Lzh Dg Bu Pm Ss 10Causing Schism in the Saṅgha
Pāli / Sanskrit:Saṅghabheda
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Sutra on Causing Schism in the Sangha (Saṅghabheda)
Background
The Saṅghabheda Sutra is an important part of the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravada Buddhist tradition. The Vinaya Pitaka records the rules of conduct that the Buddha established for bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs in order to govern the life of the monastic community. These rules are not arbitrary restrictions, but guidance intended to protect harmony, spiritual development, and the purity of the Sangha.
The issue of schism in the Sangha is regarded as one of the gravest faults in Buddhism. When the Sangha is divided, not only is the practice of its members affected, but the honor of the Buddha Dharma in society is also damaged. For this reason, the Vinaya Pitaka gives careful regulations to define what actions are forbidden and what penalties follow.
Main Content
This sutra presents in detail actions that cause schism in the Sangha, called Saṅghabheda. According to the definition in the Theravada Vinaya Pitaka, causing schism in the Sangha includes actions such as putting forward opinions contrary to the Buddha Dharma in order to separate fellow practitioners from the main community, organizing autonomous activities without following the decision of the whole Sangha, or inciting monks in the Sangha against other monks.
These actions are classified according to their seriousness. Cases of deliberately causing schism, or successfully separating a group of monks from the Sangha, are regarded as Pārājika offenses, faults that lead to permanent expulsion. In addition, the sutra also regulates situations “close to” causing schism, called Saṅghabheda-anurodha, actions near to causing schism, with lighter penalties.
In the historical context, this sutra is related to specific events in the Buddha’s life, such as occasions when certain monks tried to separate other monks in order to form factions.
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