Lzh Mi Bu Pm Sk 86Nātyastikākṛtasya
Pāli / Sanskrit:Nātyastikākṛtasya
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Explanation of the Nātyastikākṛtasya Discourse
Background
The Nātyastikākṛtasya discourse (The Actions of One Who Lies) is part of the Vinaya Piṭaka in the Theravāda Buddhist tradition. The Vinaya Piṭaka is the collection of ethical and disciplinary rules that the Buddha established for the Saṅgha, the monastic community.
The deeper background of this discourse concerns the need to protect integrity and purity within the community of practice. Seeing that some bhikkhus had begun to engage in misconduct, especially lying and concealing faults, the Buddha gave specific guidance. This discourse focuses on the consequences of lying, especially when denying or justifying wrongful action.
According to the Theravāda tradition, the regulations in the Vinaya Piṭaka are not merely prohibitions, but tools of practice that help practitioners control their mind, speech, and action.
Main Content
The Nātyastikākṛtasya discourse deals with the situation in which a bhikkhu or bhikkhunī has committed an offense but denies it or lies about it. The core issue is not the initial fault, but the subsequent action: using dangerous speech to conceal the truth.
The discourse makes clear that if a person is at fault and then lies or attempts to smear the honor of those who point out the fault, this action is regarded as especially serious. This is because it reflects a lack of harmlessness (ahiṃsā), a lack of compassion (karuṇā), and a lack of truthfulness (sacca), core factors of the Buddhist path.
In the context of the Vinaya Piṭaka, this behavior may lead to penalties or stricter practices, depending on the degree and nature of the fault as well as the way it is concealed.
Practical Meaning
The profound meaning of this discourse lies in the recognition that inner integrity is the foundation of Buddhist practice.
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