• Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law Theravāda Vinaya
  • The Great Analysis Mahāvibhaṅga
  • The chapter on offenses entailing suspension Saṅghādisesakaṇḍa

11. The training rule on supporting a schism 11. Bhedānuvattakasikkhāpada

Origin story

At one time the Buddha was staying at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrel sanctuary. Tena samayena buddho bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe. At that time Devadatta was pursuing schism in the Sangha, a break in authority. Tena kho pana samayena devadatto saṅghabhedāya parakkamati cakkabhedāya. The monks were saying, Bhikkhū evamāhaṁsu—“Devadatta speaks contrary to the Teaching and the training. “adhammavādī devadatto, avinayavādī devadatto. How can he pursue schism in the Sangha?” Kathañhi nāma devadatto saṅghabhedāya parakkamissati cakkabhedāyā”ti.

But Kokālika, Kaṭamodakatissaka, Khaṇḍadeviyāputta, and Samuddadatta said to those monks, Evaṁ vutte, kokāliko kaṭamodakatissako khaṇḍadeviyā putto samuddadatto te bhikkhū etadavocuṁ—“No, venerables, “māyasmanto evaṁ avacuttha. Devadatta speaks in accordance with the Teaching and the training. Dhammavādī devadatto, vinayavādī devadatto. And he speaks with our consent and approval. He knows about us and speaks for us, and we approve of this.” Amhākañca devadatto chandañca ruciñca ādāya voharati jānāti no bhāsati amhākampetaṁ khamatī”ti.

The monks of few desires complained and criticized them, Ye te bhikkhū appicchā …pe… te ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—“How can these monks support Devadatta’s pursuit of schism in the Sangha?” “kathañhi nāma bhikkhū devadattassa saṅghabhedāya parakkamantassa anuvattakā bhavissanti vaggavādakā”ti.

They rebuked those monks in many ways and then told the Buddha. Soon afterwards he had the Sangha gathered and questioned the monks: Atha kho te bhikkhū te anuvattake bhikkhū anekapariyāyena vigarahitvā bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ …pe… “Is it true, monks, that there are monks who support this?” “saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, bhikkhū devadattassa saṅghabhedāya parakkamantassa anuvattakā honti vaggavādakā”ti?

“It’s true, sir.” “Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.

The Buddha rebuked them … Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… “Monks, how can those foolish men support this? kathañhi nāma te, bhikkhave, moghapurisā devadattassa saṅghabhedāya parakkamantassa anuvattakā bhavissanti vaggavādakā. This will affect people’s confidence …” … Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe… “And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this: evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—

Final ruling

‘That monk may have one, two, or three monks who side with him and support him, and they may say, “Tasseva kho pana bhikkhussa bhikkhū honti anuvattakā vaggavādakā eko vā dve vā tayo vā. Te evaṁ vadeyyuṁ—“Venerables, don’t correct this monk. ‘māyasmanto etaṁ bhikkhuṁ kiñci avacuttha. He speaks in accordance with the Teaching and the training. Dhammavādī ceso bhikkhu, vinayavādī ceso bhikkhu. And he speaks with our consent and approval. He knows about us and speaks for us, and we approve of this.” Amhākañceso bhikkhu chandañca ruciñca ādāya voharati jānāti no bhāsati amhākampetaṁ khamatī’ti, The monks should correct those monks like this, te bhikkhū bhikkhūhi evamassu vacanīyā—“No, venerables, ‘māyasmanto evaṁ avacuttha, this monk speaks contrary to the Teaching and the training. na ceso bhikkhu dhammavādī, na ceso bhikkhu vinayavādī, And don’t consent to schism in the Sangha. māyasmantānampi saṅghabhedo ruccittha, Stay with the Sangha, for a united Sangha—in concord, in harmony, having a joint recitation—is at ease.” sametāyasmantānaṁ saṅghena, samaggo hi saṅgho sammodamāno avivadamāno ekuddeso phāsu viharatī’ti. If those monks still continue as before, the monks should press them up to three times to make them stop. Evañca te bhikkhū bhikkhūhi vuccamānā tatheva paggaṇheyyuṁ, te bhikkhū bhikkhūhi yāvatatiyaṁ samanubhāsitabbā tassa paṭinissaggāya. If they then stop, all is well. Yāvatatiyañce samanubhāsiyamānā taṁ paṭinissajjeyyuṁ, iccetaṁ kusalaṁ, If they do not stop, they commit an offense entailing suspension.’” no ce paṭinissajjeyyuṁ, saṅghādiseso”ti.

