Light/Dark

Vinaya Piṭaka - Monastic Rules

Bhikkhu Vibhaṅga - Saṅghādisesa 11: Admonishment of Supporters of a Dissenting Bhikkhu

Origin story

1At one time the Buddha was staying at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrel sanctuary. At that time Devadatta was pursuing schism in the Sangha, a break in authority. The monks were saying, “Devadatta speaks contrary to the Teaching and the training. How can he pursue schism in the Sangha?”

But Kokālika, Kaṭamodakatissaka, Khaṇḍadeviyā-putta, and Samuddadatta said to those monks, “No, Venerables, Devadatta speaks in accordance with the Teaching and the training. And he speaks with our consent and approval. He knows about us and speaks for us, and we approve of this.”

The monks of few desires complained and criticized them, “How can these monks support Devadatta’s pursuit of schism in the Sangha?”

2They rebuked those monks in many ways and then told the Buddha. Soon afterwards he had the Sangha gathered and questioned the monks: “Is it true, monks, that there are monks who support this?”


“It’s true, Sir.”

The Buddha rebuked them … “Monks, how can those foolish men support this? This will affect people’s confidence …” … “And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

Final ruling

3‘That monk may have one, two, or three monks who side with him and support him, and they may say, “Venerables, don’t correct this monk. He speaks in accordance with the Teaching and the training. And he speaks with our consent and approval. He knows about us and speaks for us, and we approve of this.” The monks should correct those monks like this, “No, Venerables, this monk speaks contrary to the Teaching and the training. And don’t consent to schism in the Sangha. Stay with the Sangha, for a united Sangha—in concord, in harmony, having a joint recitation—is at ease.” If those monks still continue as before, the monks should press them up to three times to make them stop. If they then stop, all is well. If they do not stop, they commit an offense entailing suspension.’”

Definitions

4That: that monk who is pursuing schism in the Sangha.

5May have monks: may have other monks.

6Who side with him: they have the same view, the same belief, the same persuasion as he does.

7Who support him: they praise him and take his side.

8One, two, or three: There is one, or two, or three. They may say, “Venerables, don’t correct this monk. He speaks in accordance with the Teaching and the training. And he speaks with our consent and approval. He knows about us and speaks for us, and we approve of this.”

9Those monks: those monks who side with him.

10The monks: other monks.


11Those who see it or hear about it. They should correct them like this:

“No, Venerables, this monk speaks contrary to the Teaching and the training. And don’t consent to schism in the Sangha. Stay with the Sangha, for a united Sangha—in concord, in harmony, having a joint recitation—is at ease.”

And they should correct them a second and a third time. If they stop, all is well. If they do not stop, they commit an offense of wrong conduct. If those who hear about it do not say anything, they commit an offense of wrong conduct.

Those monks, even if they have to be pulled into the Sangha, should be corrected like this:


“No, Venerables, this monk speaks contrary to the Teaching and the training. And don’t consent to schism in the Sangha. Stay with the Sangha, for a united Sangha—in concord, in harmony, having a joint recitation—is at ease.”

They should correct them a second and a third time. If they stop, all is well. If they do not stop, they commit an offense of wrong conduct.


Should press them:

“And, monks, they should be pressed like this. A competent and capable monk should inform the Sangha:

12‘Please, Venerables, I ask the Sangha to listen. Monks so-and-so and so-and-so are siding with and supporting monk so-and-so who is pursuing schism in the Sangha. And they keep on doing it. If it seems appropriate to the Sangha, the Sangha should press them to make them stop. This is the motion.

13Please, Venerables, I ask the Sangha to listen. Monks so-and-so and so-and-so are siding with and supporting monk so-and-so who is pursuing schism in the Sangha. And they keep on doing it. The Sangha presses them to make them stop. Any monk who approves of pressing them to make them stop should remain silent. Any monk who doesn’t approve should speak up.

14For the second time I speak on this matter: … For the third time I speak on this matter: Please, Venerables, I ask the Sangha to listen. Monks so-and-so and so-and-so are siding with and supporting monk so-and-so who is pursuing schism in the Sangha. And they keep on doing it. The Sangha presses them to make them stop. Any monk who approves of pressing them to make them stop should remain silent. Any monk who doesn’t approve should speak up.

15The Sangha has pressed monks so-and-so and so-and-so to make them stop. The Sangha approves and is therefore silent. I’ll remember it thus.’”


16After the motion, they commit an offense of wrong conduct. After each of the first two announcements, they commit a serious offense. When the last announcement is finished, they commit an offense entailing suspension. For those who commit the offense entailing suspension, the offense of wrong conduct and the serious offenses are annulled. Two or three may be pressed together, but not more than that.

17They commit an offense entailing suspension: … Therefore, too, it is called “an offense entailing suspension”.

Permutations

18If it is a legitimate legal procedure, and they perceive it as such, and they do not stop, they commit an offense entailing suspension.

19If it is a legitimate legal procedure, but they are unsure of it, and they do not stop, they commit an offense entailing suspension.

