San Sarv Bu Pm Tf 11 Ss 13Difficult to Correct
Pāli / Sanskrit:Dubbaca
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Dubbaca Sutta - On Those Who Are Difficult to Correct
Context
The Dubbaca Sutta (Pāli: ทุพพจ) is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda Buddhist tradition, in the section concerning the discipline and governance of the community of monks and nuns. This text outlines situations that arise when members of the Sangha practice in ways not in accordance with the Dharma, and how the community should respond to individuals who are “difficult to correct” (dubbaca).
The word “dubbaca” means “difficult to correct” or “difficult to discipline,” referring to those who do not listen to admonition, refuse to repent, or refuse to change their conduct even after their faults have been discovered. This is an important matter of communal governance that the Buddha addressed in order to maintain the harmony and purity of the Sangha.
Main Content
The text concerns the rules and principles related to how to deal with monks and nuns who have an attitude that is difficult to correct. Such individuals are characterized by refusing to acknowledge fault, being unwilling to be guided toward better practice, or repeatedly violating the rules of the Sangha despite having been warned.
The text emphasizes that the Sangha has a responsibility to educate and govern. When a member refuses correction after repeated reminders, the community has the right to apply disciplinary measures according to the rules. These measures are not unreasonable punishments, but compassionate means to help that person recognize their faults clearly and return to the proper path of practice.
The important point is that the text does not encourage absolute exclusion or humiliation, but a step-by-step process: first admonition, then observation, and then the application of certain forms of governance if necessary. The ultimate aim is for the person to understand the value of the Dharma and act rightly.
Practical Meaning
The Dubbaca Sutta teaches that in a spiritual community, the maintenance of discipline does not arise from the display of power, but from love and the wish to help everyone move toward awakening. A person who is “difficult to correct” is not an enemy, but a brother or sister obscured by delusion.
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