San Lo Bi Vb Pc 60Deception

The Rule on Deception (Mohana)

Background

The Rule on Deception (Mohana) belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka, a core part of the Pāli Canon in the Theravāda Buddhist tradition. The Vinaya Piṭaka is not only a disciplinary code but also a detailed record of the ethical principles established by the Buddha for the community of bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs.

This rule is found in the Pātimokkha Saṃvara section, the basic prohibitions. Specifically, it relates to Pācittiya, rules of remorse, that is, faults lighter than Sāmāditthi or Aniyata but still requiring confession and careful correction. The background for the arising of this rule came from specific situations in the community of monks and nuns, when the Buddha needed to distinguish clearly between acts intended to deceive and heedless acts.

The word Mohana (moha) in Pāli indicates delusion, confusion, or a mechanism of deception. It is one of the three root poisons, together with greed (lobha) and hatred (dosa), that cause human beings to stray from the path of Dhamma.

Main Content

According to the Vinaya Piṭaka tradition, the Rule on Deception deals with cases in which a bhikkhu or bhikkhunī intentionally or unintentionally conceals identity, ability, or matters related to their practice of the Dharma. In particular, this rule emphasizes actions that “deceive” others, especially donors or members of the community, in order to obtain undeserved benefit.

Specific examples include: a bhikkhu declaring that he has attainments in practice that he does not actually have, or pretending to possess supernatural powers in order to attract reverence and material support from donors. Or in another case, a bhikkhu conceals his faults when directly questioned by fellow practitioners.

The rule makes clear that this delusion (moha) is not ordinary lack of understanding, but the intentional distortion of truth. This distinction is important because the Vinaya Piṭaka always considers the intention (cetanā) of the practitioner.