The Buddha teaches on harmony in the saṅgha, presenting a tenfold teaching for disciples on the path.

AN 10.38 Harmony in the Saṅgha

“‘Saṅghasāmaggī, saṅghasāmaggī’ti, bhante, vuccati. Kittāvatā nu kho, bhante, saṅgho samaggo hotī”ti?

“Idhupāli, bhikkhū adhammaṁ adhammoti dīpenti, dhammaṁ dhammoti dīpenti, avinayaṁ avinayoti dīpenti, vinayaṁ vinayoti dīpenti, abhāsitaṁ alapitaṁ tathāgatena abhāsitaṁ alapitaṁ tathāgatenāti dīpenti, bhāsitaṁ lapitaṁ tathāgatena bhāsitaṁ lapitaṁ tathāgatenāti dīpenti, anāciṇṇaṁ tathāgatena anāciṇṇaṁ tathāgatenāti dīpenti, āciṇṇaṁ tathāgatena āciṇṇaṁ tathāgatenāti dīpenti, apaññattaṁ tathāgatena apaññattaṁ tathāgatenāti dīpenti, paññattaṁ tathāgatena paññattaṁ tathāgatenāti dīpenti. Te imehi dasahi vatthūhi na avakassanti na apakassanti na āveni kammāni karonti na āveni pātimokkhaṁ uddisanti. Ettāvatā kho, upāli, saṅgho samaggo hotī”ti.

Aṭṭhamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“‘Saṅghasāmaggī, saṅghasāmaggī’ti, bhante, vuccati.

“Sir, they speak of ‘harmony in the Saṅgha’.

Kittāvatā nu kho, bhante, saṅgho samaggo hotī”ti?

How is harmony in the Saṅgha defined?”

“Idhupāli, bhikkhū adhammaṁ adhammoti dīpenti, dhammaṁ dhammoti dīpenti, avinayaṁ avinayoti dīpenti, vinayaṁ vinayoti dīpenti, abhāsitaṁ alapitaṁ tathāgatena abhāsitaṁ alapitaṁ tathāgatenāti dīpenti, bhāsitaṁ lapitaṁ tathāgatena bhāsitaṁ lapitaṁ tathāgatenāti dīpenti, anāciṇṇaṁ tathāgatena anāciṇṇaṁ tathāgatenāti dīpenti, āciṇṇaṁ tathāgatena āciṇṇaṁ tathāgatenāti dīpenti, apaññattaṁ tathāgatena apaññattaṁ tathāgatenāti dīpenti, paññattaṁ tathāgatena paññattaṁ tathāgatenāti dīpenti.

“Upāli, it’s when a mendicant explains what is not the teaching as not the teaching, and what is the teaching as the teaching. They explain what is not the training as not the training, and what is the training as the training. They explain what was not spoken and stated by the Realized One as not spoken and stated by the Realized One, and what was spoken and stated by the Realized One as spoken and stated by the Realized One. They explain what was not practiced by the Realized One as not practiced by the Realized One, and what was practiced by the Realized One as practiced by the Realized One. They explain what was not prescribed by the Realized One as not prescribed by the Realized One, and what was prescribed by the Realized One as prescribed by the Realized One.

Te imehi dasahi vatthūhi na avakassanti na apakassanti na āveni kammāni karonti na āveni pātimokkhaṁ uddisanti.

On these ten grounds they don’t split off and go their own way. They don’t perform legal acts autonomously or recite the monastic code autonomously.

Ettāvatā kho, upāli, saṅgho samaggo hotī”ti.

That is how harmony in the Saṅgha is defined.”

Aṭṭhamaṁ.

Qualities:

Harm

Harm

Intention or action that causes injury or suffering to oneself or others. It arises from aversion and heedlessness and destroys trust and safety. The opposite of non-harm, it obscures compassion and leads to regret.

Also known as: injury causing behavior, destructiveness, bad, evil
Pāli: pāpaka
View all discourses →
Wisdom

Wisdom

Lived understanding and sound judgment that steers the mind away from suffering, distinct from mere accumulation of facts.

Also known as: (of a person) wise, astute, intelligent, learned, skilled, firm, stable, steadfast, an experiential understanding of the four noble truths
Pāli: paññā, medhā, dhīra, paṇḍita, asammūḷha
View all discourses →

Last updated on July 27, 2026