San Lo Bi Vb Ss 14Following a Schismatic
Pāli / Sanskrit:Bhedānuvattaka
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Exposition of the Bhedānuvattaka Sutta (Following One Who Causes Schism)
Background
The Bhedānuvattaka Sutta belongs to the Saṅghādisesa rules (Offenses Causing Division in the Sangha) within the Vinaya Piṭaka, an important section of monastic discipline in the Theravāda tradition. These are regulations established by the Buddha to protect the unity and harmony of the Sangha, a core condition for the practice of the Buddha-Dharma.
In the early history of the Buddha-Dharma, divisions within the Sangha arose from conflicts over doctrine or discipline. The Bhedānuvattaka Sutta, from “bheda” meaning division and “anuvattaka” meaning following or conforming to, concerns the act of “following one who causes schism,” that is, adhering to a teacher or group of monastics who have separated from the official Sangha. This is one of the most serious offenses in the Vinaya.
Main Content
This sutta lays down that a bhikkhu, or a bhikkhunī, must not deliberately follow, support, or openly uphold a person who has caused schism in the Sangha. Such conduct includes acknowledging that person’s authority, attending their assemblies, or following their instructions for practice instead of those of the official Sangha.
“Following a schismatic” is not a minor fault. It reflects the essential purpose of the Vinaya: to preserve unanimity within the Sangha so that the Buddha-Dharma may endure for a long time. When a group separates, it becomes an existential danger to the Teaching, because it hinders the transmission and preservation of the true Dharma.
Yet the Vinaya also shows compassion. Only when a bhikkhu has been admonished or warned and still continues to follow the schismatic is the full Saṅghādisesa offense considered to have occurred. This allows an opportunity to correct mistaken conduct.
Practical Meaning
The Bhedānuvattaka Sutta teaches us the importance of unity within the community of practice. Division in the Sangha is not merely an administrative matter; it weakens the collective aim of liberation.
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