Lzh Mg Bi Pm Ss 14Following a Schismatic
Pāli / Sanskrit:Bhedānuvattaka
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Sutta on Following the Schismatic
Background
The Bhedānuvattaka Sutta (Following the Schismatic) is found in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon, one of the oldest extant records of practice in Theravāda Buddhism. The Pāli Canon is recognized by the Theravāda monastic tradition as the earliest compilation of the teachings of the Buddha Gotama. Within the Vinaya Piṭaka, the rules of training are not merely rigid restrictions but guidelines for protecting the community of monks and nuns and for preserving the unity of the Saṅgha.
This sutta addresses a matter of the utmost gravity in the history of Early Buddhism: the schism of the Saṅgha (Saṅgha-bheda). When the Saṅgha is no longer united, when members deliberately follow those who create division, this is regarded as one of the most serious violations of the Vinaya. The Bhedānuvattaka Sutta is precisely the teaching that warns against such conduct.
Main Content
This sutta deals with a specific situation: when a member of the Saṅgha performs actions or makes statements that cause division, those who follow along with that person are subject to particular regulations. The act of "following a schismatic" (bhedānuvattaka) is not itself the act of creating schism, yet it supports and reinforces that schism.
Within the context of the Vinaya Piṭaka, causing a schism in the Saṅgha is considered one of the most morally reprehensible actions possible. It does not merely affect the individuals directly involved; it also undermines the spirit of unity and the shared purpose of the practicing community. The sutta teaches that those who deliberately follow a schismatic—whether out of personal friendship, self-interest, or mistaken understanding—must bear the corresponding Vinaya consequences.
The regulations set forth in this sutta emphasize that the preservation of the Saṅgha—a united and harmonious community of practitioners—is the responsibility of every individual member. When one chooses to follow a schismatic, one voluntarily accepts the spiritual harm that such division brings.
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