Lzh Mu Bu Vb Pc 1Lying
Pāli / Sanskrit:Musāvāda
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THE SUTTA ON LYING - MUSĀVĀDA
Background
The Sutta on Lying (Musāvāda) belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka in the Theravāda tradition of the Buddha-Dharma, specifically within the Pātimokkha, the fundamental code that monks and nuns must observe. This is one of the basic rules of examination, established by the Buddha to protect the purity of the Sangha and build an ethical foundation for the path of practice.
Lying (musāvāda) is considered one of the most serious violations of moral conduct. Unlike other actions that a practitioner may correct, lying, especially lying about attainments in the Dharma, is regarded as a direct threat to trust and to the purity of the Buddhist community. Therefore, the regulations concerning lying in the Pātimokkha are presented with great strictness.
Main Content
According to the Pāli Canon tradition, the sutta on lying emphasizes that lying is conduct that creates falseness, division, and harm to trust between the liar and those deceived. In particular, when a bhikkhu or bhikkhunī lies to conceal a breach of moral conduct, or falsely claims attainments in the Dharma, such as declaring that one has attained the fruit of once-returning, non-returning, and so on, this violates the most serious level.
This sutta does not merely prohibit lying outwardly; it also points out that the core of lying lies in a distorted intention: the purpose of concealing the truth or scheming to gain personal benefit. Lying includes speaking untruth by words, gestures, or implication, so long as there is an intention to mislead.
In particular, the sutta states that if a bhikkhu lies about matters related to ethics, spirituality, or his own attainment in practice, this is a Pārājika, a defeating offense, the highest level of violation in the Pātimokkha, leading to expulsion from the Sangha.
Practical Meaning
The Sutta on Lying teaches that the foundation of the realized Buddha-Dharma is direct truth, which cannot be concealed or distorted by speech.
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