Moral conduct
Moral conduct is the foundation of the whole practice in the noble eight-fold path, and therewith the first of the three kinds of Training (sikkha), namely, morality, concentration and wisdom.
By observing the five or eight etc. moral precepts, one acquires much merit. Leading a virtuous life, one experiences a happy and contented life here and in the hereafter. Virtue helps him to be fearless, as he has done no wrong to himself or to others. He feels no remorse, guilt or self-blame; hence he feels joy, rapture, calm and happiness; he achieves concentration, knowledge of seeing things as they really are, and so forth.
In addition, he accrues five blessings: fortune as a consequence of diligence, good reputation, self-confidence, dying unconfused and heavenly rebirth.
Basically all moral actions are classified into actions of body, speech and mind. Abstinence from taking life, stealing, and wrong sexual conduct, constitute moral bodily action. Moral verbal action is the next, split into four: abstinence from lying, harsh speech, tale-bearing and loose talk. Finally, moral mental action is abstinence from covetousness, ill-will and wrong views. Without sila or moral conduct, one’s progress in the spiritual sphere will definitely be limited.
Sila or moral conduct is in each instance the clearly intentional restraint from bad actions. Shame (hiri) and fear of doing evil (ottappa) are its proximate cause. For when they exist, moral conduct arises and persists; and when they do not exist, it neither arises nor persists.
Specifically speaking, there are two kinds of sila: mundane and supramundane. All sila subject to asavas is mundane. It brings about improvement in future lives and is a prerequisite for the escape from all sa?saric suffering. That sila which is not subject to asavas is supramundane. It brings about directly the escape from all sa?saric suffering. Here again, the good intention that arises in one who takes the precepts and observes them is the way of making merit in moral conduct or virtue.