Bi Pc 9797. Lying

Musāvāda Sutta (The Offense of Lying)

Bhikkhunī Pācittiya 97 — From the Original Vinaya Piṭaka

Background

The Musāvāda Sutta belongs to the Pācittiya section (the Third Category — offenses requiring confession) within the Bhikkhunī Vibhaṅga (the explanatory section of the Vinaya pertaining to nuns). It is an important part of the system of monastic discipline (Vinaya) in the Theravāda tradition, established to protect and cultivate virtue among the monastic community.

The offense of Musāvāda (lying) is regarded as a fundamental breach of discipline. In the context of the early religious community, truthfulness was the foundation upon which trust, transparency, and harmony were built. When a nun speaks falsely — regardless of whether her intention is good or ill — that act undermines the bond of trust within the Sangha and weakens the teachings of the Buddha.

This text developed from the original regulations set forth by the Blessed One Gotama when he established the foundations of monastic discipline (Pātimokkha) to govern the conduct of monastics along the path of the true Dharma.

Main Content

According to Bhikkhunī Pācittiya 97, if a nun intentionally lies — that is, if she utters statements she knows to be untrue, with the intention of deceiving or concealing the truth — she commits a Pācittiya offense. This offense is neither a Pārājika (an offense of defeat) nor a Saṅghādisesa (an offense requiring formal action before the Sangha), but rather a transgression that may be remedied through confession (paṭidesanā).

The act of confession as prescribed by the Vinaya Piṭaka is not a mere formality. It is a profound spiritual process: the nun must publicly acknowledge her fault before one or more fellow monastics (bhikkhunīs) and express genuine remorse. This confession embodies a resolve for renewal — not merely the abandonment of wrongful conduct, but also the restoration of one's moral integrity (sīla).

It is noteworthy that this rule makes no distinction between minor and major falsehoods. Whether the lie concerns trivial matters or matters of great importance, any deliberate utterance that departs from the truth is prohibited.