-trainer. So it is of three kinds as that of the trainer, and so on.
38. But in the world the nature of such and such beings is called their “habit” (sìla) of which they say: “This one is of happy habit (sukha-sìla), this one is of unhappy habit, this one is of quarrelsome habit, this one is of dandified habit.” Because of that it is said in the Paþisambhidá figuratively: “Three kinds of virtue (habit): profitable virtue, unprofitable virtue, indeterminate virtue” (Paþis I 44). So it is also called of three kinds
as profitable, and so on. Of these, the unprofitable is not included here since it has nothing whatever to do with the headings beginning with the characteristic, which define virtue in the sense intended in this [chapter]. So the threefoldness should be understood only in the way already stated.
39. 14. In the first of the tetrads:
The unvirtuous he cultivates,
He visits not the virtuous,
And in his ignorance he sees
No fault in a transgression here, [15]
With wrong thoughts often in his mind
His faculties he will not guard—
Virtue in such a constitution
Comes to partake of diminution.
But he whose mind is satisfied.
With virtue that has been achieved,
Who never thinks to stir himself
And take a meditation subject up,
Contented with mere virtuousness,
Nor striving for a higher state—
His virtue bears the appellation
Of that partaking of stagnation.
But who, possessed of virtue, strives
With concentration for his aim—
That bhikkhu’s virtue in its function
Is called partaking of distinction.
Who finds mere virtue not enough
But has dispassion for his goal—
His virtue through such aspiration
Comes to partake of penetration
By Bhikkhu Ñānamoli