Xct Mu Bu Pm Ss 10Causing Schism in the Saṅgha
Pāli / Sanskrit:Saṅghabheda
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SUTTA ON CAUSING SCHISM IN THE SANGHA
(Saṅghabheda Sutta)
Context
The sutta on causing schism in the Sangha is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda tradition and reflects the most severe disciplinary regulations in Buddhism. The Vinaya Piṭaka is not merely a set of rules for conduct; it is a defensive safeguard to protect the integrity of the Sangha, the community of renunciants seeking the path to liberation.
According to the Pāli tradition, Saṅghabheda, causing schism in the Sangha, is regarded as one of the gravest kinds of conduct. It is not an accidental fault or a lapse of mind; it is an intentional action aimed at breaking the harmony of the Sangha. This text was taught to warn those with understanding about the consequences of creating division in the community of practice.
Main Content
Causing schism in the Sangha is the intentional act of dividing disciples into two opposing groups, creating factions within the Sangha. This act may be carried out through speech, the promotion of views, or actions intended to break unity. According to the Vinaya Piṭaka, causing schism in the Sangha is classified at the highest level of disciplinary offense.
This text establishes that causing division does not affect only the internal organization; it harms the Sangha itself, the collective body of those who follow the Buddhadharma. The Sangha is regarded as an institution of the Dharma jewel, where the Teaching is preserved and transmitted. When the Sangha is divided, the Teaching is weakened and the power of cooperation is destroyed.
According to the Pāli Canon, those who create schism in the Sangha are listed alongside acts of comparable gravity, such as killing a Buddha, killing an arhat, or drawing blood from the Tathagata. This shows the karmic weight of this action in the understanding of Theravāda Buddhism.
Meaning for Practice
The practical meaning of this text extends far beyond the sphere of formal religion.
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