Definitions

That: Tasseva kho panāti
that monk who is pursuing schism in the Sangha. tassa saṅghabhedakassa bhikkhuno.
May have monks: Bhikkhū hontīti
may have other monks. aññe bhikkhū honti.
Who side with him: Anuvattakāti
they have the same view, the same belief, the same persuasion as he does. yaṁdiṭṭhiko so hoti yaṅkhantiko yaṁruciko tepi taṁdiṭṭhikā honti taṅkhantikā taṁrucikā.
Who support him: Vaggavādakāti
they praise him and take his side. tassa vaṇṇāya pakkhāya ṭhitā honti.
One, two, or three: Eko vā dve vā tayo vāti
there is one, or two, or three. They may say, eko vā hoti dve vā tayo vā. Te evaṁ vadeyyuṁ—“Venerables, don’t correct this monk. He speaks in accordance with the Teaching and the training. “māyasmanto etaṁ bhikkhuṁ kiñci avacuttha, dhammavādī ceso bhikkhu, vinayavādī ceso bhikkhu, And he speaks with our consent and approval. He knows about us and speaks for us, and we approve of this.” amhākañceso bhikkhu chandañca ruciñca ādāya voharati jānāti no bhāsati amhākampetaṁ khamatī”ti.
Those monks: Te bhikkhūti
those monks who side with him. ye te anuvattakā bhikkhū.
The monks: Bhikkhūhīti

other monks, those who see it or hear about it. They should correct them like this: aññehi bhikkhūhi. Ye passanti ye suṇanti tehi vattabbā—

“No, venerables, “māyasmanto evaṁ avacuttha. this monk speaks contrary to the Teaching and the training. Na ceso bhikkhu dhammavādī, na ceso bhikkhu vinayavādī. And don’t consent to schism in the Sangha. Māyasmantānampi saṅghabhedo ruccittha. Stay with the Sangha, Sametāyasmantānaṁ saṅghena. for a united Sangha—in concord, in harmony, having a joint recitation—is at ease.” Samaggo hi saṅgho sammodamāno avivadamāno ekuddeso phāsu viharatī”ti.

And they should correct them a second Dutiyampi vattabbā. and a third time. Tatiyampi vattabbā. If they stop, all is well. Sace paṭinissajjanti, iccetaṁ kusalaṁ; If they do not stop, they commit an offense of wrong conduct. no ce paṭinissajjanti, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If those who hear about it do not say anything, they commit an offense of wrong conduct. Sutvā na vadanti, āpatti dukkaṭassa.

Those monks, even if they have to be pulled into the Sangha, should be corrected like this: Te bhikkhū saṅghamajjhampi ākaḍḍhitvā vattabbā—

“No, venerables, “māyasmanto evaṁ avacuttha. this monk speaks contrary to the Teaching and the training. Na ceso bhikkhu dhammavādī, na ceso bhikkhu vinayavādī. And don’t consent to schism in the Sangha. Māyasmantānampi saṅghabhedo ruccittha. Stay with the Sangha, Sametāyasmantānaṁ saṅghena. for a united Sangha—in concord, in harmony, having a joint recitation—is at ease.” Samaggo hi saṅgho sammodamāno avivadamāno ekuddeso phāsu viharatī”ti.

They should correct them a second Dutiyampi vattabbā. and a third time. Tatiyampi vattabbā. If they stop, all is well. Sace paṭinissajjanti, iccetaṁ kusalaṁ; If they do not stop, they commit an offense of wrong conduct. no ce paṭinissajjanti, āpatti dukkaṭassa.

Should press them: Te bhikkhū samanubhāsitabbā.

“And, monks, they should be pressed like this. “Evañca pana, bhikkhave, samanubhāsitabbā. A competent and capable monk should inform the Sangha: Byattena bhikkhunā paṭibalena saṅgho ñāpetabbo—

‘Please, venerables, I ask the Sangha to listen. ‘Suṇātu me, bhante, saṅgho. Monks so-and-so and so-and-so are siding with and supporting monk so-and-so who is pursuing schism in the Sangha. Itthannāmo ca itthanāmo ca bhikkhū itthannāmassa bhikkhuno saṅghabhedāya parakkamantassa anuvattakā vaggavādakā. And they keep on doing it. Te taṁ vatthuṁ na paṭinissajjanti. If the Sangha is ready, it should press them to make them stop. Yadi saṅghassa pattakallaṁ, saṅgho itthannāmañca itthannāmañca bhikkhū samanubhāseyya tassa vatthussa paṭinissaggāya. This is the motion. Esā ñatti.

