Lzh Dg Bi Pm Ss 10Causing Schism in the Saṅgha
Pāli / Sanskrit:Saṅghabheda
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SCRIPTURE ON CAUSING DIVISION IN THE SANGHA
Saṅghabheda (Vinaya Piṭaka)
Context
The scripture on Saṅghabheda (causing division in the Sangha) is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda Buddhist tradition, reflecting one of the gravest ethical violations in the monastic community. This scripture is presented in the form of Pātimokkha regulations, prohibitions that bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs must observe.
The historical context of this scripture arose from actual events that occurred in the early Buddhist community. There were monks who, because of ambition for power, personal self-interest, or mistaken understanding of the Dharma, tried to divide the Sangha into opposing groups. The Buddha and eminent meditation masters recognized that this division caused serious harm to the development of the Buddha Dharma, and therefore established very strict legal regulations to prevent it.
Main Content
The scripture on causing division in the Sangha identifies a bhikkhu as committing a grave violation if he acts with the intention of creating division in the Sangha. This division is not a difference of view or wholesome Dharma debate — which are permitted — but the intentional activity of separating groups, causing conflict, and spreading false speech with the purpose of damaging the unity of the Sangha.
The Saṅghabheda rule prohibits actions such as: spreading distorted teachings in order to entice monks to leave the main Sangha; organizing separate meetings to oppose lawful decisions of the full Sangha; or seeking to divide the Sangha into hostile factions. This offense is regarded as a collapse of the ethical foundation because it not only violates principles of individual practice, but also directly attacks unity, the essential factor that sustains the life of the Sangha.
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