Lzh Sarv Bi Pm Pc 59Legitimate Correction
Pāli / Sanskrit:Sahadhammika
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SAHADHAMMIKA SUTTA - LEGITIMATE CORRECTION
Background
The Sahadhammika Sutta appears in the Pātimokkha, the Pāli disciplinary code that is the most basic law of the Theravāda Buddhist Sangha. It is one of the rules (sikkhāpada) guiding how to respond when a monk, nun, or bhikkhu commits an offense or acts contrary to the Dharma. The background of this sutta arises from the reality that a community of practice needs a proper mechanism to correct, educate, and guide its members back to the right path of practice.
In the Theravāda tradition, correcting a member is not arbitrary punishment but an act of compassion, intended to help that person recognize a fault and give rise again to the intention to practice. Therefore, rules concerning correction must follow the principle of being “legitimate” (sahadhammika), that is, in accordance with the Dharma, fair, and noble in purpose.
Main Content
The Sahadhammika Sutta stipulates that when a member of the Sangha needs to be corrected or admonished because of inappropriate conduct, this correction must be carried out in a legitimate way, in accordance with the Dharma and Vinaya. Specifically, correction should not be personal, biased, or vindictive, but should be carried out openly and transparently, in the presence of the Sangha, and must be based on actual facts rather than rumor or exaggeration.
The main criteria for legitimate correction include: (1) the corrector must have a pure intention, wishing to help; (2) the method must accord with the rules of the Sangha; (3) the speech must be truthful, without lying or exaggeration; (4) the process must be public, not covert; (5) the final purpose is for the person corrected to return to the right path of practice.
The sutta also emphasizes that correction is not meant to provoke or humiliate, but is an expression of care for a fellow practitioner. Those who carry out correction must have wisdom, collectedness, and compassion, understanding that every person has the capacity for improvement.
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