20If it is a legitimate legal procedure, but they perceive it as illegitimate, and they do not stop, they commit an offense entailing suspension.

21If it is an illegitimate legal procedure, but they perceive it as legitimate, they commit an offense of wrong conduct.

22If it is an illegitimate legal procedure, but they are unsure of it, they commit an offense of wrong conduct.

23If it is an illegitimate legal procedure, and they perceive it as such, they commit an offense of wrong conduct.

Non-offenses

24There is no offense: if they have not been pressed; if they stop; if they are insane; if they are deranged; if they are overwhelmed by pain; if they are the first offenders.

25The training rule on supporting a schism, the eleventh, is finished.

 

1p_1V_1704, msdiv417Tena samayena buddho bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe. Tena kho pana samayena devadatto saṇghabhedāya parakkamati cakkabhedāya. Bhikkhū evamāhaṁsu— "adhammavādī devadatto, avinayavādī devadatto. Kathañhi nāma devadatto saṇghabhedāya parakkamissati cakkabhedāyā"ti.

Evaṁ vutte, kokāliko kaṭamodakatissako khaṇḍadeviyā putto samuddadatto te bhikkhū etadavocuṁ: "māyasmanto evaṁ avacuttha. Dhammavādī devadatto, vinayavādī devadatto. Amhākañca devadatto chandañca ruciñca ādāya voharati jānāti no bhāsati amhākampetaṁ khamatī"ti. Ye te bhikkhū appicchā … pe … te ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti: "Kathañhi nāma bhikkhū devadattassa saṇghabhedāya parakkamantassa anuvattakā bhavissanti vaggavādakā"ti.

2p_1V_1705Atha kho te bhikkhū te anuvattake bhikkhū anekapariyāyena vigarahitvā bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ … pe … "Saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, bhikkhū devadattassa saṇghabhedāya parakkamantassa anuvattakā honti vaggavādakā"ti?


"Saccaṁ, bhagavā"ti.

Vigarahi buddho bhagavā … pe … kathañhi nāma te, bhikkhave, moghapurisā devadattassa saṇghabhedāya parakkamantassa anuvattakā bhavissanti vaggavādakā. Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya … pe … evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—

 

3p_1V_1706, msdiv418"Tasseva kho pana bhikkhussa bhikkhū honti anuvattakā vaggavādakā eko vā dve vā tayo vā. Te evaṁ vadeyyuṁ— ‘māyasmanto etaṁ bhikkhuṁ kiñci avacuttha. Dhammavādī ceso bhikkhu, vinayavādī ceso bhikkhu. Amhākañceso bhikkhu chandañca ruciñca ādāya voharati jānāti no bhāsati amhākampetaṁ khamatī’ti, te bhikkhū bhikkhūhi evamassu vacanīyā— ‘māyasmanto evaṁ avacuttha, na ceso bhikkhu dhammavādī, na ceso bhikkhu vinayavādī, māyasmantānampi saṇghabhedo ruccittha, sametāyasmantānaṁ saṇghena, samaggo hi saṅgho sammodamāno avivadamāno ekuddeso phāsu viharatī’ti. Evañca te bhikkhū bhikkhūhi vuccamānā tatheva paggaṇheyyuṁ, te bhikkhū bhikkhūhi yāvatatiyaṁ samanubhāsitabbā tassa paṭinissaggāya. Yāvatatiyañce samanubhāsiyamānā taṁ paṭinissajjeyyuṁ, iccetaṁ kusalaṁ, no ce paṭinissajjeyyuṁ, Saṅghādiseso" ti.

 

4p_1V_1707, msdiv419Tasseva kho panā'ti tassa saṇghabhedakassa bhikkhuno.

5p_1V_1708Bhikkhū hontī'ti aññe bhikkhū honti.

6p_1V_1709Anuvattakā'ti yaṁdiṭṭhiko so hoti yaṁkhantiko yaṁruciko tepi taṁdiṭṭhikā honti taṁkhantikā taṁrucikā.

7p_1V_1710Vaggavādakā'ti tassa vaṇṇāya pakkhāya ṭhitā honti.

8p_1V_1711Eko vā dve vā tayo vā'ti eko vā hoti dve vā tayo vā. Te evaṁ vadeyyuṁ— "māyasmanto etaṁ bhikkhuṁ kiñci avacuttha, dhammavādī ceso bhikkhu, vinayavādī ceso bhikkhu, amhākañceso bhikkhu chandañca ruciñca ādāya voharati jānāti no bhāsati amhākampetaṁ khamatī"ti.

9p_1V_1712Te bhikkhū'ti ye te anuvattakā bhikkhū.

10p_1V_1713Bhikkhūhī'ti aññehi bhikkhūhi.


11p_1V_1714Ye passanti ye suṇanti tehi vattabbā—

"Māyasmanto evaṁ avacuttha. Na ceso bhikkhu dhammavādī, na ceso bhikkhu vinayavādī. Māyasmantānampi saṇghabhedo ruccittha. Sametāyasmantānaṁ saṇghena. Samaggo hi saṅgho sammodamāno avivadamāno ekuddeso phāsu viharatī"ti.

