Upp Pc 3Malicious Talebearing
Pāli / Sanskrit:Pesuñña
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The Discourse on Malicious Speech with Intent to Harm (Pesuñña)
Background
Pesuñña, slander or divisive speech, is regulated under Pācittiya, a class of offense in the Vinaya Piṭaka for bhikkhunīs, female monastics. Upp Pc 3 is found in the Upplavanna-vagga, the Uppavanna chapter, of the Bhikkhunī-vibhaṅga, the division detailing the rules of life for female monastics in the Sangha community of the Buddha.
According to the Theravāda tradition, the Vinaya Piṭaka is not merely a dry set of regulations, but a concrete expression of contemplative practice (anupassanā), training the mind to go beyond greed, hatred, and delusion. Each listed offense has its cause, circumstances of arising, and a profound lesson about the nature of the human mind.
Main Content
Malicious speech with intent to harm (pesuñña pāpacittattā) is the intentional act of telling others bad things about a person, or group, for the purpose of creating division, causing discord, or harming reputation. In the Pācittiya rules, this conduct is classified as an offense requiring confession before the Sangha (pācittiya).
The important distinction is intention (citta). If one speaks the truth but intends to cause discord, it is still an offense. If one lies with the same purpose, the penalty is still heavier. This shows that the Buddha-Dharma gives greater attention to mental motive (cetanā) than to outward action alone.
The Vinaya records that, in committing pesuñña, the core factors include knowledge of the other person, seeking out and declaring bad statements, with the intention of harming or creating division (sambheda). The offense is completed when another person hears the speech.
Practical Meaning
The Pesuñña Sutta not only reproves slanderous speech, but also exposes the psychological mechanism behind it: rivalry (issā), hatred (dosa), and the wish to control others by interfering in relationships. It is a subtle expression of greed (lobha), the craving for praise by lowering others.
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