Lzh Mg Bi Pm Pc 60Deception
Pāli / Sanskrit:Mohana
Save your scripture progress
Create a free account to save scriptures, track progress, and continue your daily learning path.
The Mohana Sutta: On the Offense of Deception
Background
The Mohana Sutta (Pāli: Mohana, meaning "deception, concealment of truth") is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon, specifically within the Bhikkhunī Pātimokkha (the code of discipline for bhikkhunīs). This sutta reflects one of the fundamental ethical concerns against which the Buddha cautioned the monastic community. The historical context reveals that, from the very time of the Buddha, the concealment of truth and deception were regarded as conduct harmful to the integrity of those in training, as well as to the trust that sustains the community.
In the Theravāda tradition, the Vinaya Piṭaka is not merely a body of administrative regulations; it is also a body of ethical guidance concerning moral conduct (sīla). Each precept was established for a specific reason, typically because the Buddha had witnessed harmful behavior on the part of bhikkhus, bhikkhunīs, or laypeople. The Mohana Sutta is a prime example of how the Dharma guides practitioners away from actions that are not rooted in truthfulness.
Principal Teaching
Mohana — derived from the root word "moha" (delusion, ignorance, darkness) — refers not merely to lying, but to actions driven by delusion, actions that obscure truth beneath a guise of falsity. Within the context of the Vinaya Piṭaka, deception may manifest in many forms: concealing one's own faults, falsely claiming spiritual attainments one does not possess, or deliberately manipulating the trust of others.
The sutta teaches that a genuine practitioner must conduct oneself with complete transparency (avippaṭisāranī dharma). This is not only an ethical matter, but also the very foundation of concentration (samādhi) and wisdom (paññā). When the mind is given to deception, the highest goal of practice — the realization of Nirvana — becomes obscured. Deception creates karmic obstructions, for by its very nature it is an action rooted in ignorance.
The principles pertaining to mohana were established to protect the integrity of the Sangha and to preserve the trust of the lay community. When a member of the community acts with deception, the entire community is harmed.
🌏 The Buddhist canon is vast — some sūtras (such as comparative Vinaya across schools, or untranslated Tibetan-canon texts) have to this day NEVER been translated into Vietnamese or English by anyone, scholars included. Rather than leave it blank, Inti AI offers a FAITHFUL summary grounded in the tradition — from the sūtra's title, origin and essence — so you can still reach this rare part of the treasury. Whenever an original translation exists, the app shows the original first.
Translations belong to the translator/source credited above. The bilingual compilation, presentation, and AI translations compiled by Inti are © Inti Foundation. Please attribute when quoting; do not bulk-copy or use commercially without permission.