The Karmic Retribution of Publicizing the Faults of Monastics

The Sūtra on the Merit 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 of All Merits and Adornments 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 Vinaya text—the Sarvāstivāda-vinaya-vibhāṣā, Volume Six—says: For the sake of greatly protecting the Buddhadharma, if one speaks of a bhikṣu's transgressions to a layperson (a householder believer), then that person (the believer) will have no faithful and reverent mind toward the Buddhadharma; one would rather topple stupas and destroy images (an extremely grave offense) than speak of a bhikṣu's faults and misdeeds to one who has not received full ordination; if one speaks of his offenses, then one destroys the Dharma body.

Those who speak of a bhikṣu's faults and misdeeds (gossip) commit an offense graver than the heavy offense of destroying a "stupa" or a "Buddha image." The Ratnagotravibhāga 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？”