Bu Pc 11. The training rule on lying
Pāli / Sanskrit:Musāvāda
A monk who lies must confess the offense.
Save your scripture progress
Create a free account to save scriptures, track progress, and continue your daily learning path.
Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law The Great Analysis
The chapter on offenses entailing confession The subchapter on lying 1. The training rule on lying
Homage to the Buddha, the Perfected One, the fully Awakened One Venerables, these ninety-two rules on confession come up for recitation. Hatthaka the Sakyan was beaten in debate. While talking with the monastics of other religions, he would assert things after denying them, and he would deny things after asserting them. He evaded the issues, lied, and made sham appointments. The monastics of other religions complained and criticized him, “When Hatthaka talks with us, how can he assert things after denying them, deny things after asserting them, evade the issues, lie, and make sham appointments?”
The monks heard the complaints of those monastics of other religions. They then went to Hatthaka and said, “Is it true, Hatthaka, that you’re doing this?”
“These monastics of other religions should be beaten, whatever it takes! They shouldn’t be allowed to win.”
The monks of few desires complained and criticized him, “When Hatthaka talks with the monastics of other religions, how can he assert things after denying them, deny things after asserting them, evade the issues, lie, and make sham appointments?”
After rebuking Hatthaka in many ways, they told the Buddha. Soon afterwards the Buddha had the Sangha gathered and questioned Hatthaka: “Is it true, Hatthaka, that you’re doing this?”
“It’s true, sir.”
The Buddha rebuked him … “Foolish man, how can you do this? This will affect people’s confidence …” … “And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:
Final ruling
‘If a monk lies in full awareness, he commits an offense entailing confession.’”
Definitions
Lies in full awareness: the speech of one who is aiming to deceive—his words, his way of speaking, his breaking into speech, his verbal expression, his eight kinds of ignoble speech: he says that he has seen what he has not seen; he says that he has heard what he has not heard; he says that he has sensed what he has not sensed; he says that he has mentally experienced what he has not mentally experienced; he says that he has not seen what he has seen; he says that he has not heard what he has heard; he says that he has not sensed what he has sensed; he says that he has not mentally experienced what he has mentally experienced.
Permutations
Definitions
Not seen: not seen with the eye. Not heard: not heard with the ear. Not sensed: not smelled with the nose, not tasted with the tongue, not touched with the body. Not mentally experienced: not mentally experienced with the mind. Seen: seen with the eye. Heard: heard with the ear. Sensed: smelled with the nose, tasted with the tongue, touched with the body. Mentally experienced: mentally experienced with the mind.
Exposition
Falsely claiming to have experienced what he has not experienced: a single sense door
If he lies in full awareness, saying that he has seen what he has not seen, he commits an offense entailing confession when three conditions are fulfilled: before he has lied, he knows he is going to lie; while lying, he knows he is lying; after he has lied, he knows he has lied.
If he lies in full awareness, saying that he has seen what he has not seen, he commits an offense entailing confession when four conditions are fulfilled: before he has lied, he knows he is going to lie; while lying, he knows he is lying; after he has lied, he knows he has lied; he misrepresents his view of what is true.
If he lies in full awareness, saying that he has seen what he has not seen, he commits an offense entailing confession when five conditions are fulfilled: before he has lied, he knows he is going to lie; while lying, he knows he is lying; after he has lied, he knows he has lied; he misrepresents his view of what is true; he misrepresents his belief of what is true.
If he lies in full awareness, saying that he has seen what he has not seen, he commits an offense entailing confession when six conditions are fulfilled: before he has lied, he knows he is going to lie; while lying, he knows he is lying; after he has lied, he knows he has lied; he misrepresents his view of what is true; he misrepresents his belief of what is true; he misrepresents his acceptance of what is true.
If he lies in full awareness, saying that he has seen what he has not seen, he commits an offense entailing confession when seven conditions are fulfilled: before he has lied, he knows he is going to lie; while lying, he knows he is lying; after he has lied, he knows he has lied; he misrepresents his view of what is true; he misrepresents his belief of what is true; he misrepresents his acceptance of what is true; he misrepresents his sentiment of what is true.
If he lies in full awareness, saying that he has heard what he has not heard … saying that he has sensed what he has not sensed … saying that he has mentally experienced what he has not mentally experienced, he commits an offense entailing confession when three conditions are fulfilled: before he has lied, he knows he is going to lie; while lying, he knows he is lying; after he has lied, he knows he has lied.
