San Mu Bu Pm GBM 3 Pc 3Malicious Talebearing
Pāli / Sanskrit:Pesuñña
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SUTTA ON ABSTAINING FROM MALICIOUS TALEBEARING
Pesuñña — Divisive Speech
Background
Pesuñña in Pāli means “malicious talebearing” or “divisive speech,” one of the forms of verbal action considered a serious fault in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda tradition. This sutta appears in the Vinaya, specifically in the Pātimokkha, with the reference San Mu Bu Pm GBM 3 Pc 3, within the scope of offenses requiring confession (Pācittiya, lighter offenses that still require confession).
The Buddha laid down prohibitions concerning untrue and harmful speech in order to protect harmony in the Sangha and maintain the purity of verbal conduct. Pesuñña is not merely ordinary lying, but the deliberate act of damaging relationships among people, causing division, and acting with malice. It differs from lying to conceal or lying to protect oneself: pesuñña is speech used as an instrument to harm, disturb, and make others angry with one another.
Main Content
This Vinaya rule lays down that a bhikkhu or bhikkhunī must not engage in malicious talebearing. This prohibition is explained in detail in the context of the community of practice, where trust and truthful communication are the foundation of communal life.
Pesuñña includes acts such as speaking words that sound clever but are in fact deceptive; telling fabricated or distorted stories about others with the purpose of damaging their reputation or creating conflict; and saying things that are untrue while deliberately covering them with an appearance of sincerity. Unlike “musāvāda” (lying), a more serious category of violation, pesuñña focuses on the intention to harm and on subtle deceit.
In the Vinaya, violation of this rule is considered a Pācittiya offense requiring confession before another bhikkhu or bhikkhunī.
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