Bu Pc 7272. Disparaging the training rules
Pāli / Sanskrit:Vilekhana
A monk who criticizes the monastic code must confess the offense.
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The Vilekhana Sutta: Disparaging the Discipline
Background
The Vilekhana Sutta belongs to the Bhikkhunī Pātimokkha (the Nuns' Code of Discipline), drawn from the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon — the oldest and most complete body of scripture of the Theravāda tradition of Early Buddhism. The Vinaya Piṭaka records the training rules that the Buddha Gotama established for his monastics, in order to maintain communal discipline within the Sangha and to protect the Dhamma.
This code of discipline was established gradually throughout the life of the Buddha. Whenever situations of transgression or misuse arose, he would issue detailed instructions. These rules are not arbitrary restrictions, but pillars for the preservation of the Sangha — the community of those who pursue a humble and disciplined way of life.
The Vilekhana rule (vilekhana = to erase, to make light of, to criticize) was established to prevent the behavior of publicly criticizing or contemptuously disparaging the training rules of the Sangha.
Main Content
The sutta stipulates that if a nun publicly criticizes or makes light of the rules of discipline of the Sangha — whether the Pātimokkha (the fundamental training principles), the Khandhakas (the ordinances), or other guides to practice — she must confess this offense.
The act of "disparaging" encompasses not only insolent speech, but also skeptical or contemptuous remarks, or deliberate attempts to undermine the dignity of the Discipline. This conduct is considered an offense requiring confession because it:
Directly harms the unity and mutual respect within the Sangha. Undermines the confidence of those newly undertaking the practice or of those outside the Sangha. Reflects a disposition of arrogance and lack of humility — great obstacles on the path of practice.
Upon recognizing this disparaging behavior, the monastic must make confession (anuggahā) before the Sangha. This confession is not a humiliation, but an opportunity to purify the mind, and to restore an attitude of reverence and humility.
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