The Root Cause of Committing the Offense of Major False Speech

The Buddha's teachings on the precept against false speech are mainly directed at major false speech—untruthful lies about extremely significant matters. Minor false speech is comparatively less serious, with lighter prohibitions. Significant matters refer to the realization of various transcendental dharmas. On this issue, one absolutely must not lie or deceive others; impersonating a sage or saint carries an extremely grave karmic offense. Even impersonating a king results in beheading and public display, with punishment extending to nine generations of one's family—how much more grave, then, is the offense of impersonating a sage or saint who far surpasses any worldly king. The offense is even greater, beyond repentance, and one will inevitably fall into the evil destinies. Therefore, everyone must be extremely cautious and careful in speech and conduct regarding significant transcendental dharmas. Without one hundred percent certainty, without conclusive evidence, one must never casually spread claims of having realized some transcendental dharma. And no matter who has certified or confirmed it, if it is untrue, one will certainly suffer severe evil retribution. May all Buddhist practitioners be ever so careful—do not commit the offense of major false speech. Once this human body is lost, such an opportunity will be extremely difficult to encounter again.

Why do so many people like to publicly proclaim that they have attained such-and-such dharma or achieved such-and-such fruit? What psychology underlies this? Upon deep investigation, it is nothing more than a desire to prove oneself excellent and superior, to surpass others—to be victorious over others, with all others inferior to oneself; or a desire to gain others' reverence, admiration, and respect, wanting others to submit to oneself, wanting to rise above the crowd, and so on—thereby indulging in arrogance, self-admiration, and conceit. All of this arises from the four marks operating in the mind: there is a self and there are others; the mark of self is complete, the mark of others is complete. Such people have not eradicated the view of self, nor have they attained any dharma; they are still ordinary beings replete with the view of self. Those who wish to attain the dharma of the sages must deeply investigate their own minds, dig out the "I" within their hearts, and then break through and eliminate it, not allowing that "I" to emerge again and delude themselves, adding afflictions, karmic delusions, and suffering to themselves.