ITI 18  Saṅghabheda sutta - Splitting Apart of the Community

Vuttañhetaṁ bhagavatā vuttamarahatāti me sutaṁ:

This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, as I have heard:

“Ekadhammo, bhikkhave, loke uppajjamāno uppajjati bahujanāhitāya bahujanāsukhāya bahuno janassa anatthāya ahitāya dukkhāya devamanussānaṁ. Katamo ekadhammo? Saṅghabhedo. Saṅghe kho pana, bhikkhave, bhinne aññamaññaṁ bhaṇḍanāni ceva honti, aññamaññaṁ paribhāsā ca honti, aññamaññaṁ parikkhepā ca honti, aññamaññaṁ pariccajanā ca honti. Tattha appasannā ceva nappasīdanti, pasannānañca ekaccānaṁ aññathattaṁ hotī”ti.

“Bhikkhus, one thing arises in the world |for the harm of many people::that causes disadvantage, injury, and distress to a large group of people [bahujanāhitāya]| and |for the discomfort of many people::leads to unhappiness, trouble, and affliction for many people [bahujanāsukhāya]|. It arises |for the misfortune::to the detriment [anatthāya]| and |disadvantage::damage [ahitāya]| and |suffering::pain, discomfort, unease, unpleasantness, trouble, stress [dukkha]| of both gods and humans. What is this one thing? It is the |splitting apart of the community::schism in the Saṅgha, division within the monastic community [saṅghabhedo]|. When the community is divided, there are mutual quarrels, |abuse::insult, revilement [paribhāsā]|, exclusion, and |rejection::abandonment [pariccajana]| of one another. In such a situation, those |without confidence::who are non-believers [appasannā]| do not develop confidence, and some of those who have confidence change their minds.”

Etamatthaṁ bhagavā avoca. Tatthetaṁ iti vuccati:

The Blessed One spoke on this matter. In this regard, it is said:

“Āpāyiko nerayiko,
Kappaṭṭho saṅghabhedako;
Vaggārāmo adhammaṭṭho,
Yogakkhemā padhaṁsati;
Saṅghaṁ samaggaṁ bhetvāna,
Kappaṁ nirayamhi paccatī”ti.

“One who causes the splitting apart of the community is |destined for a miserable state::to be reborn in suffering [āpāyika]|,
destined for |hell::a place of intense suffering, lit. no good fortune [niraya]|, and will |remain there for an aeon::lasting a world cycle, a vast cosmic time span [kappaṭṭha]|;
Taking pleasure in division, and not living in accordance with the |Dhamma::teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [dhamma]|,
that one falls away from security and peace;
Having ruptured the |unified::harmonious [samagga]| community,
that one suffers in hell for an aeon.”

Ayampi attho vutto bhagavatā, iti me sutanti.

This matter too was spoken by the Blessed One, as I have heard.