อารัมภบทI shall now explain and expand upon the meaning of the Dhamma theme written above, as a guide for study and practice.

อธิบายบทตั้งTo explain: This saying praises the excellence of virtue. "Unsurpassed" means supreme, with nothing higher. In this context it emphasises the value of good conduct as something important and worthy of honour, because virtue helps a person restrain body and speech, refrain from harming others, and is an essential foundation for living together in peace.

ขยายความบทตั้งVirtue is valuable to society because it restrains actions that cause trouble. When people refrain from killing and harming one another, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, and drinking intoxicants that lead to heedlessness, the causes of conflict and damage are reduced and trust in living together increases. Keeping the precepts is therefore not only a private matter, but also a responsibility towards the peace of the community.

ขยายความบทตั้งBesides its benefit for living together, virtue is also a foundation that supports training the mind and developing wisdom. One who keeps the precepts has reason not to be troubled by his own wrongdoing. This freedom from remorse helps the mind become ready for training in concentration, and when the mind is steady, it supports careful and accurate reflection on things as they really are. This also requires study, training and right reflection. Virtue, concentration and wisdom are thus qualities that support one another in developing life.

ขยายความบทตั้งIn the Sīlavīmaṃsana Jātaka and its commentary, a venomous snake is praised as virtuous because it does not bite or harm anyone. This story uses the quality of not harming to show the value of virtue: even an animal that people fear is praised when it does not harm others. People should therefore see the importance of restraining their conduct and not use their strength or abilities to cause trouble for anyone.

ประโยคสะพาน + ที่มา ๑True goodness rests on virtue. One who keeps body and speech well-ordered and does not harm others has done the goodness that is the foundation of all goodness. This accords with the Buddha's saying found in Khuddaka Nikāya, Jātaka, Ekanipāta:

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๑To explain: This saying teaches the value of good conduct. "They say" means it is heard or said, and "indeed" is an emphatic word meaning "that very thing". The main point is that a person's goodness should be judged by his conduct, not only by family background, status or knowledge and ability, because even with these qualities, if one behaves dishonestly, one can cause harm to oneself and others.

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๑The commentary on the Sīlavīmaṃsana Jātaka tells of a brahmin chaplain who was respected by the king. He wanted to test whether this respect came from his family and learning or from his virtue, so he took some of the royal treasure without permission until he was arrested. While being taken before the king, he saw snake charmers handling a venomous snake and warned them of the danger. The snake charmers replied that the snake was virtuous and harmed no one, unlike him, who had been arrested for taking the king's property. The brahmin reflected that even a snake is praised for not harming others. When he came before the king and the king ordered him punished, he explained the reason for his action and spoke in praise of the virtue of sīla.

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๑The lesson of this story is that family, position and knowledge cannot replace good conduct or serve as an excuse for wrongdoing. Honesty and not harming others are the essential foundation of trust; when a person violates these principles, the trust he once had may decline. The story is meant to make us aware of the value of virtue, not to encourage imitating wrongdoing in order to test others.

ตัวอย่างในชีวิตIn daily life, a community where people are honest and do not steal from or harm one another has a good foundation for safety and a pleasant life. Working people who are not corrupt and do not deceive help build trust in working together. Students who do not take their friends' belongings without permission, do not lie and do not bully others help make the classroom a place where everyone can live together comfortably. These examples show that the value of virtue appears in the lives of people of all ages.

สรุปTo conclude: Those who wish to live well should therefore keep their virtue firm, together with developing the mind and wisdom, and encourage others to see the benefit of not harming through appropriate words and by setting a good example. When each person takes responsibility for his own conduct, he helps support a peaceful society. This benefit both to oneself and to the community shows the excellence of virtue. This accords with the Dhamma saying set forth as the theme at the beginning:

ปิดท้ายThus has the meaning been explained, as set forth above.