Mpt Pc 3Malicious Talebearing
Pāli / Sanskrit:Pesuñña
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THE DISCOURSE ON MALICIOUS SPEECH (PESUÑÑA)
Background
The Pesuñña Sutta (malicious speech) is recorded in the Patimokkha (Pātimokkha), the fundamental code of the Theravāda Buddhist Order. This is one of the regulations concerning bodily, verbal, and mental actions that bhikkhus must observe in order to maintain morality and the community of study and practice. Pesuñña is regarded as one of the prohibited offenses in the Vinaya Piṭaka, arising when bhikkhus use speech to destroy harmony, divide the community, or damage another person’s reputation.
The historical background of this discourse is connected with the formation of the Buddhist Order after the Buddha, Śākyamuni, attained awakening. As the Order grew, internal conflicts occurred, and the Buddha issued rules to protect the healthy development of monastics and Buddhism.
Main Content
Pesuñña is defined as the act of speaking divisive words, malicious words intended to sever relationships, undermine the teacher-student bond, divide the community, or damage an individual’s reputation. This is not merely simple lying, but the use of speech as a deliberately destructive instrument.
In the Vinaya Piṭaka, pesuñña is regarded as a serious offense, Pācittiya or Saṅghādisesa depending on degree and context. The spirit of this regulation is not to distort the truth, but to protect relationships based on goodwill, trust, and compassion. A bhikkhu who violates pesuñña must confess the fault, deeply disclose the harmful nature of the action, and undertake not to repeat it.
Theravāda Buddhism emphasizes that malicious speech, even when concealed under the guise of “speaking the truth” or “being concerned for others,” is still the result of greed, hatred, and delusion, the three poisons. It brings serious consequences: dividing the community, causing suffering for those who are spoken about, and destroying the speaker himself through a mind already corrupted by anger.
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