virati

the 3 'abstentions' or abstinences, are:

• abstention from wrong speech,
• wrong (bodily) action and
• wrong livelihood;

corresponding to right speech, action and livelihood of the 8-fold Path (s. magga, 3-5).

By abstention is not simply meant the non-occurrence of the evil things in question, but the deliberate abstaining therefrom, whenever occasion arises.

They belong to the 'secondary' (not constant) mental concomitants obtaining in lofty consciousness (s. Tab. II). Cf. sīla.