Chapter 28. The Equation of Morality

The Equation of Morality

Moral Discipline in Buddhism includes the practices and precepts to be observed. We can clarify these as the doctrinal do(s) & don’t(s) according to the Dhamma & Vinaya which organise our thought, speech, and action.

If we consider morality in the context of the Three Trainings or Trisikkha, discipline (sila) aims at keeping our speech and action pure and clean, but when it is developed to be the meditative disciplined mind or thought, it becomes ‘the mental state’ of moral discipline (adhisila).

Furthermore, as we take into account of the Noble Eightfold Path (the Eight Magga), Right Speech, Right Conduct, and Right Livelihood are categorised into moral discipline (sila). These denote the extent of morality as what we should do, in addition to what we should undo.

Thus, we can conclude into the Dhammonomic equation that our thought, speech, and action can be morally disciplined, and the moral discipline itself can be distinguished further into the ‘morally do’ and ‘morally don’t’ of our thought, speech, and action.

Morality = Moral (Thought + Speech + Action)

Morality = Morally Do(s)/Morally Don’t(s) [Thought + Speech + Action]

By Pirajak S. (formerly Pittaya Wong)

3 December 2019