The second paramita in Tibetan is tsultrim, usually translated as discipline, morality, or ethical conduct. Other terms that have been used to describe it include skillful conduct, right conduct, self-discipline, and integrity. In Sanskrit it is known as sila, which according to my research comes from the word for rock or stone. I’ve also seen it translated as coolness. For me, both definitions bring to mind Shantideva’s advice to “remain like a piece of wood” whenever we find ourselves on the verge of committing a counterproductive action of body, speech, or mind. It also resonates with the contemporary “gray rock” concept in psychology, i.e., responding minimally and without affect in an interaction that threatens to trigger an emotional reaction.
There’s more to the paramita of ethical conduct, but its overall intent is that we cultivate vigilance in order to 1) inhibit reflexive habits and reactions that feed the cycle of samsaric confusion and suffering, and 2) gradually replace them with new habits that are in accord with the dharma and with our bodhisattva aspiration to fully wake ourselves up from the illusion or dream of samsara so that we can help others free themselves. Ringu Tulku Rinpoche has said that this paramita comes down to practicing mindfulness. What do we need to be mindful about? This is expressed succinctly in Shakyamuni Buddha’s summary of the entire path, which also happens to reflect the three-fold practice of ethical conduct:
Refrain from actions that cause harm,
~ Shakyamuni Buddha
Engage in virtue all you can.
Tame your own mind utterly:
This is the Buddha’s great teaching.
The paramita of ethical conduct consists of three activities, or specific aspects of mindfulness, that correspond to the three instructions in the verse above:
- to refrain from harm to oneself and others, primarily through avoiding the 10 negative or unwholesome actions (first line of the verse)
- to cultivate one’s own wisdom and compassion by engaging as much as possible in dharmic activities and the 10 positive actions (third line)
- to actively help other beings as much as possible in whatever ways they need (second line)
The third activity, actively helping others, as explained by Ringu Tulku Rinpoche in Path to Buddhahood, includes a spectrum of 13 specific ways in which ethical conduct requires us as Mahayana Buddhists to provide hands-on help to other beings, including “relieving the pain of those who suffer,” “giving what they lack to those in need,” and “protecting those who are afraid.” This particular presentation of what we now call “engaged Buddhism” dates from Lord Gampopa in the twelfth century, who explained each of the paramitas in his classic and still much-studied text Ornament of Precious Liberation.
At Palpung-Richmond, we’ll be actively studying and practicing the paramita of ethical conduct during March and April 2026. We’ll meet Thursday, March 5 at 7pm on Zoom to introduce and discuss the meaning of the paramita, and the first Thursday in April to share our experience.
More on the six paramitas in the context of the 37 Practices: Six paramitas overview
More on this paramita: Ethical conduct
Guru Vajradhara Tai Situ Rinpoche on the six paramitas (videos)
Ringu Tulku Rinpoche on the paramita of (right) conduct (video)