Lzh Mu Bu Vb Ss 11Following a Schismatic
Pāli / Sanskrit:Bhedānuvattaka
Save your scripture progress
Create a free account to save scriptures, track progress, and continue your daily learning path.
Exposition of the Bhedānuvattaka Scripture (Following One Who Causes Division)
Context
Bhedānuvattaka is an important part of the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda tradition, specifically belonging to the Bhikkhunī Vibhaṅga (the Vinaya section for bhikkhunīs). This scripture was composed to manage matters related to division in the Sangha, especially the act of following a person who causes conflict or schism within the monastic community.
The historical context of the Vinaya Piṭaka arose from occasions when the Buddha summoned the Sangha to establish rules and principles of conduct after specific situations had occurred. Regulations concerning division in the Sangha are among the most serious matters, because the Buddha regarded preserving harmony in the monastic body as one of the essential conditions for the Buddha Dharma to be transmitted for a long time.
Main Content
The Bhedānuvattaka scripture deals with rules related to the act of “following” (anuvatati) a person who causes division (bheda) in the Sangha. Division here is not merely disagreement in opinion, but the public act of opposing the decision of the monastic body or creating a separate group with institutions, teachings, and actions different from the legitimate Sangha.
The scripture prescribes that a monastic must not actively support or follow such people who cause division, because doing so weakens the unity and discipline of the monastic body. Those who follow a schismatic violate certain legal provisions and may incur penalties ranging from light to severe according to the degree of the violation.
This scripture also establishes the conditions by which a monastic may be freed from this state, including publicly renouncing support for the one who causes division and accepting the decision of the monastic body. This is the Vinaya Piṭaka’s way of teaching that harmony (samaggi) is a noble value, but it is not an absolute abstraction; it can be violated by specific actions, and those actions can be remedied through sincere repentance.
🌏 The Buddhist canon is vast — some sūtras (such as comparative Vinaya across schools, or untranslated Tibetan-canon texts) have to this day NEVER been translated into Vietnamese or English by anyone, scholars included. Rather than leave it blank, Inti AI offers a FAITHFUL summary grounded in the tradition — from the sūtra's title, origin and essence — so you can still reach this rare part of the treasury. Whenever an original translation exists, the app shows the original first.
Translations belong to the translator/source credited above. The bilingual compilation, presentation, and AI translations compiled by Inti are © Inti Foundation. Please attribute when quoting; do not bulk-copy or use commercially without permission.