Lzh Sarv Bu Pm Ss 13Difficult to Correct

Dubbaca Discourse (Those Difficult to Teach)

Context

The Dubbaca discourse is part of the Vinaya Piṭaka, the sacred collection of disciplinary law in the Theravāda Buddhist tradition. The Vinaya Pitaka was compiled in the first councils after the Buddha's nirvana, in order to preserve and regulate the life of practice of the Sangha. This discourse specifically belongs to the Saṃyutta Bhikkhuṇī Pātimokkha, the separate rules concerning bhikkhunīs, and is recorded in the Vinaya collections of schools such as the Sarvāstivāda.

This discourse was transmitted to educate the Sangha on the importance of humility, willingness to be corrected, and obedience to teachers who diligently watch over the path. The principal audience of the discourse is bhikkhunīs, female monastics, who are encouraged to observe the disciplinary law strictly in order to protect harmony in the Sangha community.

Main Content

The title "Dubbaca" means "difficult to teach" or "difficult to correct," referring to members of the Sangha who are unwilling to receive guidance from others. This is a dangerous mental condition on the path of practice, when a monk or bhikkhunī refuses advice, instruction, or reminders from those senior to them in the Sangha.

This discourse outlines the behaviors and attitudes of those who are "difficult to teach." These include refusing to listen to constructive criticism; being stubborn in Dharma discussions; or rejecting the advice of a teacher out of self-view. Such actions not only violate the rules for bhikkhunīs (Bhikkhuṇī Pātimokkha), but also undermine harmony and trust in the community of practice.

Complaining or refusing to accept correction, whether the correction is right or wrong, is considered a sign of conceit (mada) and attachment (lobha). The discourse teaches that true monastics should always be ready to learn, even from those below them, because the Buddha taught that the Dharma can come from anyone who possesses wisdom.