Lzh Dg Bi Pm Pc 64Groundless Accusation

Groundless Accusation (Amūlaka)

Lzh Dg Bi Pm Pc 64 — Comparative Chinese Vinaya, Bhikkhunī Pācittiya, Rule 64

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Source Status

This entry belongs to the Comparative Vinaya — Chinese collection in the system of Comparative Sectarian Canonical Texts, identified by the marker Lzh Dg Bi Pm Pc 64. The corresponding full Chinese source text has not yet been directly and fully collated in the current database. Therefore, this explanation is not a translation of the original scripture, but an explanation of context, terminology, and orientation for practice based on the supplied descriptive information. Readers should consult original Vinaya texts from specialized scholarly sources in order to obtain the accurate full text.

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Background

This training rule belongs to the block of rules for bhikkhunīs, marked Pc, that is, the group of rules requiring confession (Pācittiya). This class of rule is lighter than grave rules such as Pārājika or Saṅghādisesa, but still carries serious obligatory force in the life of the Sangha. When a bhikkhunī violates a Pācittiya rule, she must practice confession before the Sangha in order to purify the conduct.

The term Amūlaka in Pāli/Sanskrit means “without basis,” “without foundation,” or “groundless.” In the context of Buddhist legal study, it refers to the act of falsely accusing or charging another bhikkhu or bhikkhunī with an offense for which the accuser has no real evidence, no verified witness, and no reasonable basis for making the accusation. The Vietnamese title “Groundless Accusation” and the English title “Groundless Accusation” both faithfully reflect this core meaning.

The Buddhist Vinaya tradition recognized very early that false speech within the Sangha, especially malicious or careless accusation, can seriously harm the reputation, mental well-being, and practice life of the person accused. Therefore, the Vinayas of many different schools contain strict regulations concerning accusations within the monastic community.

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Content Determinable From the Descriptive Information

Based on the title and the Pāli term Amūlaka, the content of this training rule in principle states that a bhikkhunī is not permitted to accuse a bhikkhu or another monastic of a serious offense, such as a Pārājika offense, if that accusation has no factual basis, no reliable witness, or arises from a wrong motive such as hatred, misunderstanding, or the wish to destroy another’s good name.

The use of the marker Pc (Pācittiya) shows that this is a medium-level offense in the classification of training rules, not an offense leading to expulsion from the Sangha, but also not something to be taken lightly. Groundless accusation, if not confessed and purified, accumulates unwholesome karma and weakens the harmony of the Sangha.

The comparative character of this collection (Comparative Vinaya — Chinese) suggests that the Amūlaka training rule is presented in the Chinese text for the purpose of comparison among Buddhist schools, for example between Pāli Theravāda, Dharmaguptaka, Mūlasarvāstivāda, Mahāsāṃghika, and other schools, in order to see similarities and differences in how the schools formulated and explained the same disciplinary principle.

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Meaning for Practice

The rule on “Groundless Accusation” touches one of the most central practices in Buddhist life: right speech, speaking what is true, well-founded, timely, and arising from a mind of loving-kindness. Speech in the Sangha is not merely ordinary communication; it can build or destroy harmony (samagga), which is the basic condition for the Sangha to exist and function in purity.

When a bhikkhunī makes an accusation without basis, she harms not only the person accused but also plants the causes of discord, mutual suspicion, and weakened trust within the monastic community. This rule therefore protects not only the individual but the entire Sangha as a sacred institution of the teaching.

Inwardly, this training rule reminds practitioners to practice careful examination before speaking: to know clearly whether what one says is well-founded, where the motive of speech comes from, and what consequences that speech will have. This is precisely the spirit of sammā vācā, right speech in the Noble Eightfold Path, made concrete as a disciplinary rule.

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Comparative Note

The detailed full text of this training rule in the corresponding Chinese source has not yet been fully collated within the scope of this explanation. Researchers who wish to study it more deeply should consult the original Chinese Vinaya texts and scholarly works specializing in multi-sectarian Vinaya comparison, in order to gain a comprehensive and accurate view of the position, style, and full content of the Amūlaka training rule in each tradition.