Upp Np 24Bribing Weavers
Pāli / Sanskrit:Mahāpesakāra
Save your scripture progress
Create a free account to save scriptures, track progress, and continue your daily learning path.
The Mahāpesakāra Sutta: Weavers Who Were Bribed
Context
The Mahāpesakāra Sutta (Uppannātta Nipāta, section 24) is one of the important parts of the Vinaya Piṭaka in the early tradition. The Vinaya Piṭaka records the rules of discipline (Vinaya) that the Buddha established for the Sangha community, in order to maintain purity and harmony in the monastery.
This discourse is set in the context of events at Sāvatthī, the chief city of the Kosala kingdom, where the Buddha often resided. During this period, the Sangha faced practical problems concerning bribery (pesaka) and deceit, actions that violated mindfulness and the customs of the monastic community. The title “Bribing Weavers” points to a specific situation: non-Buddhist adherents or women with harmful intentions tried to bribe weaving workers to carry out actions not in accord with the Pāṭimokkha.
Main Content
The specific content of this discourse records that some bhikkhunīs or others in the renunciant community were tempted by material rewards, such as cloth, clothing, or other articles, from weavers with harmful intentions. Noteworthy is the use of the word “pesaka” (bribe), a noun referring to gifts that are excessive and unsuitable, apparently intended to encourage violation of the Vinaya.
The Buddha clearly determined that accepting things given with the intention of leading a practitioner away from the path of the true Dharma is a serious fault. The Vinaya Piṭaka therefore establishes specific rules concerning how gifts may be formally received, and the conditions under which a monastic should not accept gifts that could bring temptation or disciplinary violation. The penalties depend on the nature of the fault, from minor offenses (dukkaṭa) to more serious ones.
Practical Meaning
The Mahāpesakāra Sutta teaches that inner purity cannot be bought by any material thing.
🌏 The Buddhist canon is vast — some sūtras (such as comparative Vinaya across schools, or untranslated Tibetan-canon texts) have to this day NEVER been translated into Vietnamese or English by anyone, scholars included. Rather than leave it blank, Inti AI offers a FAITHFUL summary grounded in the tradition — from the sūtra's title, origin and essence — so you can still reach this rare part of the treasury. Whenever an original translation exists, the app shows the original first.
Translations belong to the translator/source credited above. The bilingual compilation, presentation, and AI translations compiled by Inti are © Inti Foundation. Please attribute when quoting; do not bulk-copy or use commercially without permission.