[918] **What virtue and observance should he have (kāni sīlabbatānassu)?** He asks about the purity of virtue and observance: endowed with what kind of virtue (sīla) and observance (vatta) should he be — of what constitution, of what sort, of what likeness?
What is the purity of virtue and observance? There is that which is both virtue and observance; there is that which is observance but not virtue.
What is both virtue and observance? Here a bhikkhu is virtuous: he dwells restrained by the restraint of the Pāṭimokkha, possessed of proper conduct and suitable resort, seeing danger in the slightest faults; having undertaken them, he trains in the training rules. Whatever restraint, guarding, and non-transgression there is therein — this is virtue. The undertaking — that is observance. In the sense of restraint, it is virtue; in the sense of undertaking, it is observance. This is called both virtue and observance.
What is observance but not virtue? The eight ascetic practices (dhutaṅga): the forest-dweller's practice, the alms-food-eater's practice, the refuse-rag-wearer's practice, the triple-robe-wearer's practice, the house-to-house-seeker's practice, the later-food-refuser's practice, the sitter's practice, and the any-bed-user's practice — this is called observance but not virtue. The undertaking of energy also is called observance but not virtue. One exerts and strives with the mind (citta): "Willingly, let skin and sinew and bone dry up; let the flesh and blood in the body wither away; there shall be no slackening of energy without having attained what can be attained by manly strength, by manly power, by manly energy, by manly exertion." Such an undertaking of energy also is called observance but not virtue.
"I shall not eat, I shall not drink, I shall not go out from the dwelling,
nor shall I lie down upon my side, so long as the dart of craving (taṇhā) has not been drawn out" —
[thus] one exerts and strives with the mind. Such an undertaking of energy also is called observance but not virtue. "I shall not break this cross-legged posture until my mind is liberated from the taints (āsava) through non-clinging" — [thus] one exerts and strives with the mind. Such an undertaking of energy also is called observance but not virtue. "I shall not rise from this seat, [I shall not] descend from the walking path, go out from the dwelling, go out from the half-gabled house, go out from the mansion, go out from the flat-roofed building, go out from the cave, go out from the grotto, go out from the hut, go out from the peaked house, go out from the watchtower, go out from the pavilion hall, go out from the shed, go out from the attendance hall, go out from the pavilion, go out from the root of the tree, until my mind is liberated from the taints through non-clinging" — [thus] one exerts and strives with the mind. Such an undertaking of energy also is called observance but not virtue. "This very morning I shall bring, bring together, attain, touch, and realize the noble Dhamma" — [thus] one exerts and strives with the mind. Such an undertaking of energy also is called observance but not virtue. "This very midday, this very evening, before the meal, after the meal, in the first watch, in the middle watch, in the last watch, in the dark fortnight, in the bright fortnight, in the rains, in the winter, in the summer, in the first stage of life, in the middle stage of life, in the last stage of life, I shall bring, bring together, attain, touch, and realize the noble Dhamma" — [thus] one exerts and strives with the mind. Such an undertaking of energy also is called observance but not virtue. This is the purity of virtue and observance. He should be endowed with such purity of virtue and observance — hence, "What virtue and observance should he have?"
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.