The Retribution of Proclaiming the Faults of Monastics

The Sūtra on the Merits of Praising the Saṅgha says: “纵见沙门犯戒时，当宽其意勿嫌毁，如入芳丛采妙花，不应摘选枯枝叶，广大清净佛法海，多有持戒精修者。其中纵有犯威仪，白衣不应生毁谤，譬如田中新苗稼，于中亦有稗莠草，应可一种敬良田，不应选择生分别。是以世尊制诸人，不听毁谤沙门众，唯当尊重生敬心，同此受胜诸天报。”

The Sūtra of the King Adorned with All Merits says: “有四种魔，云何为四？一者、贪着财物。二者、亲近恶友。三者、障碍法师。四者、于法师说陈其罪过(宣说出家人是非，此人便是恶魔)。是等众生由此业故当受贫穷，不见善友、远离尊师，作邪见想、说无因果，堕于地狱，受诸剧苦。”

The Precepts Sūtra — the Sarvāstivāda Vinaya Vibhāṣā, Volume Six, says: 为大护佛法故，若向白衣(lay believers)说比丘罪恶，则前人(believers)于佛法中无信敬心；宁破塔坏像(this is an extremely grave offense)，不向未受具戒人说比丘过恶；若说过罪，则破法身。

Those who speak of the faults and wrongdoings (gossip) of bhikṣus commit a karmic offense that exceeds the grave offense of destroying "Buddha stupas" and "Buddha images." The Ratnagotravibhāga (Baoxing Lun) says: “若由数近恶人故，具有恶心出佛血，杀父杀母杀罗汉，破坏最胜和合僧，若能思惟修法性，此人速疾从此脱，若人恶心谤圣法，此人焉能有解脱？”