Lzh Mi Bi Pm Ss 12Corrupters of Families

Explanation of the Kuladūsaka Sutta (Corrupters of Families)

Background

The Kuladūsaka Sutta belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda tradition of the Buddha-Dharma and is recorded in the Pāli scriptures. In the context of the Vinaya Piṭaka, this sutta does not merely state formal disciplinary rules, but also reflects deep ethical principles concerning the conduct of monastics within the community.

The word "Kuladūsaka" means "corrupters of families" (kula = family; dūsaka = one who spoils or defiles). This sutta appears in sections of the discipline related to the conduct of bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs, especially actions harmful to the reputation, trust, and stability of families who support the Sangha.

The historical picture shows that, as the Buddha-Dharma spread, some monastics did not preserve the spirit of practice, but instead sought gain, honor, and worldly attention. Such conduct directly harmed not only the reputation of families, but also weakened the community’s faith in the Sangha.

Main Content

The Kuladūsaka Sutta points out specific kinds of conduct regarded as "corrupting families." These include monastic attendants or associates using cunning or deceitful means to exploit the trust of lay families. Specifically, the sutta raises situations in which monastics abuse their spiritual authority or status to seek personal benefits.

These actions may involve requesting material possessions, such as gold, silver, or land, or wrongful actions of body, speech, or mind. The emphasis of the sutta is that those who act in this way are not true practitioners but "corrupters of families," because they break the relationship of trust and diminish the merit of those families.

The Vinaya Piṭaka then sets forth disciplinary measures, including removing such a monastic from the Sangha community or applying other appropriate penalties.