XX. The Sutra on the Five Precepts for Upasakas (Regarding the Precept Against Gross False Speech)

Original Text: The Buddha addressed the bhikkhus: "I have condemned false speech in various ways and praised those who abstain from false speech. Even in jest, one should not speak falsely, let alone intentionally. Among the violations, if an upasaka, without knowing or realizing transcendent sage dharma, claims, 'I am an arhat,' or 'I am aspiring to arhatship,' he commits an unrepentable offense. If he claims, 'I am an anagamin,' 'I am a sakrdagamin,' 'I am a srotapanna,' or 'I am aspiring to srotapannaship'; if he claims to have attained the first dhyana, the second dhyana, the third dhyana, or the fourth dhyana; if he claims to have attained the immeasurable minds of loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity; if he claims to have attained the formless concentrations—the sphere of infinite space, the sphere of infinite consciousness, the sphere of nothingness, or the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception; if he claims to have attained the contemplation of impurity or mindfulness of breathing (anapana-sati); if he claims that devas come to him, that nagas, yaksas, pretas, pisacas, kumbhandas, or raksasas come to him, that they question him and he answers, or that he questions them and they answer—all such claims constitute unrepentable offenses."

Explanation: The Buddha told the bhikkhus: "I have employed various methods to censure those who engage in false speech and to praise those who abstain from it. Practitioners should not speak falsely even in jest, much less intentionally. If one violates the precept against false speech—specifically, if a upasaka or upasika (a lay disciple observing the five precepts) who neither knows nor has realized the sage dharma transcending ordinary beings falsely declares to others: 'I am an arhat,' 'I am aspiring to arhatship,' 'I am an anagamin,' 'I am a sakrdagamin,' 'I am a srotapanna,' 'I am aspiring to srotapannaship,' 'I have attained the first dhyana,' 'I have attained the second dhyana,' 'I have attained the third dhyana,' 'I have attained the fourth dhyana,' 'I have attained the four immeasurable minds (brahmaviharas) of loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity';

'I have attained the formless concentrations: the sphere of infinite space, the sphere of infinite consciousness, the sphere of nothingness, the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception,' 'I have attained the contemplation of impurity,' 'I have mastered mindfulness of breathing,' 'Devas visit me,' 'Nagas, yaksas, gandharvas, pisacas, kumbhandas, and raksasas come to me and converse with me; they question me and I answer, or I question them and they answer'—such claims constitute a violation of the precept against false speech. This offense is unrepentable; even if one attempts repentance, the karmic retribution of false speech cannot be eradicated. The offender remains guilty and, upon death, will fall into the three evil realms to suffer the consequences of false speech."

The above is the Buddha’s teaching on the precept against false speech, specifically addressing gross false speech (maha-musavada)—falsehood concerning matters of utmost gravity. Minor falsehoods are not discussed here. Grave matters refer to realizations of transcendental dharma. One must never lie or deceive others about such matters. Impersonating a sage is an extremely grave offense. Impersonating a worldly king warrants execution and the extermination of one’s clan, let alone impersonating a sage who far surpasses any worldly king. The karmic retribution for this is immense, unrepentable, and guarantees rebirth in the lower realms. Therefore, regarding significant transcendental attainments, everyone must exercise utmost caution in speech and action. Without absolute certainty or irrefutable evidence, one must never casually claim to have attained any transcendental state. Regardless of who may have "verified" such claims, if they are untrue, the claimant will inevitably suffer severe karmic retribution. May all Buddhist practitioners heed this warning with utmost caution: Do not commit the grave offense of gross false speech. Once human life is lost, it is hard to regain.

Why do many people enjoy proclaiming externally that they have attained such-and-such a state or realization? Delving deeper, the motivation is invariably to prove one’s superiority, to stand above others, to be revered, admired, and submitted to, or to achieve prominence—all stemming from self-pride, narcissism, and arrogance. This arises because the mind still clings to the notions of "self" and "others," remaining replete with self-view and the view of others. Such individuals have not eradicated self-view nor attained any genuine realization; they remain ordinary beings entrenched in self-view. Those seeking sagehood must thoroughly examine their own minds, excavate the entrenched "I," dismantle and eradicate it, and prevent this "I" from resurfacing to delude themselves and create further afflictions, karmic obstacles, and suffering.