The Eighteen causes Schism in the Community of Buddhist
Monks (Sangha):
A schism ( sanga-bheda, literally a split in the monks) is a
division in the Community in which two groups of bhikkhus of common
affiliation, with at least five in one group and four or more in the other,
conduct Community business (Uposatha,etc) separately in the same territory.
The Gauthama Buddha condemned schism in strong terms, saying
that a person who starts or joins a schism in a Community originally united
around the Dhamma and Vinaya, is performing one of the five weighty unwholesome
kammas & destined to be boiled for an aeon in hell. The Buddha therefore
formulated two sanghādisesa disciplinary rules to intercept attempts at schism.
The Eighteen causes of schism include Explaining
1. Not-Dhamma as ‘Dhamma’
2. Dhamma as ‘not-Dhamma’
3. Not-Vinaya as Vinaya’ (Discipline)
4. Vinaya as ‘not-Vinaya’ …
5. What was not spoken, not mentioned by the Tathāgata (The
Buddha) as ‘spoken, mentioned by the Tathāgata’ …
6. What was spoken, mentioned by the Tathāgata as ‘not
spoken, not mentioned by the Tathāgata’
7. What was not regularly practiced by the Tathāgata as
‘regularly practiced by the Tathāgata’
8. What was regularly practiced by the Tathāgata as ‘not
regularly practiced by the Tathāgata’
9. What was not formulated by the Tathāgata as ‘formulated
by the Tathāgata’
10. What was formulated by the Tathāgata as ‘not formulated
by the Tathāgata’
11. A non-offense as ‘an offense’
12. An offense as ‘a non-offense’
13. Light offense as ‘a heavy offense’
14. A heavy offense as ‘a light offense’
15. An incurable offense as ‘a curable offense’
16. A curable offense as ‘an incurable offense’
17. A serious offense as ‘a not-serious offense’
18. A not-serious offense as ‘a serious offense.
These are the causes that create division in the Sanga.
May all the beings be well and happy & attain the fruits
of Nibbana.
Suranda Weediyage
BA, Tripitakachariya, Dip in Pali/ Buddhism (Pali & Buddhist University of Sri Lanka), HNDBF,
surandalk@gmail.com
http://www.thebuddhadhamma.wordpress.com
Buddhism seems complex..
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