San Mu Bu Pm GBM 3 Ss 10Causing Schism in the Saṅgha
Pāli / Sanskrit:Saṅghabheda
Save your scripture progress
Create a free account to save scriptures, track progress, and continue your daily learning path.
The Saṅghabheda Sūtra: Causing Division in the Sangha
Background
The Saṅghabheda Sūtra (causing division in the Sangha) is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda tradition, especially in the section on the Pātimokkha, the basic rules of the community of monks and nuns. This Vinaya has been transmitted from the time of the Buddha to the present, in order to maintain unity and discipline in the Sangha.
This sūtra arose from historical circumstances in which there was division within the Buddhist community. Buddhist history records that after the Buddha’s nirvana, many internal disagreements occurred. The Saṅghabheda Sūtra was established as a serious rule, clearly defining what conduct is considered "causing division in the Sangha" and what its consequences are. Its purpose is to protect the spiritual and organizational integrity of the Buddhist community.
Main Content
Saṅghabheda, a Pāli term meaning "splitting the Sangha," is one of the gravest offenses in Buddhist law. The sūtra states that any intentional action causing division in the religious community, or inciting monks and nuns to separate from the community, is regarded as a serious violation.
Specifically, actions that cause division include: (1) spreading divisive ideas, encouraging groups of monks and nuns to think and act differently from the principal quorum; (2) establishing factions with separate rules, apart from the common discipline; (3) publicly criticizing legitimate leadership in order to create dissatisfaction; (4) propagating divergent views on doctrine, especially concerning the practice of meditation or discipline.
The sūtra points out that one who causes division in the Sangha not only violates a personal rule, but commits the greatest fault against the entire community. The consequence of such conduct is long-term loss for the Buddha Dharma: when the Sangha is divided, its collective strength is weakened, the teachings cannot be propagated effectively, and sentient beings lose spiritual support.
🌏 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.