San Lo Bi Vb Pc 3Malicious Talebearing
Pāli / Sanskrit:Pesuñña
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PESUÑÑĀ TEXT (SPEAKING ILL OF OTHERS) — AN EXPLANATION FROM THE VINAYA
Background
Pesuññā, slander or divisive speech, is one of the offenses prescribed in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda tradition. This text is found in the Pācittiya section, penance offenses, violations requiring confession with the purpose of correcting the conduct of monastics in the Sangha.
The background for the arising of Pesuññā is often related to situations in which a monastic, because of bad motives such as greed, hatred, delusion, or the desire to cause discord in the religious community, spoke ill of others in order to damage relationships among members. This is an ethical violation not only according to monastic discipline, but also according to the five basic precepts that both monastics and laypeople should observe.
Main Content
According to the Vinaya Piṭaka, Pesuññā, that is, divisive speech or malicious talebearing, is defined as the intentional act of speaking unfavorable, defamatory, or destructive words about one person or group to another person or group, with the purpose of hurting, creating discord, or breaking affection between them.
The offense of Pesuññā is considered a Pācittiya, a level of violation requiring confession before the Sangha. The important difference from heavier offenses, such as Pārājika or Saṅghādisesa, is that the offender is not completely expelled, but must undergo the process of confession and receive instruction from the monastic community.
The factors constituting the offense of Pesuññā include: (1) the content of the speech is unfavorable or harmful to the object; (2) the intention is deliberately to say those words knowing that they will cause harm; (3) the act of expressing these words before others; (4) the result is weakening or breaking the affection between the parties.
The Vinaya Piṭaka emphasizes that both direct slander, speaking ill of others before them, and indirect slander, speaking ill of others to a third party in order to create discord, are forbidden.
Practical Meaning
Pesuññā reflects a core principle in the Dharma: right speech (Sammā-vācā) is an inseparable part of the Noble Eightfold Path.
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