Lzh Dg Bi Pm Pc 2Abusive Speech
Pāli / Sanskrit:Omasavāda
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SUTRA ON ABUSIVE SPEECH (Omasavāda)
Background
The sutra on abusive speech is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon, specifically in the Pātimokkha Saṃvara, the main discipline. This is one of the prohibitions specifically for bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs, intended to regulate verbal conduct and protect harmony in the Sangha, the monastic community.
The background for the appearance of this rule is directly related to events in the history of the Sangha. The Buddha saw that although greed, anger, and delusion still existed among some bhikkhus, they had a tendency to use insulting words to criticize one another, harming the bond and shared spirit of practice. The Omasavāda Sutra was therefore established to build a pure Sangha environment, where members could focus on the path without being distracted by disputes and insults.
Main Content
In the Vinaya Piṭaka, the prohibition concerning Omasavāda, offensive or insulting speech, is clearly defined: a bhikkhu is not permitted to use abusive, harshly critical, or insulting words to speak about others, especially within the monastic community. This conduct is considered a violation of one of the important rules, because it directly contradicts the three trainings: virtue (sīla), concentration (samādhi), and wisdom (paññā).
This rule does not only forbid coarse speech or direct verbal abuse, but also includes subtle and indirect forms of speech intended to wound another’s mind. What is important is recognizing the intention behind the words. If the speaker knows that the words will cause suffering, division, or weaken another’s practice, then it is a violation of Omasavāda. This teaching follows the principle of Right Speech (Sammā Vācā), an important factor of the Noble Eightfold Path, which requires speech to be beneficial, truthful, gentle, and in service of the purpose of practice.
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