San Mu Bu Pm GBM 3 Pc 1Lying
Pāli / Sanskrit:Musāvāda
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SUTTA ON LYING (MUSĀVĀDA)
Background
The Sutta on Lying belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka, especially the Pātimokkha section, the list of rules observed by monks and nuns. In the Theravāda tradition, lying is regarded as a violation of the four grave prohibitions, concerning not only ethics but also directly affecting practice and the observance of discipline in the Sangha.
Musāvāda (lying) here is understood as speech that is untrue, whether intentional or unintentional, though in the Vinaya context it mainly refers to lying with the intention to deceive others. This is not a narrative story but a principle of training recorded solemnly, reflecting the discipline of renunciants who wish to protect the mind from deceit and maintain trust in the monastic community.
Main Content
Similar to the Sekhiya rules, the subsidiary training rules in the Pātimokkha, the prohibition against lying emphasizes that a monk, bhikkhunī, or trainee must not lie, whether in small or great circumstances. The sutta prohibits not only direct false statements but also indirect ways of speaking that create misunderstanding, distort the truth, or conceal information in order to exploit others.
The reason Theravāda Buddhism values this so highly lies in the nature of the mind. Lying is an expression of greed (lobha), hatred (dosa), or delusion (moha), the three poisons of the mind. When one lies, one deceives not only others but also oneself about the true nature of the mind. This obstructs the development of concentration (samādhi) and wisdom (paññā), two essential factors on the path of practice.
In the Sangha community, trust is the foundation. If members lie, respect and harmony fall apart. The Vinaya Piṭaka states clearly that a monastic who lies must be publicly admonished and must perform confession (pāṭidesanā) or other forms according to the degree of the offense.
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