TENTH KHANDHAKA.
(SCHISMS AMONG THE SAMGHA.)
1.
1. At that time the blessed Buddha dwelt at Kosambî in the Ghositârâma.
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 Mâtikâ 1; 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.
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[paragraph continues] 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,
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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 Blessed One was. Having
approached him and respectfully saluted the Blessed One, he sat down near him.
Sitting near him that Bhikkhu said to the Blessed One: '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 Blessed One (exclaimed): 'The Bhikkhu Samgha is divided! The Bhikkhu
Samgha 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 Blessed One
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
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to that Bhikkhu: "This venerable brother is erudite; he has studied the Âgamas;
he knows the Dhamma, the Vinaya, the Mâtikâ; 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 Samgha altercations, contentions, discord, quarrels,
divisions among the Samgha, disunion among the Samgha, separations among the
Samgha, schisms among the Samgha,"--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 Pavâranâ with that Bhikkhu, but hold Pavâranâ
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
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proper duties, but perform without that Bhikkhu, according to seniority, the
duties, &c.,--this matter will cause among the Samgha (&c., as in § 6, down to
the end).'
8. And the Blessed One, 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 Blessed One 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 Pavâranâ with me, but hold Pavâranâ without me
(&c., as in § 7), this matter will cause, &c., schisms among the Samgha,"--in
that case, O Bhikkhus, let that Bhikkhu, standing in awe of causing divisions,
acknowledge that offence on the authority of his brethren 1.' And the
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[paragraph continues] Blessed One, 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 Blessed One was; having approached him and having respectfully saluted
the Blessed One, he sat down near him. Sitting near him that Bhikkhu said to the
Blessed One: '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 ñatti
and anussâvanâ, 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
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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 1, or the Samgha 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 2, or the Samgha, 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.
Footnotes
285:1 See Kullavagga I, t I, I, with our note.
289:1 In the text sandhâya must be corrected into saddhâya; see Kullavagga XI,
1, 10.
291:1 By associating with expelled Bhikkhus.
291:2 By giving up his connection with expelled Bhikkhus.
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