The meaning of silabbata-paramasa and freedom from this fetter?

Question

Since often very curious ideas and means of excuses appear around the arguing with the means of "that's a fetter", my person thought it would be good if someone would have the skills and goodness toward fellows and behind followers to explain the meaning and whether a perception of it is used for the training or not so that it would not misinterpret the Sublime Buddha (meaning own ideas are nice but not really 'asked' for)

[Note that this isn't given for stacks exchange and other ways of silabbata-paramasa but for release]

Answer 1

From AN 3.78:

“Take the case of someone who cultivates precepts and observances, a lifestyle, and a spiritual path, taking this as the essence. If unskillful qualities grow while skillful qualities decline, that’s not fruitful. However, if unskillful qualities decline while skillful qualities grow, that is fruitful.”

From MN 24:

“Is the spiritual life lived under the Buddha for the sake of purification of ethics?”

“Certainly not.” ....

“In the same way, reverend, purification of ethics is only for the sake of purification of mind. Purification of mind is only for the sake of purification of view. Purification of view is only for the sake of purification through overcoming doubt. Purification through overcoming doubt is only for the sake of purification of knowledge and vision of the variety of paths. Purification of knowledge and vision of the variety of paths is only for the sake of purification of knowledge and vision of the practice. Purification of knowledge and vision of the practice is only for the sake of purification of knowledge and vision. Purification of knowledge and vision is only for the sake of extinguishment by not grasping. The spiritual life is lived under the Buddha for the sake of extinguishment by not grasping.”

From DN 16:

If it wishes, after my passing the Saṅgha may abolish the lesser and minor training rules.

The purpose of the purification of ethics is only for the purification of the mind.

But being too attached to minor rules and rituals to the point that breaking them causes remorse and mental anguish, is unskillful and pollutes the mind.

It is enough to practise purification of ethics with the understanding that it is for the purification of the mind, and not be too attached to following minor rules and rituals to the letter.

Answer 2

if someone would have the skills and goodness

Liberation comes from abandoning self-identity view & its underlying attachment (upadana). When a stream-enterer breaks through to this realisation, there is also the realisation foolish attachment to sīlabbata does not bring liberation.

Knowing and seeing in this way, would you believe that the observances and noisy, superstitious rites of the various ascetics and brahmins are the most important things?”

“Api nu tumhe, bhikkhave, evaṃ jānantā evaṃ passantā yāni tāni puthusamaṇabrāhmaṇānaṃ vata kotūhalamaṅgalāni tāni sārato paccāgaccheyyāthā”ti?

“No, sir.”

“No hetaṃ, bhante”.

“Are you not speaking only of what you have known and seen and realized for yourselves?”

“Nanu, bhikkhave, yadeva tumhākaṃ sāmaṃ ñātaṃ sāmaṃ diṭṭhaṃ sāmaṃ viditaṃ, tadeva tumhe vadethā”ti.

“Yes, sir.”

“Evaṃ, bhante”.

“Good, mendicants! You have been guided by me with this teaching that’s visible in this very life, immediately effective, inviting inspection, relevant, so that sensible people can know it for themselves.

“Sādhu, bhikkhave, upanītā kho me tumhe, bhikkhave, iminā sandiṭṭhikena dhammena akālikena ehipassikena opaneyyikena paccattaṃ veditabbena viññūhi.

MN 38

There is a sutta (somewhere) where some bhikkhus return to the monastery morally righteously scolding the immoral behaviour of some laypeople they observed in a town or village. Here, the Buddha rebukes these bhikkhus for their attachment to morality. This is appears obviously a case of sīlabbata-parāmāsa.