Lzh Dg Bu Pm 2 Np 24Bribing Weavers

Explanation of the Mahāpesakāra Discourse (The Discourse on Bribing Weavers)

Background

The Mahāpesakāra discourse is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli canon, belonging to the Theravāda Buddhist tradition. This is part of the detailed study of Vinaya, regulating ethics and discipline for monks and nuns (bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs).

The history of this discourse is directly connected with the Buddha’s establishment of the Saṅgha on a foundation of moral purity. In the course of teaching, the Buddha encountered many complex situations concerning conduct, motivation, and ethical consequences. The Mahāpesakāra discourse reflects one such situation, involving greed, bribery, and the exploitation of people for personal purposes.

The word “Mahāpesakāra” is translated as “great weavers,” or in the legal context, “major bribery.” This is not merely a surface story, but expresses a profound principle of avoiding harm to others through exploitation or manipulation.

Main Content

The Mahāpesakāra discourse records an event in the life of the Saṅgha, where certain monastics failed to follow basic ethical principles. The story tells that some monks used improper means to persuade weavers, or people of other trades, for the purpose of bribery and exploitation in order to gain benefit for themselves.

This action seriously violates the Pātimokkha, the basic code that every monk and nun must observe. Specifically, it concerns offenses involving: (1) desire for gain and fame (lobha), (2) deceit and manipulation of others, and (3) conduct that harms the trust of the community.

The Buddha clearly taught that monastics who abuse their position to bribe or manipulate people must bear grave ethical consequences. Such actions not only destroy personal virtue but also harm the reputation of the entire Saṅgha, thereby obstructing the propagation of the true Dharma.