Mahavagga 10.1

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Adapted from the Translation by T. W. Rhys Davids and Hermann Oldenberg

MAHAVAGGA

TENTH KHANDHAKA (SCHISMS AMONG THE SANGHA)

Chapter-1.

1. At that time the Great Buddha dwelt at Kosambi in the Ghositarama.

At that time a certain Bhikkhu had committed an offence which he considered as an offence, while the other Bhikkhus considered that offence as no offence. Afterwards he began to consider that offence as no offence, and the other Bhikkhus began to consider that offence as an offence.

Now those Bhikkhus said to that Bhikkhu: 'You have committed an offence, friend; do you see that offence?'

(He replied): 'There is no offence, friends, which I should see.'

Then those Bhikkhus, bringing about unanimity (of the fraternity for their sentence) pronounced expulsion against that Bhikkhu for his refusal to see that offence.

2. Now that Bhikkhu was erudite; he had studied the Agamas; he knew the Dhamma, the Vinaya, the Matika; he was wise, learned, intelligent, modest, conscientious, anxious for training.

And that Bhikkhu went to his companions and friends among the Bhikkhus, and said to them: 'This is no offence, friends; this is not an offence.

I am offenceless; I am not guilty of an offence; I am unexpelled and, have not been expelled; the sentence by which I have been expelled is unlawful, objectionable, and invalid. May the venerable ones be my partisans according to Dhamma and Vinaya.'

Thus that Bhikkhu got his companions and friends among the Bhikkhus on his side.

And he sent also a messenger to his companions and friends among the Bhikkhus of the whole country (with the following message): 'This is no offence, friends; this is not an offence (&c., down to:). May the venerable ones be my partisans according to Dhamma and Vinaya.'

Thus that Bhikkhu got also his companions and friends among the Bhikkhus of the whole country on his side.

3. Now those Bhikkhus who were partisans of the expelled Bhikkhu, went to the place where those who had expelled him, were. Having approached them, they said to the Bhikkhus who had expelled him: This is no offence, friends; this is not an offence. This Bhikkhu is offenceless; this Bhikkhu is not guilty of an offence. This Bhikkhu is unexpelled; this Bhikkhu has not been expelled. The sentence by which he has been expelled is unlawful, objectionable, and invalid.'

When they had spoken thus, the Bhikkhus who had expelled that Bhikkhu, said to the partisans of the expelled one: 'This is an offence, friends; this is not no offence. This Bhikkhu is an offender; this Bhikkhu is not offenceless. This Bhikkhu is expelled; this Bhikkhu is not unexpelled. The sentence by which he has been expelled is lawful,

unobjectionable, and valid. Do not stand, O venerable ones, on the side of this expelled Bhikkhu; do not follow him.'

But the partisans of the expelled Bhikkhu, though they were spoken to thus by the Bhikkhus who had expelled him, persevered nevertheless on the side of that expelled Bhikkhu and followed him.

4. And a certain Bhikkhu went to the place where the Lord Buddha was. Having approached him and respectfully saluted the Lord Buddha, he sat down near him. Sitting near him that Bhikkhu said to the Lord Buddha: 'A certain Bhikkhu, Lord, had committed an offence which he considered as an offence (&c., as in §§-1-3, down to:). But the partisans, Lord, of the expelled Bhikkhu, though they were spoken to thus by the Bhikkhus who had expelled him, persevered nevertheless on the side of that expelled Bhikkhu and followed him.'

5. Then the Lord Buddha (exclaimed): 'The Bhikkhu Sangha is divided! The Bhikkhu Sangha is divided!'--and he rose from his seat and went to the place where the Bhikkhus were who had pronounced that sentence of expulsion. Having approached them, he sat down on the seat they had prepared. Sitting there the Lord Buddha said to the Bhikkhus who had pronounced expulsion against that Bhikkhu: 'Do not think, O Bhikkhus, that you are to pronounce expulsion against a Bhikkhu whatever be the facts of the case, saying, "It occurs to us to do so; it occurs to us to do so."

6. 'In case, O Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu has committed an offence which he considers as no offence, while the other Bhikkhus consider it as an offence--if, O Bhikkhus, those Bhikkhus know with regard to that Bhikkhu: "This venerable brother is erudite; he has studied the Agamas; he knows the Dhamma, the Vinaya, the Matika; he is wise, learned, intelligent, modest, conscientious, anxious for training. Should we pronounce expulsion against this Bhikkhu for his refusal to see that offence, and should we not hold Uposatha with that Bhikkhu, but hold Uposatha without that Bhikkhu, this matter will cause among the Sangha altercations, contentions, discord, quarrels, divisions among the Sangha, disunion among the Sangha, separations among the Sangha, schisms among the Sangha,"--in that case, O Bhikkhus, let those Bhikkhus, standing in awe of causing divisions, not pronounce expulsion against that Bhikkhu for his refusal to see his offence.

