Tipitaka Studies 6: The Fourth Pārājika — When False Claims of Enlightenment Create the “Supreme Great Thief”
Introduction: The Gravest Spiritual Crime
Among the four heavy “Pārājika” (defeat) offenses, the one often regarded as the most complex and involving the most subtle defilements is the Fourth Pārājika, concerning the false claim of superhuman attainments (Uttarimanussadhamma). [cite_start]This rule was not enacted to punish those who are genuinely mistaken, but to eliminate “Commercialized Buddhism”—the seeking of gain and offerings by using spiritual abstractions as tools. [cite_start]The Buddha likened those who commit this act to a “Supreme Great Thief” (Mahācore) in both the human and celestial worlds.
1. The Vaggumudā River Crisis: A Misguided Path to Survival The origin of this rule took place on the banks of the Vaggumudā River in the Vajji region during a period of severe famine. People lived in hardship and food was rationed, causing the monks in that area to struggle significantly with seeking alms.
To survive the rainy season, a group of monks held a meeting to find a solution. Instead of choosing the path of endurance or assisting householders through appropriate duties, they opted for a form of “guerrilla marketing”. They agreed to mutually promote and praise each other’s superhuman attainments to the villagers—claiming one monk had achieved Jhāna (meditative absorption), another was an Arahant (fully enlightened being), or another had gained Abhiññā (supernormal powers).
2. Conflicting Interests Built on Faith
The plan was remarkably successful. Villagers, filled with faith upon hearing that noble beings were residing nearby, brought exquisite food to offer, even if they and their families had to go hungry. [cite_start]As a result, this group of monks appeared radiant and well-nourished, in stark contrast to monks in other areas who were thin from starvation.
When the rainy season ended and they traveled to meet the Buddha in Vesālī, the truth emerged. The Buddha inquired about the secret to their radiant health. Upon learning the truth, he did not offer praise but instead severely rebuked their actions as loathsome and inappropriate.
3. The Verdict: Evisceration is Better Than Deception
The Buddha compared this offense with a graphic and clear analogy to illustrate the dangers of “profiting from faith”:
“It would be better for you to disembowel yourselves with a sharp butcher’s knife than to claim superhuman attainments to exchange for a bowl of rice from the villagers.”
Logical Reasoning:
- Physical Death vs. Spiritual Death: Self-disembowelment brings physical suffering or death only in this life, but does not lead to hell in the next life.
- The Loss of Public Faith: Deceiving villagers for food leads to the loss of public faith and inevitably causes the perpetrator to fall into the states of deprivation (Apāya) and hell.
The Buddha defined this act as the most serious form of “theft” because it is the theft of faith and the offerings provided based on that belief. He called these monks the “Supreme Great Thief” because while ordinary thieves steal only property, these monks steal the pure faith of the people.
4. Enactment of the Rule and Legal Exceptions
To prevent future crises of faith, the Buddha enacted the Fourth Pārājika, with the following essence:
“Whatever monk, with corrupt intent and overcome by desire, claims for himself a superhuman attainment (Jhāna, Magga, Phala) that is non-existent in him, that monk is defeated and no longer in communion.”
The Secondary Enactment: Justice for the Deluded Monastic law is fair and nuanced. An exception was established for cases of “Misconception” (Adhimāna). If a monk, while practicing, genuinely but mistakenly believes he has attained enlightenment (without the intent to lie for gain) and speaks of it, he is exempt. This is not considered a Pārājika offense because it lacks the dishonest intent (Thaiyacitta).
Conclusion The Fourth Pārājika reflects a core philosophy of Buddhism: “Truth” (Sacca) is the foundation of spiritual progress. Claiming sanctity or superhuman qualities for material gain not only destroys the individual but also undermines the foundation of social faith in the monastic institution beyond measure.
