Mpt Ss 10Causing Schism in the Saṅgha
Pāli / Sanskrit:Saṅghabheda
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The Saṅghabheda Sutta: The Offense of Dividing the Sangha
Background
The Saṅghabheda Sutta is found in the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically in the Mahāvagga, the Great Chapter of the Vinaya. This is one of the especially important legal suttas of the Theravāda tradition, because it identifies one of the gravest acts that can occur in the community of monks and nuns: schism in the Saṅgha.
It is handed down that the Buddha warned his disciples about the danger of creating disorder, conflict, and division in the Sangha. The Pāli sutta allows us to understand that, during the Buddha’s lifetime, some monks attempted to create disharmony by exploiting the Vinaya or forming separate groups with the intention of dividing the community. These attempts were addressed strictly by the Buddha and the elders.
Main Content
The Saṅghabheda Sutta defines the offense of dividing the Sangha (saṅghabheda) as an intentional act that causes the Sangha to lose its unity and harmony. This offense is classed as a Pārājika, an offense of defeat, one of the gravest offenses according to the Vinaya.
The sutta makes clear that an act causing division is not simply a difference of opinion or an argument about the Dharma. Rather, it is an intentional undertaking designed to create a group of monastics with separate provisions, different practices, or divergent adherence to the Dharma, for the purpose of creating a lasting split in the Sangha.
The offense of schism is completed only when three factors are present at the same time: (1) the deliberate intention to divide; (2) a concrete action that creates division; (3) a group of at least four monks or nuns who follow this person. If division occurs but these conditions are not complete, the action is still a violation of the Vinaya Pitaka, but not a Pārājika.
The sutta also identifies ways to prevent schism: through reconciliation, wholesome discussion, and adherence to the rules established by the Sangha.
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