Lzh Mi Bi Pm Pc 1Lying
Pāli / Sanskrit:Musāvāda
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The Discourse on Lying (Musāvāda)
Background
The Discourse on Lying is part of the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda Buddha-Dharma tradition, specifically belonging to the Pātimokkha (Parivrājaka Pācittiya) collection, the basic disciplinary rules that bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs must observe. In the Pāli Canon, the Vinaya Piṭaka is regarded as the foundation of collective practice and monastic discipline, thereby protecting the Buddha’s Dharma so that it may endure for a long time.
The rules in the Vinaya are not arbitrary prohibitions, but arise from specific historical situations in the Sangha. When the Buddha’s disciples committed actions that harmed the community or conflicted with the Buddhist path, Buddha Śākyamuni would establish a corresponding rule. The precept concerning lying (musāvāda) is one of the most important rules, because it concerns trust, purity, and truthfulness in the monastic community as well as in Buddhist practice.
Main Content
The rule on lying in the Vinaya Piṭaka prohibits bhikkhus from speaking words that are untrue, for any purpose, even to preserve quiet or avoid minor trouble. This includes direct lying, secretly saying what is untrue, or using indirect means to conceal the truth.
Lying is regarded as a pācittiya offense, a level of violation requiring confession and reparation (patisāraṇa). Although it is not as grave as a pārājika offense, which leads to expulsion from the Sangha, lying is still an act that disturbs the spiritual life and purity of a monastic.
The deeper reason for this rule is that lying destroys trust, the foundation of every harmonious relationship and of communal practice. When a bhikkhu lies, even in a small matter, people cannot trust his statements about spiritual matters, virtue, or progress in practice. Therefore, absolute truthfulness is something every monastic must train in.
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