UD 5.8  Saṅghabheda sutta - Splitting Apart of the Community

Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe. Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā ānando tadahuposathe pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya rājagahaṁ piṇḍāya pāvisi.

Thus have I heard—At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling at |Rājagaha::name of a city; capital of Magadha; lit. king’s house [rājagaha]|, in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrels’ feeding ground. Now, at that time, on the |Uposatha::Occurring on specific lunar days such as the full moon, new moon, and quarter moons, this is a time for renewing virtue, deepening practice, and purifying the mind. [uposatha]| day, venerable Ānanda dressed early in the morning, and taking his alms bowl and outer robe, entered Rājagaha for alms.

Addasā kho devadatto āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ rājagahe piṇḍāya carantaṁ. Disvāna yenāyasmā ānando tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ etadavoca: “ajjatagge dānāhaṁ, āvuso ānanda, aññatreva bhagavatā aññatra bhikkhusaṅghā uposathaṁ karissāmi saṅghakammāni cā”ti.

|Devadatta::Devadatta was the Buddha’s cousin and a bhikkhu who, driven by ambition and envy, attempted to create a schism in the Saṅgha. [devadatta]| saw venerable Ānanda walking for alms in Rājagaha. Having seen him, he approached venerable Ānanda, and having approached, he said this to him: “From today onward, friend Ānanda, I will observe the Uposatha and perform |formal acts of the Saṅgha::(vinaya) legal action of the community [saṅghakamma]| separately from the Blessed One and separately from the |Saṅgha::The community of monks and nuns practicing in line with the Buddha’s teachings. In the broader sense, this is the community of disciples who have realized the noble path and fruition through the Buddha’s teachings [saṅgha]| of bhikkhus.”

Atha kho āyasmā ānando rājagahe piṇḍāya caritvā pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

Then, having walked for alms in Rājagaha and having returned from his alms round after the meal, venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One. Having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down at one side. Seated to one side, the venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One:

“Idhāhaṁ, bhante, pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya rājagahaṁ piṇḍāya pāvisiṁ. Addasā kho maṁ, bhante, devadatto rājagahe piṇḍāya carantaṁ. Disvāna yenāhaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā maṁ etadavoca: ‘ajjatagge dānāhaṁ, āvuso ānanda, aññatreva bhagavatā aññatra bhikkhusaṅghā uposathaṁ karissāmi saṅghakammāni cā’ti. Ajja, bhante, devadatto saṅghaṁ bhindissati, uposathañca karissati saṅghakammāni cā”ti.

“Here, venerable sir, having dressed in the morning, and taking my alms bowl and outer robe, I entered Rājagaha for alms. Devadatta saw me walking for alms in Rājagaha. Having seen me, he approached me and said this to me: ‘From today onward, friend Ānanda, I will observe the Uposatha and perform formal acts of the Saṅgha separately from the Blessed One and separately from the Saṅgha of bhikkhus.’ Today, venerable sir, Devadatta will split the Saṅgha, and he will observe the Uposatha and perform formal acts of the Saṅgha.”

Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:

Then, understanding the significance of this, the Blessed One at that time expressed this inspired utterance:

“Sukaraṁ sādhunā sādhu,
Sādhu pāpena dukkaraṁ;
Pāpaṁ pāpena sukaraṁ,
Pāpamariyehi dukkaran”ti.

“Good is easily done by the good,
good is hard for the bad to do;
Evil is easily done by the bad,
evil is hard for the noble ones to do.”