7. 'In case, O Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu has committed (&c., as above, down to:). "Should we pronounce expulsion against this Bhikkhu for his refusal to see that offence, and should we not hold Pavarana with that Bhikkhu, but hold Pavarana without that Bhikkhu, and not perform official acts with that Bhikkhu, but perform official acts without that Bhikkhu, and not sit down on our seats with that Bhikkhu, but sit down on our seats without that Bhikkhu, and not sit down to drink rice-milk with that Bhikkhu, but sit down to drink rice-milk without that Bhikkhu, and not sit down in the dining-hall with that Bhikkhu, but sit down in the dining-hall without that Bhikkhu, and not dwell under one roof with that Bhikkhu, but dwell under one roof without that Bhikkhu, and not perform with that Bhikkhu, according to seniority, the duties of respectfully saluting each other, rising from our seats, raising the joined hands before each other, and all proper duties, but perform without that Bhikkhu, according to seniority, the duties, &c.,--this matter will cause among the Sangha (&c., as in §-6, down to the end).'

8. And the Lord Buddha, having spoken thus to the Bhikkhus who had pronounced that sentence of expulsion, rose from his seat, and went to the place where the partisans of the expelled Bhikkhu were. Having approached them, he sat down on the seat they had prepared. Sitting there the Lord Buddha said to the partisans of the expelled Bhikkhu: 'Do not think, O Bhikkhus, if you have committed an offence, that you need not atone for that offence, (saying to yourselves): "We are without offence." In case, O Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu has committed an offence which he considers as no offence, while the other Bhikkhus consider it as an offence--if, O Bhikkhus, that Bhikkhu knows with regard to those Bhikkhus: "These venerable brethren are erudite (&c., down to:) anxious for training. It is impossible that they should, on my account, or on account of anybody else, abandon themselves to walking in longing, in malice, in delusion, in fear. Should these Bhikkhus pronounce expulsion against me for my refusal to see that offence, and should they not hold Uposatha with me, but hold Uposatha without me, and should they not hold Pavarana with me, but hold Pavarana without me (&c., as in §-7), this matter will cause, &c., schisms among the Sangha,"--in that case, O Bhikkhus, let that Bhikkhu, standing in awe of causing divisions, acknowledge that offence on the authority of his brethren.' And the Lord Buddha, having spoken thus to the partisans of the expelled Bhikkhu, rose from his seat and went away.

9. At that time the Bhikkhus who were partisans of that expelled Bhikkhu, held Uposatha and performed official acts at that same place, within the boundary. On the other hand the Bhikkhus who had pronounced expulsion against him, went outside the boundary and there held Uposatha, and performed official acts.

Now a certain Bhikkhu of those who had expelled that Bhikkhu, went to the place where the Lord Buddha was; having approached him and having respectfully saluted the Lord Buddha, he sat down near him. Sitting near him that Bhikkhu said to the Lord Buddha: 'Lord, those Bhikkhus who are partisans of that expelled Bhikkhu, hold Uposatha, and perform official acts, at that same place, within the boundary. On the other hand, we who have pronounced expulsion against him, have gone outside the boundary and there hold Uposatha and perform official acts.'

(Buddha replied): 'If those Bhikkhus, O Bhikkhu, who are partisans of that expelled Bhikkhu, will hold Uposatha, and perform official acts, at that same place, within the boundary, according to the rules laid down by me about natti and anussavana, these official acts which they perform will be lawful, unobjectionable, and valid. And if you, O Bhikkhus, who have expelled that Bhikkhu, will hold Uposatha, and perform official acts, at that same place, within the boundary (&c., down to:) and valid.

10. 'And why is this so? These Bhikkhus belong to another communion than that to which you belong, and you belong to another communion than that to which they belong.

'There are two cases, O Bhikkhu, in which a Bhikkhu (though he dwell within the same boundary) is considered as belonging to another communion:--either he himself makes himself belong to another communion, or the Sangha in a complete congregation pronounces expulsion against him for his refusal to see (an offence committed by himself), or to atone (for such an offence), or to renounce (a false doctrine). These, O Bhikkhu, are the two cases in which a Bhikkhu is considered as belonging to another communion.

'There are two cases, O Bhikkhu, in which a Bhikkhu (belonging to either of the categories mentioned) reacquires the belonging to the same communion (with his brethren within the same boundary); either he himself makes himself belong (again) to that same communion, or the Sangha, having expelled him for his refusal to see (an offence), or to atone (for an offence), or to renounce (a false doctrine), restores him in a complete congregation. These, O Bhikkhu, are the two cases in which a Bhikkhu reacquires the belonging to the same communion.