At one time the Buddha was staying near Kosambī, in Ghosita’s Monastery. Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kosambiyaṁ viharati ghositārāme. Then Venerable Ānanda went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him, Atha kho āyasmā ānando yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ bhagavā etadavoca: “Well, Ānanda, has that disciplinary issue been settled yet?” “api nu taṁ, ānanda, adhikaraṇaṁ vūpasantan”ti?

“How could it be, sir? “Kuto taṁ, bhante, adhikaraṇaṁ vūpasamissati. Venerable Anuruddha’s protégé Bāhiya remains entirely committed to creating a schism in the Saṅgha. Āyasmato, bhante, anuruddhassa bāhiyo nāma saddhivihāriko kevalakappaṁ saṅghabhedāya ṭhito. But Anuruddha doesn’t think to say a single word about it.” Tatrāyasmā anuruddho na ekavācikampi bhaṇitabbaṁ maññatī”ti.

“But Ānanda, since when has Anuruddha been involved in disciplinary issues in the midst of the Saṅgha? “Kadā panānanda, anuruddho saṅghamajjhe adhikaraṇesu voyuñjati. Shouldn’t you, together with Sāriputta and Moggallāna, settle all disciplinary issues that come up? Nanu, ānanda, yāni kānici adhikaraṇāni uppajjanti, sabbāni tāni tumhe ceva vūpasametha sāriputtamoggallānā ca.

A bad monk sees four reasons to relish schism in the Saṅgha. Cattārome, ānanda, atthavase sampassamāno pāpabhikkhu saṅghabhedena nandati. What four? Katame cattāro? Take an unethical monk, of bad qualities, filthy, with suspicious behavior, underhand, no true ascetic or spiritual practitioner—though claiming to be one—rotten inside, festering, and depraved. Idhānanda, pāpabhikkhu dussīlo hoti pāpadhammo asuci saṅkassarasamācāro paṭicchannakammanto assamaṇo samaṇapaṭiñño abrahmacārī brahmacāripaṭiñño antopūti avassuto kasambujāto. He thinks: Tassa evaṁ hoti: ‘Suppose the monks know that I’m a bad monk … ‘sace kho maṁ bhikkhū jānissanti—If they’re in harmony, they’ll expel me, dussīlo pāpadhammo asuci saṅkassarasamācāro paṭicchannakammanto assamaṇo samaṇapaṭiñño abrahmacārī brahmacāripaṭiñño antopūti avassuto kasambujātoti, samaggā maṁ santā nāsessanti; but if they’re divided they won’t.’ vaggā pana maṁ na nāsessantī’ti. A bad monk sees this as the first reason to relish schism in the Saṅgha. Idaṁ, ānanda, paṭhamaṁ atthavasaṁ sampassamāno pāpabhikkhu saṅghabhedena nandati.

Furthermore, a bad monk has wrong view, he’s attached to an extremist view. Puna caparaṁ, ānanda, pāpabhikkhu micchādiṭṭhiko hoti, antaggāhikāya diṭṭhiyā samannāgato. He thinks: Tassa evaṁ hoti: ‘Suppose the monks know that I have wrong view … ‘sace kho maṁ bhikkhū jānissanti—If they’re in harmony they’ll expel me, micchādiṭṭhiko antaggāhikāya diṭṭhiyā samannāgatoti, samaggā maṁ santā nāsessanti; but if they’re divided they won’t.’ vaggā pana maṁ na nāsessantī’ti. A bad monk sees this as the second reason to relish schism in the Saṅgha. Idaṁ, ānanda, dutiyaṁ atthavasaṁ sampassamāno pāpabhikkhu saṅghabhedena nandati.

Furthermore, a bad monk has wrong livelihood and earns a living by wrong livelihood. Puna caparaṁ, ānanda, pāpabhikkhu micchāājīvo hoti, micchāājīvena jīvikaṁ kappeti. He thinks: Tassa evaṁ hoti: ‘Suppose the monks know that I have wrong livelihood … ‘sace kho maṁ bhikkhū jānissanti—If they’re in harmony they’ll expel me, micchāājīvo micchāājīvena jīvikaṁ kappetīti, samaggā maṁ santā nāsessanti; but if they’re divided they won’t.’ vaggā pana maṁ na nāsessantī’ti. A bad monk sees this as the third reason to relish schism in the Saṅgha. Idaṁ, ānanda, tatiyaṁ atthavasaṁ sampassamāno pāpabhikkhu saṅghabhedena nandati.

Furthermore, a bad monk desires material things, honor, and admiration. Puna caparaṁ, ānanda, pāpabhikkhu lābhakāmo hoti sakkārakāmo anavaññattikāmo. He thinks: Tassa evaṁ hoti: ‘Suppose the monks know that I desire material things, honor, and admiration. ‘sace kho maṁ bhikkhū jānissanti—If they’re in harmony they won’t honor, respect, revere, or venerate me, lābhakāmo sakkārakāmo anavaññattikāmoti, samaggā maṁ santā na sakkarissanti na garuṁ karissanti na mānessanti na pūjessanti; but if they’re divided they will.’ vaggā pana maṁ sakkarissanti garuṁ karissanti mānessanti pūjessantī’ti. A bad monk sees this as the fourth reason to relish schism in the Saṅgha. Idaṁ, ānanda, catutthaṁ atthavasaṁ sampassamāno pāpabhikkhu saṅghabhedena nandati.

A bad monk sees these four reasons to relish schism in the Saṅgha.” Ime kho, ānanda, cattāro atthavase sampassamāno pāpabhikkhu saṅghabhedena nandatī”ti.

Paṭhamaṁ.