Lzh Mi Bi Pm Pc 133Complaining About Others

Paraujjhāpanaka Sutta: On Accusing Others

Background

The Paraujjhāpanaka Sutta, Complaining About Others, belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka, the legal section of the Theravāda Buddhist Tipiṭaka. The Vinaya Piṭaka records disciplinary rules for monks and nuns, established by the Buddha Gotama to maintain harmony and purity in the Sangha.

This sutta revolves around an ethical issue related to accusing, criticizing, or “complaining” about others unnecessarily. In the context of the Vinaya Piṭaka, “paraujjhāpanaka” (from “para,” another, and “ujjhāpanaka,” criticizing or accusing) is an act that creates discord in the monastic community. The presence of this rule in the Pātimokkha, the basic code of monastics, shows the importance of preserving wholesome speech and avoiding divisive words.

This rule is recorded in the Pācittiya section, faults requiring confession, one of the lighter groups of offenses but still requiring correction. This reflects the deep understanding of Theravāda Buddhism regarding how speech can affect the collective spirit.

Main Content

This sutta addresses situations in which a monastic accuses or complains about another monastic improperly or unnecessarily, especially accusations not based on facts or arising from impure motives.

According to the Vinaya Piṭaka, this act is considered a Pācittiya violation because it causes significant harms: disturbing the stability of the Sangha, creating suspicion and division, diminishing faith, and obstructing shared spiritual development.

The rule does not simply forbid a monastic from speaking about another’s faults. Rather, it forbids improper speech: lying, speaking about matters already settled many times, or criticism arising from malicious intent. In other words, this sutta distinguishes between proper criticism, such as reporting a Vinaya violation to preserve the purity of the Sangha, and complaints arising from dosa, anger.