Lzh Mi Bu Vb Pc 74Concealing a Grave Offense
Pāli / Sanskrit:Duṭṭhulla
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THE DUṬṬHULLA TEXT: CONCEALING A GRAVE OFFENSE
Background
Duṭṭhulla (Pāli: duṭṭhu = bad, faulty; ulla = grave, heavy) is one of the prohibitions recorded in the Pātimokkha, the disciplinary recitation of the bhikkhus. This text is found in the Bhikkhu Vibhaṅga of the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically among rules related to serious offenses requiring admission and consultation with the monastic community.
The foundation of this rule arises from the need to maintain purity and transparency within the Sangha. The Buddha established principles to protect the integrity of the teaching and of those who practice. When a bhikkhu has committed a grave offense (duṭṭhulla-āpatti), concealing the matter creates another violation, still more serious.
Main Content
The text states that if a bhikkhu has committed a grave offense, such as a Pārājika or Saṅghādisesa offense, and then intentionally conceals it, denies it, or fails to confess it before the Sangha, the act of concealment itself becomes a Pācittiya offense, a fault requiring confession and correction. This is one of the prohibitions regarded as especially severe because it reverses the basic principle of honesty and transparency.
The act of concealing a grave offense reflects a mental state filled with greed, hatred, and delusion, the three root poisons of all suffering. It shows that the violation is not only a bodily act, but also a decline in spirit and ethics. This rule reminds us that confessing and resolving a fault is the only way to maintain spiritual integrity, not concealment or denial.
The Vinaya Piṭaka teaches that even practitioners can stumble. However, what matters is whether they can face the fault mindfully and courageously.
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