Lzh Mi Bu Pm Pc 63Legitimate Correction
Pāli / Sanskrit:Sahadhammika
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EXPLANATION OF THE SAHADHAMMIKA DISCOURSE
(Correction in Accordance with the Dharma)
Background
The Sahadhammika discourse appears in the Vinaya Pitaka of the Theravāda tradition, specifically in the Pācittiya section, the rules concerning offenses that require confession. This context shows that it is a tool of practice connected with preserving virtue (sīla) and managing faults in the monastic community.
The word "Sahadhammika" consists of two parts: saha (together) and dhammika (according to Dharma). It may be provisionally translated as "criticism in accordance with the Dharma" or "legitimate correction," indicating a form of behavioral correction recognized within the Sangha. This is a communal practice in which members of the monastery have the responsibility to help one another practice rightly according to the Dharma.
In the Vinaya Pitaka context, this method reflects a basic principle of Theravāda Buddhism: the community (Sangha) is not only a place of individual practice, but a living institution whose members support and watch over one another in order to maintain the purity of the Dharma.
Main Content
The Sahadhammika discourse concerns the principle of mutual criticism, an action that is permitted and even encouraged if carried out properly. Not every criticism is legitimate; only criticism performed "together with the Dharma" is recognized.
A legitimate criticism must follow strict criteria: the one who criticizes must have a wholesome motivation, the purpose being to help the person criticized practice rightly, not from jealousy, anger, or a wish to harm. The speech must be accurate, neither exaggerated nor distorting the truth. The timing must be appropriate; one should not criticize publicly in circumstances that cause unnecessary humiliation. The manner of speaking must be respectful, using gentle words while still being clear.
This discourse also regulates how criticism is to be received. A true practitioner should listen to criticism from a fellow practitioner in the Dharma (sahadhammika) with an open mind, without defensiveness or blind denial. If the criticism is accurate, the person criticized should confess and change.
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