Lzh Dg Bu Pm Pc 60Making Stains

The Dubbaṇṇakaraṇa Sutta (Making Bad Repute)

Background

The Dubbaṇṇakaraṇa Sutta is found in the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically the Pāṭimokkha Saṃvara, the collection of fundamental precepts for monks and nuns. The Vinaya Piṭaka was established under the direct guidance of the Blessed Buddha in order to protect the shared spirit of practice and maintain the purity of the Sangha. These rules are not hasty external limitations, but voluntary boundaries by which monks and nuns preserve mindfulness and steadiness.

The discourse “Making Bad Repute” (Dubbaṇṇa = bad, not good; karaṇa = making, doing) was taught in the context of the Blessed Buddha reminding the Sangha of the consequences of unethical actions. This is one of the rules belonging to the class of Dukkaṭa, errors lighter than Pārājika, or Pācittiya, offenses requiring repentance, intended to prevent conduct that damages the honor and reputation of the Sangha in society.

Main Content

The specific content of this discourse has not been fully translated in this context, but according to the spirit of the Theravāda Vinaya Piṭaka, “Making Bad Repute” relates to actions or speech by monks and nuns that may bring dishonor upon the Sangha. These forms of “bad repute” include:

Actions with negative influence: Such as engaging in improper relations with outsiders, using inappropriate speech, or actions that cause misunderstanding about the nature of Buddhist practice.

Loss of purity of mindfulness: When a monk or nun cannot maintain the basic principles of Buddhism, this carelessness spreads outward into society and stains the noble image of renunciants.

Communal benefit: This rule was established to protect not only each individual monastic, but the whole Sangha from being misunderstood and losing the trust of the Buddhist community.