（1） The precepts; the rules of religious discipline （/si^la）， transliterated into Chinese as 尸罗. （2） To warn， to caution， to guard against. （3） Warnings， precautions， precepts. In Buddhism， practice of the precepts is one of the "three practices" 三学 and one of the six perfections 六波罗蜜. It is the aspect of the Buddhist teachings which focuses on the nurturance of morality. Many Maha^ya^na texts list the practice of the precepts as the most fundamental practice， after which one may engage properly in the practice of sama^dhi 定 （concentration） and prajn~a^ （wisdom） 慧.