Mi Kd 11Schism in the Saṅgha

Explanation of the Saṅghabheda Khandhaka (Chapter on Schism in the Sangha)

Background

The Saṅghabheda Khandhaka is an important part of the Vinaya Piṭaka in the Theravāda Buddhist tradition. It is a historical record of events connected with divisions that occurred within the community of the Sangha after the Buddha’s nirvana.

In the early years after the Buddha entered nirvana, the Sangha maintained unity through observances such as the Uposatha and communal recitations (saṅgīti) in order to confirm and preserve the Dharma and Vinaya. However, as the Sangha developed and spread, differences gradually appeared in the understanding and practice of the disciplinary terminology. The Saṅghabheda Khandhaka records these occasions in detail, showing how disputes about discipline and doctrine led groups of monks to practice separately.

Main Content

This text focuses on specific historical events in which the Sangha was divided. The most famous schism recorded is the event connected with monks from Vesālī (Vaisali). According to the Vinaya Piṭaka, this group of monks adopted ten unofficial points called “Dasa Vassupannaatti,” including practices such as drinking liquor in concealment, keeping private money, and performing rites not formally recognized by the Buddha.

When this dispute was brought forward, the Sangha, in accordance with the rules established by the Buddha, held assemblies (saṅgīti) to resolve it. The methods for resolving disputes in the Sangha include procedures called “Adhikaraṇa Samatha Dhammas,” methods of adjudication for settling disputes. These methods include: adjudication in the presence of the parties (Sammukhā Vinaya), adjudication by shared recollection (Sati Vinaya), adjudication by the law (Dhammagiri Vinaya), and adjudication by wisdom (Aniccavata Vinaya).

The text records that despite these efforts, schism still occurred. The Sangha was divided into different groups, each following its own understanding of the Vinaya.