tshul khrims

discipline; morality; moral discipline, moral precepts, [shila]; ethical conduct, ethics, rule, order, monastic discipline / mode of conduct, [Skt. shila]. one of the phar phyin drug the six paramitas. def. tshul min gyi bya ba las srung ba'i khrims. (RY)

[def. tshul min gyi bya ba las srung ba'i khrims. Discipline [of renunciation/ restraint spong ba'i sems pa ste, tshul 'chal gyi gdung ba sel ba'am, bcas rang gi kha na ma tho ba spong ba'i sems pa'o// = sdom khrims, sdom pa, tshangs par spyod pa, 1 of the pha drug. the six paramitas [tse] ethical conduct, ethics, morality, rule, order, [monastic] discipline/ mode of conduct, shila, the natural/ proper system. (IW)

• ] ethical conduct, ethics, moral law/ behavior/ -ity, rule, order, [monastic] discipline/ mode of conduct/ vows, shila, the natural/ proper system. (IW)

ethical behavior, morality, control, ethics and manners, escapist discipline, religious behavior, moral (law, observances), regular duties, monastic vow, SA sdom pa'i tshul khrims, smon gyi tshul khrims, nges par byung ba'i tshul khrims, 1 of lo ma lnga, 1 of bslab pa gsum, discipline, moral precepts. (JV)

ethical discipline; ethcics. (RB)

morality and responsibility. (RY)

practice of discipline. (RY)

Skt. Śīla. 1) ethical discipline, moral discipline; 2) ethics, morality; 3) ethical conduct, moral conduct. [Erick Tsiknopoulos]

Discussion

Discipline is abandoning the non-virtues of body, speech, and mind. The Sanskrit word zIla means cool: discipline provides relief from the heat of the afflictions and the suffering that results from them. As it says in a verse:

As the body has no torments, Completely taking up discipline is bliss.

In the Treasury of Manifest Dharma, discipline is said to be equivalent to vows and Brahmic (or pure) conduct.

The English word discipline commonly also refers to diligence and other qualities. For this reason, zIla is often translated as morality, ethics, or a similar variation. However, discipline seems the most common translation, and one of the meanings given for the word discipline in the OED matches the specific Buddhist meaning, so this seems to be the preferable translation. DKC