Bi Ss 1515. Siding with a schismatic
Pāli / Sanskrit:Bhedānuvattaka
A nun who supports another nun who is trying to cause a schism in the Order is to be suspended.
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Siding with a Schismatic (Bhedānuvattaka)
Background
This text belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically within the section of rules for nuns (Bhikkhunī Vinaya). In the early period of Buddhism, the Saṅgha was a community of monastics living according to shared principles in order to sustain the spirit of practice and study. However, not all members were always of one mind and one accord. There were nuns who endeavored to create divisions and dissenting views for the purpose of breaking apart the harmony of the Saṅgha.
Bhedānuvattaka means "siding with one who causes schism" (bheda = division, schism; anuvattaka = following, supporting). This rule was established to protect the Saṅgha from acts of divisiveness, which were regarded as among the gravest moral offenses in early Buddhism.
Principal Content
According to Bhikkhunī Saṃghādisesa 15 (Bi Ss 15), when a nun acts or speaks in a manner that supports another nun who is attempting to cause a schism within the Saṅgha, that nun is subject to the penalty of Parivāsa (roughly rendered as suspension or probation). This is not a permanent expulsion, but rather a temporary disciplinary measure intended to provide an opportunity for rehabilitation.
The act of "siding with one who causes schism" is understood to encompass:
- Repeating the words of the schismatic in order to spread them throughout the community.
- Encouraging or inciting others to join the movement seeking to break the harmony.
- Publicly defending or supporting that person before the Saṅgha.
- Refusing to participate in the communal activities of the Saṅgha as a demonstration of one's position.
The penalty of Parivāsa carries profound significance: it is not intended to punish through fear, but to help those nuns who have been led astray to recognize their error. Throughout the period of Parivāsa, the individual remains within the community, yet is observed and monitored, with the aim of promoting repentance and reformation.
Practical Significance
The Bhedānuvattaka reminds us that the harmony of the Saṅgha is not a secondary consideration, but the very foundation of Buddhist practice.
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