… when four conditions are fulfilled … when five conditions are fulfilled … when six conditions are fulfilled … If he lies in full awareness, saying that he has mentally experienced what he has not mentally experienced, he commits an offense entailing confession when seven conditions are fulfilled: before he has lied, he knows he is going to lie; while lying, he knows he is lying; after he has lied, he knows he has lied; he misrepresents his view of what is true; he misrepresents his belief of what is true; he misrepresents his acceptance of what is true; he misrepresents his sentiment of what is true.
Falsely claiming to have experienced what he has not experienced: multiple sense doors
If he lies in full awareness, saying that he has seen and heard what he has not seen, he commits an offense entailing confession when three conditions are fulfilled … If he lies in full awareness, saying that he has seen and sensed what he has not seen, he commits an offense entailing confession when three conditions are fulfilled … If he lies in full awareness, saying that he has seen and mentally experienced what he has not seen, he commits an offense entailing confession when three conditions are fulfilled …
If he lies in full awareness, saying that he has seen and heard and sensed what he has not seen, he commits an offense entailing confession when three conditions are fulfilled … If he lies in full awareness, saying that he has seen and heard and mentally experienced what he has not seen, he commits an offense entailing confession when three conditions are fulfilled … If he lies in full awareness, saying that he has seen and heard and sensed and mentally experienced what he has not seen, he commits an offense entailing confession when three conditions are fulfilled …
If he lies in full awareness, saying that he has heard and sensed what he has not heard, he commits an offense entailing confession when three conditions are fulfilled … If he lies in full awareness, saying that he has heard and mentally experienced what he has not heard, he commits an offense entailing confession when three conditions are fulfilled … If he lies in full awareness, saying that he has heard and seen what he has not heard, he commits an offense entailing confession when three conditions are fulfilled …
If he lies in full awareness, saying that he has heard and sensed and mentally experienced what he has not heard, he commits an offense entailing confession when three conditions are fulfilled … If he lies in full awareness, saying that he has heard and sensed and seen what he has not heard, he commits an offense entailing confession when three conditions are fulfilled … If he lies in full awareness, saying that he has heard and sensed and mentally experienced and seen what he has not heard, he commits an offense entailing confession when three conditions are fulfilled …
If he lies in full awareness, saying that he has sensed and mentally experienced what he has not sensed, he commits an offense entailing confession when three conditions are fulfilled … If he lies in full awareness, saying that he has sensed and seen what he has not sensed, he commits an offense entailing confession when three conditions are fulfilled … If he lies in full awareness, saying that he has sensed and heard what he has not sensed, he commits an offense entailing confession when three conditions are fulfilled …
If he lies in full awareness, saying that he has sensed and mentally experienced and seen what he has not sensed, he commits an offense entailing confession when three conditions are fulfilled … If he lies in full awareness, saying that he has sensed and mentally experienced and heard what he has not sensed, he commits an offense entailing confession when three conditions are fulfilled … If he lies in full awareness, saying that he has sensed and mentally experienced and seen and heard what he has not sensed, he commits an offense entailing confession when three conditions are fulfilled …
If he lies in full awareness, saying that he has mentally experienced and seen what he has not mentally experienced, he commits an offense entailing confession when three conditions are fulfilled … If he lies in full awareness, saying that he has mentally experienced and heard what he has not mentally experienced, he commits an offense entailing confession when three conditions are fulfilled … If he lies in full awareness, saying that he has mentally experienced and sensed what he has not mentally experienced, he commits an offense entailing confession when three conditions are fulfilled …
If he lies in full awareness, saying that he has mentally experienced and seen and heard what he has not mentally experienced, he commits an offense entailing confession when three conditions are fulfilled … If he lies in full awareness, saying that he has mentally experienced and seen and sensed what he has not mentally experienced, he commits an offense entailing confession when three conditions are fulfilled … If he lies in full awareness, saying that he has mentally experienced and seen and heard and sensed what he has not mentally experienced, he commits an offense entailing confession when three conditions are fulfilled …
Falsely claiming not to have experienced what he has experienced
If he lies in full awareness, saying that he has not seen what he has seen, he commits an offense entailing confession when three conditions are fulfilled … saying that he has not heard what he has heard … saying that he has not sensed what he has sensed … saying that he has not mentally experienced what he has mentally experienced, he commits an offense entailing confession when three conditions are fulfilled …
Falsely claiming to have experienced with one sense what he has experienced with another
