Western Jin · Source text translated by 法炬
359 · about 1 min
The Sutra on the Bhikṣu Who Sought to End His Life to Avoid a Woman’s Slanderous Reputation was translated during the Western Jin dynasty by the translator Fa Ju. This scripture emerged during the Wei-Jin period when Buddhism was first transmitted to China, reflecting the disciplinary practices and social adaptation challenges of the monastic community at that time. The sutra records a bhikṣu who, falsely accused of improper relations with a woman, suffered under a slanderous reputation and in anguish sought to take his own life. The Buddha timely gave instruction, teaching that one should observe with right mindfulness the impurity of the body and the impermanent nature of all conditioned phenomena, thereby transcending worldly praise and blame. This scripture holds significant importance within the Buddhist Vinaya system, embodying the Buddha’s compassionate concern for the psychological distress of his disciples. It provides specific guidance for practitioners in dealing with the affliction of slanderous reputation, demonstrating the fundamental aim of Buddhism: liberation from suffering.