Dutiyampi vattabbā. Tatiyampi vattabbā. Sace paṭinissajjanti, iccetaṁ kusalaṁ; no ce paṭinissajjanti, āpatti dukkaṭassa. Sutvā na vadanti, āpatti dukkaṭassa.

Te bhikkhū saṇghamajjhampi ākaḍḍhitvā vattabbā—


"Māyasmanto evaṁ avacuttha. Na ceso bhikkhu dhammavādī, na ceso bhikkhu vinayavādī. Māyasmantānampi saṇghabhedo ruccittha. Sametāyasmantānaṁ saṇghena. Samaggo hi saṅgho sammodamāno avivadamāno ekuddeso phāsu viharatī"ti.

Dutiyampi vattabbā. Tatiyampi vattabbā. Sace paṭinissajjanti, iccetaṁ kusalaṁ; no ce paṭinissajjanti, āpatti dukkaṭassa.


Te bhikkhū samanubhāsitabbā.

"Evañca pana, bhikkhave, samanubhāsitabbā. Byattena bhikkhunā paṭibalena saṅgho ñāpetabbo—

12p_1V_1715, msdiv420 ‘Suṇātu me, bhante, saṅgho. Itthannāmo ca itthanāmo ca bhikkhū itthannāmassa bhikkhuno saṇghabhedāya parakkamantassa anuvattakā vaggavādakā. Te taṁ vatthuṁ na paṭinissajjanti. Yadi saṅghassa pattakallaṁ, saṅgho itthannāmañca itthannāmañca bhikkhū samanubhāseyya tassa vatthussa paṭinissaggāya. Esā ñatti.

13p_1V_1716Suṇātu me, bhante, saṅgho. Itthannāmo ca itthannāmo ca bhikkhū itthannāmassa bhikkhuno saṇghabhedāya parakkamantassa anuvattakā vaggavādakā. Te taṁ vatthuṁ na paṭinissajjanti. saṅgho itthannāmañca itthannāmañca bhikkhū samanubhāsati tassa vatthussa paṭinissaggāya. Yassāyasmato khamati itthannāmassa ca itthannāmassa ca bhikkhūnaṁ samanubhāsanā tassa vatthussa paṭinissaggāya, so tuṇhassa; yassa nakkhamati, so bhāseyya.

14p_1V_1717Dutiyampi etamatthaṁ vadāmi … pe … tatiyampi etamatthaṁ vadāmi— suṇātu me, bhante, saṅgho. Itthannāmo ca itthannāmo ca bhikkhū itthannāmassa bhikkhuno saṇghabhedāya parakkamantassa anuvattakā vaggavādakā. Te taṁ vatthuṁ na paṭinissajjanti. saṅgho itthannāmañca itthannāmañca bhikkhū samanubhāsati tassa vatthussa paṭinissaggāya. Yassāyasmato khamati itthannāmassa ca itthannāmassa ca bhikkhūnaṁ samanubhāsanā tassa vatthussa paṭinissaggāya, so tuṇhassa; yassa nakkhamati, so bhāseyya.

15p_1V_1718Samanubhaṭṭhā saṇghena itthannāmo ca itthannāmo ca bhikkhū tassa vatthussa paṭinissaggāya. Khamati saṅghassa, tasmā tuṇhī, evametaṁ dhārayāmī’"ti.


16p_1V_1719, msdiv421 Ñattiyā dukkaṭaṁ, dvīhi kammavācāhi thullaccayā, kammavācāpariyosāne āpatti saṅghādisesassa. saṅghādisesaṁ ajjhāpajjantānaṁ ñattiyā dukkaṭaṁ, dvīhi kammavācāhi thullaccayā paṭippassambhanti. Dve tayo ekato samanubhāsitabbā, taduttari na samanubhāsitabbā.

17p_1V_1720Saṅghādiseso'ti … pe … tenapi vuccati "Saṅghādiseso"ti.

 

18p_1V_1721, msdiv422Dhammakamme dhammakammasaññī na paṭinissajjanti, āpatti saṅghādisesassa.

19p_1V_1722Dhammakamme vematikā na paṭinissajjanti, āpatti saṅghādisesassa.

20p_1V_1723Dhammakamme adhammakammasaññī na paṭinissajjanti, āpatti saṅghādisesassa.

21p_1V_1724Adhammakamme dhammakammasaññī, āpatti dukkaṭassa.

22p_1V_1725Adhammakamme vematikā, āpatti dukkaṭassa.

23p_1V_1726Adhammakamme adhammakammasaññī, āpatti dukkaṭassa.

 

24p_1V_1727, msdiv423Anāpatti— asamanubhāsantānaṁ, paṭinissajjantānaṁ, ummattakānaṁ, khittacittānaṁ, vedanāṭṭānaṁ, ādikammikānanti.

25p_1V_1728Bhedānuvattakasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ ekādasamaṁ.