Xct Mu Bu Vb Np 24Bribing Weavers

The Mahāpesakāra Sutta: An Exposition on the Grave Fault of Bribing Weavers

Background

The Mahāpesakāra Sutta (Bribing Weavers) is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically in the Bhikkhunī Vibhaṅga (Explanation of the Rules for Bhikkhunīs), reflecting an event in the community of female monastics of the Buddha. This background arose from a specific case in which bhikkhunīs violated the Pātimokkha (the fundamental rules) through the act of bribing weavers.

In the time of the Buddha, weavers were skilled workers, often asked by nuns to sew or alter robes. However, in order to obtain better service or priority, some nuns attempted to bribe these weavers, violating the principle that deceitful or shameless means should not be used in the communal life of practice.

The Vinaya Piṭaka records this event as a clear warning about grave faults (pesakāra, mahā-pesakāra) that monastics may commit when they do not observe basic ethics.

Main Content

The discourse states clearly that bribing (sampikkhipati, seeking to please) weavers or anyone else in order to obtain private benefit is an act that violates the Dharma. Specifically, this action contains three negative factors: (1) greed (lobha), the desire to obtain personal advantage; (2) shamelessness (ahirika), the lack of shame before wrongdoing; and (3) deceit (māyā), lying or using improper means.

The rule prescribes that any bhikkhunī who violates this must confess the fault before the Sangha and perform the appropriate penance. The degree of offense is regarded as “mahā-pesakāra,” a serious fault, because it breaks the most fundamental principle of practice: living simply, without deceit, and respecting the rights of others.