Buddha: His Life, his Doctrine, his Order c10.t1.11

c10.t1.11

"Whoever has committed a transgression," the leader goes on, "let him confess it. Where there is no transgression, let him be silent. From your silence I shall infer that you are clear, reverend sirs. As an individual man, to whom a question is put, is supposed to answer, so is it in the case of an assembly like the present, when the question has been put three times. A monk, who on the question being put three times does not confess a fault, which he has committed and which he remembers, is guilty of an intentional lie. But intentional lying, reverend sirs, brings destruction ;* thus has the Exalted One said. Therefore a monk, who has committed a fault, remembers it, and seeks to be pure therefrom, is to confess his fault. For what he confesses, will lie lightly on him."