San Sarv Bu Pm Tf 11 Ss 10Causing Schism in the Saṅgha
Pāli / Sanskrit:Saṅghabheda
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EXPOSITION OF THE SAṄGHABHEDA SUTTA
On Division in the Community
Background
The Saṅghabheda Sutta (schism in the Sangha) is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka, where the rules governing the Buddhist monastic community are preserved. During the Buddha's lifetime, the Buddha established the training discipline (Vinaya) in order to maintain harmony, discipline, and the healthy development of the Sangha. Saṅghabheda is not only a matter of specific actions but also an issue deeply connected with the decline of the Dharma.
According to the Theravāda tradition, schism in the Sangha (Saṅghabheda) is regarded as one of the gravest events that can occur. This sutta is often considered in the context of doctrinal disputes, rebellions caused by prominent monks, or the emergence of opposing factions within the religious community.
Main Content
Saṅghabheda is the intentional act of causing division in the Sangha, or conduct that incites discord among its members. According to the Pāli Vinaya Piṭaka, offenses related to this division are classified either as Pārājika (an offense equivalent to permanent exclusion from the Sangha) or Saṅghādisesa (an offense requiring complex measures of reconciliation).
The sutta refers to specific actions such as sowing divisive speech (vivāda-vatthu), propagating different teachings with the purpose of division, or gathering people of a separate viewpoint to form a splinter group. The criteria for determining Saṅghabheda include intention, persistence, and the actual result of physical or spiritual separation among members of the Sangha.
The consequences of Saṅghabheda are regarded as extremely grave, not only affecting organizational structure but also weakening the collective strength of the Dharma and Sangha, obstructing those who seek liberation.
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