Lzh Sarv Bi Pm Sk 72Nāvakīrṇakāraka
Pāli / Sanskrit:Nāvakīrṇakāraka
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Explanation of the Nāvakīrṇakāraka Sutta
Background
The Nāvakīrṇakāraka Sutta belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka in the Pāli Canon, the collection of fundamental legal principles for the community of Buddhist monks and nuns in the Early Buddhist tradition. The title means “Provisions Concerning the Division of the Eight Lifespans of the Dharma” or “A Code of Rules on Matters That Cause Division.”
The discourse was handed down from the time of Buddha Śākyamuni, when he and his disciples were forming the rules for communal life in the Sangha. The Vinaya Piṭaka is not a set of rigid laws for punishment, but guidance that helps monks and nuns practice peacefully, avoid disputes and discord, and thereby protect the Dharma teaching and liberation.
The contents of the Vinaya Piṭaka are compiled into sections (skandha), among which Nāvakīrṇakāraka addresses complex situations concerning concord (sammodana), schism in the Sangha (saṃghabheda), and ways to handle disputes that arise within the community.
Main Content
This discourse focuses on guiding monks and nuns in resolving matters that create conflict in the community of practice. The situations described include cases in which members of the Sangha hold different views about methods of practice, about judging who is at fault, or about how to handle violations by a particular member.
The discourse emphasizes that division (bheda) is the worst thing that can happen to a religious community. To avoid this, the Sangha must observe specific rules: one should not act alone when there is a communal matter; there must be discussion, courteous debate (pañha-kathā), and finally a common agreement. When consensus cannot be reached, one should follow voting procedures or the methods taught by the Buddha for making decisions.
These provisions include determining who has committed an offense, the appropriate penalties, from admonition and restriction of rights to expulsion, that is, removal from the Sangha, and the way to carry out these decisions fairly and solemnly.
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