Lzh Mu Bu Vb Ss 3Indecent Speech
Pāli / Sanskrit:Duṭṭhullavācā
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SCRIPTURE ON INDECENT SPEECH
Duṭṭhullavācā
Context
The Duṭṭhullavācā scripture (indecent speech) is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka, where the rules of life for the Buddhist Sangha are preserved. In the context of the early Vinaya Piṭaka, legal scriptures concerning “indecent speech” were usually established when bhikkhus or bhikkhunīs violated ethical standards regarding speech. These are not offenses of the gravest kind, but they still require correction and penance.
Indecent speech, according to the understanding of the Vinaya Piṭaka, refers to statements or ways of speaking that are not appropriate to the virtue of one who has gone forth. Unlike “false speech” (musāvāda) or “divisive speech” (pisunavācā), which are intrinsically grave offenses, “indecent speech” usually concerns tone, manner of expression, or content that is improper, discourteous, or unnecessarily provocative.
Main Content
Within the framework of the Pāli Vinaya Piṭaka, the establishment of rules concerning indecent speech reflects the Buddha’s concern for the quality of speech among his renunciant disciples. A bhikkhu or bhikkhunī should guard his or her speech so that it accords with morality and respect.
Indecent speech may include: speaking words that mock others without basis, expressing coarse opinions without an educational purpose, using provocative language, or speaking disrespectfully to elders or to persons worthy of respect. This differs from directly and plainly harmful forms of speech, such as lying or slander.
In the context of practice, speech is not only a means of communication but also a direct expression of the speaker’s spirit and intention. Therefore, learning to maintain pure speech is not a matter of formality, but a matter of inner cultivation. Bhikkhus must clearly understand that their speech affects not only themselves but also the faith of the Buddhist community.
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