Venerable Ajahn Chah

To uphold virtue, you have to be wise.

We usually advise people to develop ethical standards first by keeping the five precepts.

so that their virtue will become solid.

However, the perfection of virtue takes a lot of wisdom.

We have to consider our speech and actions and analyze their consequences.

This is all the work of wisdom.

We have to rely on our wisdom in order to cultivate virtue.

According to the theory, virtue comes first, then samadhi, and then wisdom.

But when I examined it, I found that wisdom is the foundation stone for every other aspect of the practice.

In order to fully comprehend the consequences of what we say and do, especially the harmful consequences,

We need to use wisdom to guide and supervise, to scrutinize the workings of cause and effect.

This will purify our actions and speech.

Once we become familiar with ethical and unethical behavior, we see the place to practice.

We then abandon what's bad and cultivate what's good.

This is virtue.

As we do this, the heart becomes increasingly firm and steadfast.

A steadfast and unwavering heart is free of apprehension, remorse and confusion.

concerning our actions and speech.

This stable unification of mind forms a secondary and more powerful source of energy in our Dharma practice, allowing a deeper contemplation of the sights, sounds, etc.

that we experience.