Lzh Dg Bu Pm 2 Pc 60Making Stains

Dubbaṇṇakaraṇa Sutta (The Making of Stains)

Background

The Dubbaṇṇakaraṇa Sutta appears in the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically among the rules concerning offenses of bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs. This is the detailed body of discipline that Buddha Shakyamuni established to protect the purity of the Sangha and especially to guide nuns in their training.

In the historical context, these regulations arose when the order of nuns was still young and needed clear guidance to maintain discipline and honor. Honor here does not mean pride, but the preservation of the good image of the Holy Dharma and the Sangha in society.

Main Content

This sutta revolves around actions or words considered to “make stains” — that is, actions that negatively affect the reputation and credibility of the monastic community. According to the Theravāda tradition, such “stains” (dubbaṇṇa) include actions that could be misunderstood or that truly harm the community’s faith.

Specifically, the sutta sets forth situations and particular behaviors that nuns should avoid. These are not grave offenses leading to expulsion, but subtle actions that can cause laypeople to lose faith: such as meeting men incautiously, maintaining ambiguous relationships, or displaying conduct inconsistent with the pure nature of a monastic.

Within the structure of the Vinaya, these regulations are found in the Pātimokkha or in supplementary explanatory sections such as the Sutta Vibhaṅga. They are designed to educate monastics not only to avoid wrongdoing, but also to understand clearly why these behaviors are considered unsuitable.

Practical Meaning

The deeper meaning of this sutta lies in the recognition that a monastic does not cultivate only for oneself, but is also a living image of the Dharma in society. Every action and every word affects the way people regard the Buddha’s teaching.