若佛子 自妄語 教人妄語 方便妄語 妄語因 妄語緣 妄語法 妄語業 乃至不見言見 見言不見 身心妄語 而菩薩常生正語正見 亦生一切衆生正語正見 而反更起一切衆生邪語邪見邪業者 是菩薩波羅夷罪
ruò fó zǐ zì wàng yǔ jiào rén wàng yǔ fāng biàn wàng yǔ wàng yǔ yīn wàng yǔ yuán wàng yǔ fǎ wàng yǔ yè nǎi zhì bù jiàn yán jiàn jiàn yán bù jiàn shēn xīn wàng yǔ ér púsà cháng shēng zhèng yǔ zhèng jiàn yì shēng yī qiē zhòng shēng zhèng yǔ zhèng jiàn ér fǎn gēng qǐ yī qiē zhòng shēng xié yǔ xié jiàn xié yè zhě shì púsà bō luó yí zuì
Key Message
Truthful speech is the foundation of enlightenment. A bodhisattva protects the self through right speech and plants right view in the minds of all beings.
▸The Precept Against False Speech (不妄語戒) is the fourth major precept, forbidding all forms of lying.
The Precept Against False Speech (不妄語戒) is the fourth major precept, forbidding all forms of lying. It encompasses lying by one's own speech, inducing others to lie, and deception through indirect means. Particularly noteworthy is the specific example of 'saying one has seen what one has not seen, and saying one has not seen what one has seen' — which goes beyond ordinary lying to include the false claim of spiritual attainment, i.e., asserting that one has attained enlightenment when one has not. A bodhisattva must always give rise to right speech (正語) and right view (正見) and must guide all sentient beings toward these same qualities. Causing others to engage in wrong speech, wrong view, and wrong action constitutes a pārājika offense.