Please, venerables, I ask the Sangha to listen. Suṇātu me, bhante, saṅgho. Monks so-and-so and so-and-so are siding with and supporting monk so-and-so who is pursuing schism in the Sangha. Itthannāmo ca itthannāmo ca bhikkhū itthannāmassa bhikkhuno saṅghabhedāya parakkamantassa anuvattakā vaggavādakā. And they keep on doing it. Te taṁ vatthuṁ na paṭinissajjanti. The Sangha presses them to make them stop. Saṅgho itthannāmañca itthannāmañca bhikkhū samanubhāsati tassa vatthussa paṭinissaggāya. Any monk who approves of pressing them to make them stop should remain silent. Yassāyasmato khamati itthannāmassa ca itthannāmassa ca bhikkhūnaṁ samanubhāsanā tassa vatthussa paṭinissaggāya, so tuṇhassa; Any monk who doesn’t approve should speak up. yassa nakkhamati, so bhāseyya.

For the second time, I speak on this matter. … Dutiyampi etamatthaṁ vadāmi …pe… For the third time, I speak on this matter. tatiyampi etamatthaṁ vadāmi—Please, venerables, I ask the Sangha to listen. suṇātu me, bhante, saṅgho. Monks so-and-so and so-and-so are siding with and supporting monk so-and-so who is pursuing schism in the Sangha. Itthannāmo ca itthannāmo ca bhikkhū itthannāmassa bhikkhuno saṅghabhedāya parakkamantassa anuvattakā vaggavādakā. And they keep on doing it. Te taṁ vatthuṁ na paṭinissajjanti. The Sangha presses them to make them stop. Saṅgho itthannāmañca itthannāmañca bhikkhū samanubhāsati tassa vatthussa paṭinissaggāya. Any monk who approves of pressing them to make them stop should remain silent. Yassāyasmato khamati itthannāmassa ca itthannāmassa ca bhikkhūnaṁ samanubhāsanā tassa vatthussa paṭinissaggāya, so tuṇhassa; Any monk who doesn’t approve should speak up. yassa nakkhamati, so bhāseyya.

The Sangha has pressed monks so-and-so and so-and-so to make them stop. Samanubhaṭṭhā saṅghena itthannāmo ca itthannāmo ca bhikkhū tassa vatthussa paṭinissaggāya. The Sangha approves and is therefore silent. Khamati saṅghassa, tasmā tuṇhī, I’ll remember it thus.’” evametaṁ dhārayāmī’”ti.

After the motion, they commit an offense of wrong conduct. Ñattiyā dukkaṭaṁ, After each of the first two announcements, they commit a serious offense. dvīhi kammavācāhi thullaccayā, When the last announcement is finished, they commit an offense entailing suspension. kammavācāpariyosāne āpatti saṅghādisesassa. For those who commit the offense entailing suspension, the offense of wrong conduct and the serious offenses are annulled. Saṅghādisesaṁ ajjhāpajjantānaṁ ñattiyā dukkaṭaṁ, dvīhi kammavācāhi thullaccayā paṭippassambhanti. Two or three may be pressed together, but not more than that. Dve tayo ekato samanubhāsitabbā, taduttari na samanubhāsitabbā.

They commit an offense entailing suspension: Saṅghādisesoti
… Therefore, too, it is called “an offense entailing suspension”. …pe… tenapi vuccati “saṅghādiseso”ti.

Permutations

If it is a legitimate legal procedure, and they perceive it as such, and they do not stop, they commit an offense entailing suspension. Dhammakamme dhammakammasaññī na paṭinissajjanti, āpatti saṅghādisesassa.

If it is a legitimate legal procedure, but they are unsure of it, and they do not stop, they commit an offense entailing suspension. Dhammakamme vematikā na paṭinissajjanti, āpatti saṅghādisesassa.

If it is a legitimate legal procedure, but they perceive it as illegitimate, and they do not stop, they commit an offense entailing suspension. Dhammakamme adhammakammasaññī na paṭinissajjanti, āpatti saṅghādisesassa.

If it is an illegitimate legal procedure, but they perceive it as legitimate, they commit an offense of wrong conduct. Adhammakamme dhammakammasaññī, āpatti dukkaṭassa.

If it is an illegitimate legal procedure, but they are unsure of it, they commit an offense of wrong conduct. Adhammakamme vematikā, āpatti dukkaṭassa.

If it is an illegitimate legal procedure, and they perceive it as such, they commit an offense of wrong conduct. Adhammakamme adhammakammasaññī, āpatti dukkaṭassa.

Non-offenses

There is no offense: Anāpatti—if they have not been pressed; asamanubhāsantānaṁ, if they stop; paṭinissajjantānaṁ, if they are insane; ummattakānaṁ, if they are deranged; khittacittānaṁ, if they are overwhelmed by pain; vedanāṭṭānaṁ, if they are the first offenders. ādikammikānanti.

The training rule on supporting a schism, the eleventh, is finished. Bhedānuvattakasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ ekādasamaṁ.