Lzh Mi Bu Vb Ss 3Indecent Speech

THE SUTTA ON INDECENT SPEECH

Duṭṭhullavācā Sutta

Background

The Duṭṭhullavācā sutta belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon, the collection that lists the rules of practice for bhikkhus (male monastics) and bhikkhunīs (female monastics) in the Buddhist community. This sutta is recorded in the Vinaya for bhikkhunīs, in the Samantapāsādikā section, and concerns one of the faults related to the ethics of speech among the fourfold assembly of disciples.

The historical context of this sutta arises from the time when the Buddha Gotama was still living. The rules concerning speech in the Vinaya Piṭaka were established to protect the purity of the Sangha, maintain the honor of the community, and especially help practitioners avoid conduct harmful to their own spiritual life and to others.

Main Content

Duṭṭhullavācā, indecent speech or coarse speech, is an action considered inappropriate, especially for those who have gone forth to practice. This sutta is connected with the basic principle of sīla (morality), specifically the restraint of speech. In the Vinaya Piṭaka system, indecent speech is not merely the use of vulgar words, but also includes speaking in a rude, disrespectful, or harmful manner toward the listener.

The sutta points out that indecent speech is one of the things bhikkhunīs must avoid. Such speech is considered a form of misconduct under the Vinaya, and it reflects lack of self-control and lack of mindfulness in the act of speaking. The Vinaya Piṭaka emphasizes that mind (citta) is the basis of all actions, and if the mind is not well controlled, speech becomes indecent and harmful.

In the context of Theravāda practice, observing ethical discipline in speech (vācā-saṃvara) is an important part of the Noble Eightfold Path (Ariyamagga). Right speech (Sammā-vācā) is abstaining from false speech, divisive speech, harsh speech, and idle chatter.