If he lies in full awareness, saying that he has heard what he has seen, he commits an offense entailing confession when three conditions are fulfilled … saying that he has sensed what he has seen … saying that he has mentally experienced what he has seen, he commits an offense entailing confession when three conditions are fulfilled … If he lies in full awareness, saying that he has heard and sensed what he has seen, he commits an offense entailing confession when three conditions are fulfilled … saying that he has heard and mentally experienced what he has seen … saying that he has heard and sensed and mentally experienced what he has seen, he commits an offense entailing confession when three conditions are fulfilled …
If he lies in full awareness, saying that he has sensed what he has heard, he commits an offense entailing confession when three conditions are fulfilled … saying that he has mentally experienced what he has heard … saying that he has seen what he has heard, he commits an offense entailing confession when three conditions are fulfilled … If he lies in full awareness, saying that he has sensed and mentally experienced what he has heard, he commits an offense entailing confession when three conditions are fulfilled … saying that he has sensed and seen what he has heard … saying that he has sensed and mentally experienced and seen what he has heard, he commits an offense entailing confession when three conditions are fulfilled …
If he lies in full awareness, saying that he has mentally experienced what he has sensed, he commits an offense entailing confession when three conditions are fulfilled … saying that he has seen what he has sensed … saying that he has heard what he has sensed, he commits an offense entailing confession when three conditions are fulfilled … If he lies in full awareness, saying that he has mentally experienced and seen what he has sensed, he commits an offense entailing confession when three conditions are fulfilled … saying that he has mentally experienced and heard what he has sensed … saying that he has mentally experienced and seen and heard what he has sensed, he commits an offense entailing confession when three conditions are fulfilled …
If he lies in full awareness, saying that he has seen what he has mentally experienced, he commits an offense entailing confession when three conditions are fulfilled … saying that he has heard what he has mentally experienced … saying that he has sensed what he has mentally experienced, he commits an offense entailing confession when three conditions are fulfilled … If he lies in full awareness, saying that he has seen and heard what he has mentally experienced, he commits an offense entailing confession when three conditions are fulfilled … saying that he has seen and sensed what he has mentally experienced … saying that he has seen and heard and sensed what he has mentally experienced, he commits an offense entailing confession when three conditions are fulfilled …
Making claims while having doubts
If he is unsure of what he has seen, has doubts about what he has seen, does not remember what he has seen, is confused about what he has seen … If he is unsure of what he has heard, has doubts about what he has heard, does not remember what he has heard, is confused about what he has heard … If he is unsure of what he has sensed, has doubts about what he has sensed, does not remember what he has sensed, is confused about what he has sensed …
If he is unsure of what he has mentally experienced, has doubts about what he has mentally experienced, does not remember what he has mentally experienced, is confused about what he has mentally experienced, but he lies in full awareness, saying that he has mentally experienced and seen … is confused about what he has mentally experienced, but he lies in full awareness, saying that he has mentally experienced and heard … is confused about what he has mentally experienced, but he lies in full awareness, saying that he has mentally experienced and sensed … is confused about what he has mentally experienced, but he lies in full awareness, saying that he has mentally experienced and seen and heard … is confused about what he has mentally experienced, but he lies in full awareness,
saying that he has mentally experienced and seen and sensed … is confused about what he has mentally experienced, but he lies in full awareness, saying that he has mentally experienced and seen and heard and sensed, he commits an offense entailing confession when three conditions are fulfilled … when four conditions are fulfilled … when five conditions are fulfilled … when six conditions are fulfilled … is confused about what he has mentally experienced, but he lies in full awareness, saying that he has mentally experienced and seen and heard and sensed, he commits an offense entailing confession when seven conditions are fulfilled: before he has lied, he knows he is going to lie; while lying, he knows he is lying; after he has lied, he knows he has lied;
he misrepresents his view of what is true; he misrepresents his belief of what is true; he misrepresents his acceptance of what is true; he misrepresents his sentiment of what is true.
Non-offenses
There is no offense: if he speaks playfully; if he speaks too fast; (Speaks playfully means: speaking quickly. Speaks too fast means: meaning to say one thing, he says something else.)
if he is insane; if he is the first offender.
The training rule on lying, the first, is finished.
The “…” is an abbreviation carried over from the Pāli original itself, called peyyāla. The early canon was memorized and recited, so passages repeated verbatim from a preceding discourse were commonly contracted to an elision mark rather than written out in full. Venerable Thích Minh Châu's translation preserves this convention. Some texts therefore look short — but that is the canonical form, not missing content or a truncated translation. The elided passages can be read in full in the preceding discourses of the same chapter.
Translations belong to the translator/source credited above. The bilingual compilation, presentation, and AI translations compiled by Inti are © Inti Foundation. Please attribute when quoting; do not bulk-copy or use commercially without permission.