Transmitting wrong dhamma is slandering

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asahi
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Transmitting wrong dhamma is slandering

Post by asahi »

What constitute the action as slandering ?
Transmitting wrong dhamma appear to be guiding others to wrong path therefore is slandering ? Doubt and disbelieve in Buddha Dhamma Sangha can be regarded as slandering ?


:thanks:
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SarathW
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Re: Transmitting wrong dhamma is slandering

Post by SarathW »

The way I understand that slandering the Buddha means telling some thin as if Buddha said. For example, fake Buddha quotes.
As we do not have a living Buddha now I think we have to accept the Tipitaka as the words of the living Buddha.
So whatever we say must be able to support Tipitaka.
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
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JamesTheGiant
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Re: Transmitting wrong dhamma is slandering

Post by JamesTheGiant »

asahi wrote: Sat May 15, 2021 8:38 am What constitute the action as slandering ?
Transmitting wrong dhamma appear to be guiding others to wrong path therefore is slandering ? Doubt and disbelieve in Buddha Dhamma Sangha can be regarded as slandering ?
:thanks:
No, to slander you have to deliberately and knowingly say something untrue.
I've met some Buddhists who believe that anything said disrespectful, or doubt, is slander, but they are simple people who don't understand correctly.
SarathW
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Re: Transmitting wrong dhamma is slandering

Post by SarathW »

Monks, these two slander the Tathagata. Which two? One who explains what was not said or spoken by the Tathagata as said or spoken by the Tathagata. And one who explains what was said or spoken by the Tathagata as not said or spoken by the Tathagata. These are the two who slander the Tathagata.

— AN 2.23
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/aut ... ation.html

Not knowing Sutta is not an excuse. It is the same as not knowing the law does not help you to escape from the law.
If we express something in Buddhism, we must be able to support it by using Sutta unless you qualify your statement (in my opinion or the way I understand etc) or providing a source reference.
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
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Dhammanando
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Re: Transmitting wrong dhamma is slandering

Post by Dhammanando »

In the context of AN 2.23 and similar suttas, "slandering" is just a klutzy translation by Ajahn Thanissaro, along with several others who put too much trust in the PTS dictionary and don't consult other sources.

The verb abbhācikkhati *can* mean to calumniate or accuse, but it also means to misrepresent or misreport. Unfortunately the PED gives only the first meaning. There's little doubt that in AN 2.23 "misrepresent" ( as used by Bhikkhus Bodhi and Sujāto) is the intended meaning.
Yena yena hi maññanti,
tato taṃ hoti aññathā.


In whatever way they conceive it,
It turns out otherwise.
(Sn. 588)
asahi
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Re: Transmitting wrong dhamma is slandering

Post by asahi »

Dhammanando wrote: Sun May 16, 2021 3:11 am In the context of AN 2.23 and similar suttas, "slandering" is just a klutzy translation by Ajahn Thanissaro, along with several others who put too much trust in the PTS dictionary and don't consult other sources.

The verb abbhācikkhati *can* mean to calumniate or accuse, but it also means to misrepresent or misreport. Unfortunately the PED gives only the first meaning. There's little doubt that in AN 2.23 "misrepresent" ( as used by Bhikkhus Bodhi and Sujāto) is the intended meaning.
Bhante ,
Iyo it should be
"falsely accuse the Tathagata" or
"misreport what the Tathagata said" suppose to be the accurate translation ?

Thks
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SarathW
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Re: Transmitting wrong dhamma is slandering

Post by SarathW »

There's little doubt that in AN 2.23 "misrepresent" ( as used by Bhikkhus Bodhi and Sujāto) is the intended meaning.
slander = make false and damaging statements about (someone).

So transmitting wrong Dhamma is misrepresentation with knowingly or unknowingly?
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
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Dhammanando
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Re: Transmitting wrong dhamma is slandering

Post by Dhammanando »

asahi wrote: Sun May 16, 2021 5:08 am Iyo it should be
"falsely accuse the Tathagata" or
"misreport what the Tathagata said" suppose to be the accurate translation ?
I would use "misrepresent."

Bhikkhu Bodhi
“Bhikkhus, these two misrepresent the Tathāgata. Which two? One who explains what has not been stated and uttered by the Tathāgata as having been stated and uttered by him, and one who explains what has been stated and uttered by the Tathāgata as not having been stated and uttered by him.
Bhikkhu Sujāto
“Mendicants, these two misrepresent the Realized One. What two? One who explains what was not spoken by the Realized One as spoken by him. And one who explains what was spoken by the Realized One as not spoken by him.
Yena yena hi maññanti,
tato taṃ hoti aññathā.


In whatever way they conceive it,
It turns out otherwise.
(Sn. 588)
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