DESCRIPTION OF VIRTUE
(Sìla-niddesa)
“When a wise man, established well in virtue,
Develops consciousness and understanding,
Then as a bhikkhu ardent and sagacious
He succeeds in disentangling this tangle” (S I 13).
This was said. But why was it said? While the Blessed One was living at Sávatthì, it seems, a certain deity came to him in the night, and in order to do away with his doubts, he asked this question:
“The inner tangle and the outer tangle—
This generation is entangled in a tangle.
And so I ask of Gotama this question:
Who succeeds in disentangling this tangle?” (S I 13).
Here is the meaning in brief. Tangle is a term for the network of craving. For that is a tangle in the sense of lacing together, like the tangle called network of branches in bamboo thickets, etc., because it goes on arising again and again up and down among the objects [of consciousness] beginning with what is visible. But it is called the inner tangle and the outer tangle because it arises [as craving] for one’s own requisites and another’s, for one’s own person and another’s, and for the internal and external bases [for consciousness]. Since it arises in this way, this generation is entangled in a tangle. As the bamboos, etc., are entangled by the bamboo tangle, etc., so too this generation, in other words, this order of living beings, is all entangled by the tangle of craving—the meaning is that it is intertwined, interlaced by it. And because it is entangled like this, so I ask of Gotama this question, that is why I ask this. He addressed the Blessed One by his clan name as Gotama. Who succeeds in disentangling this tangle: who may disentangle this tangle that keeps the three kinds of existence entangled in this way? What he asks is, who is capable of disentangling it?
3. However, when questioned thus, the Blessed One, whose knowledge of all things is unimpeded, deity of deities, excelling Sakka (Ruler of Gods), excelling Brahmá, fearless in the possession of the four kinds of perfect confidence, wielder of the ten powers, all-seer with unobstructed knowledge, uttered this stanza in
reply to explain the meaning:
“When a wise man, established well in virtue,
Develops consciousness and understanding,
Then as a bhikkhu ardent and sagacious
He succeeds in disentangling this tangle.”
My task is now to set out the true sense,
Divided into virtue and the rest,
Of this same verse composed by the Great Sage.
There are here in the Victor’s Dispensation
Seekers gone forth from home to homelessness,
And who although desiring purity
Have no right knowledge of the sure straight way
Comprising virtue and the other two,
Right hard to find, that leads to purity—
Who, though they strive, here gain no purity.
To them I shall expound the comforting Path
Of Purification, pure in expositions,
Relying on the teaching of the dwellers
In the Great Monastery; let all those
Good men who do desire purity
Listen intently to my exposition.
By Bhikkhu Ñānamoli