The Commentary to “The Basket of Conduct” defines the perfection of morality as follows:

“Virtue (síla) has the characteristic of composing (sílana, observing) ; coordinating (samadhana) and establishing (patithana) are also mentioned as its characteristic. Its function is to dispel moral depravity, or its function is blameless conduct; its manifestation is moral purity; shame and moral dread are its proximate cause.”