San Sarv Bi Pm Tf 44 Pc 7Announcing a Grave Offense

The Sutta on Announcing a Grave Offense

(Duṭṭhullārocana - Pācittiya 7)

Background

In the Vinaya Pitaka of the Theravada tradition, Pācittiya is a code consisting of ninety-two rules concerning wrongful actions, requiring confession. The Duṭṭhullārocana Sutta, provisionally translated “Announcing a Grave Fault,” stands seventh among these rules.

The background for the arising of the sutta is connected with bhikkhus in the Sangha community. The Buddha observed that some monastics, though they had committed faults that were not pārājika offenses requiring expulsion, nevertheless had committed significant wrongdoings and tried to conceal them or failed to acknowledge them openly before the community. This attitude caused distrust and disturbance within the Sangha.

This sutta was established to address directly the problem of concealing grave faults (duṭṭhulla = heavy, gross; rocana = revealing, announcing). The rule emphasizes that honesty and transparency are foundations of communal practice.

Main Content

According to Pācittiya rule 7, if a bhikkhu knows that he has committed a grave fault (duṭṭhulla dhamma) and does not openly acknowledge this fault before a bhikkhu or a group of bhikkhus, he violates this rule. Concealing such a fault is also regarded as another wrongful act, resulting in the need to undertake paccattam, confession openly before the community.

The sutta clearly defines that a grave fault here does not mean a pārājika offense, but acts that violate moral conduct, such as lying, trade, inappropriate contact with women, or other actions that cause the community to lose trust. The clear distinction between pārājika (an offense equivalent to spiritual death) and pācittiya (a fault requiring confession) is also highlighted through this sutta.

The Buddha taught that honesty is the single method for maintaining the purity of the Sangha.