Bu Pc 6464. Concealing a grave offense
Pāli / Sanskrit:Duṭṭhulla
A monk who conceals another monk’s serious offence must confess the offense.
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Explanation of the Duṭṭhulla Rule (Concealing a Grave Offense)
Background
Rule 64 in the Bhikkhunī Pātimokkha (the code of discipline for bhikkhunīs) belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda Buddhist tradition, compiled under the witness of the Blessed One. This rule arose from situations within the Sangha in which bhikkhunīs failed to uphold the spirit of honesty and transparency in the monastic community.
The term "duṭṭhulla" (a grave offense, a serious transgression) here does not refer to the four Pārājika offenses (offenses of defeat) or the thirteen Saṅghādisesa offenses (offenses requiring a formal act of the Sangha), but rather to Pācittiya offenses or other violations that must be confessed publicly. The concealment of such offenses—rather than disclosing them or guiding the offender to confess—is regarded as a violation of honesty and as improper assistance to wrongdoing.
Main Content
When a bhikkhunī discovers or clearly knows that a fellow bhikkhunī has committed a grave offense (duṭṭhulla), it is her duty to assist that bhikkhunī in confessing the transgression. If she fails to fulfill this duty and instead silently conceals the violation, she herself commits an offense that must likewise be confessed.
This rule emphasizes that silence is never neutral within the monastic community. It constitutes a form of complicity in wrongdoing and an indirect encouragement of transgressive conduct. Confession is understood not as punishment or exclusion, but as an opportunity to cleanse the offense, restore purity of mind, and uphold the precepts of the Sangha.
Bhikkhunīs are encouraged to follow specific steps: first, to approach the offending bhikkhunī privately, helping her to clearly understand the nature of the transgression; then, if necessary, to assist in disclosing the offense before the Sangha or before appropriate witnesses. Concealment, regardless of the initial motivation—whether out of friendship or fear of opposition—cannot under any circumstances be permitted.
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