English
' Even so, Upāli, there is a schism-line, but not a schism. On one side, Upāli, two are, on one side three, the sixth proclaims, takes the voting stick: 'This is the Dhamma, this is the Vinaya, this is the Teacher's teaching, take this, approve this.' Even so, Upāli, there is a schism-line, but not a schism. On one side, Upāli, three are, on one side three, the seventh proclaims, takes the voting stick: 'This is the Dhamma, this is the Vinaya, this is the Teacher's teaching, take this, approve this.' Even so, Upāli, there is a schism-line, but not a schism. On one side, Upāli, three are, on one side four, the eighth proclaims, takes the voting stick: 'This is the Dhamma, this is the Vinaya, this is the Teacher's teaching, take this, approve this.' Even so, Upāli, there is a schism-line, but not a schism. On one side, Upāli, four are, on one side four, the ninth proclaims, takes the voting stick: 'This is the Dhamma, this is the Vinaya, this is the Teacher's teaching, take this, approve this.' Thus, Upāli, there is both a schism-line and a schism. Or of nine, Upāli, or of more than nine, there is both a schism-line and a schism. Indeed, Upāli, a bhikkhunī does not break the Sangha, but she strives for a break. A sikkhamānā does not break the Sangha, but she strives for a break. A novice monk does not break the Sangha, but he strives for a break. A novice nun does not break the Sangha, but she strives for a break. A male lay follower does not break the Sangha, but he strives for a break. A female lay follower does not break the Sangha, but she strives for a break. Indeed, Upāli, a bhikkhu... Then, one having the same communion, standing in the same boundary, breaks the Sangha. "Schism of the Sangha, schism of the Sangha," venerable sir, it is said. "How far, venerable sir, is the Sangha broken?" "Here, Upāli, monks declare non-Dhamma as Dhamma, Dhamma as non-Dhamma, non-Vinaya as Vinaya, Vinaya as non-Vinaya, what was not spoken, not uttered by the Tathāgata as spoken, uttered by the Tathāgata, what was spoken, uttered by the Tathāgata as not spoken, not uttered by the Tathāgata, what was not practiced by the Tathāgata as practiced by the Tathāgata, what was practiced by the Tathāgata as not practiced by the Tathāgata, what was not laid down by the Tathāgata as laid down by the Tathāgata, what was laid down by the Tathāgata as not laid down by the Tathāgata, a non-offence as an offence, an offence as a non-offence, a light offence as a serious offence, a serious offence as a light offence, an offence with a remainder as an offence without a remainder, an offence without a remainder as an offence with a remainder, a gross offence as a non-gross offence, a non-gross offence as a gross offence. They, by these eighteen points, draw away, pull away, perform a separate Uposatha, perform a separate Pavāraṇā, perform a separate Sangha-act. To this extent, Upāli, the Sangha is broken." "Harmony of the Sangha, harmony of the Sangha," venerable sir, it is said. "How far, venerable sir, is the Sangha harmonious?" "Here, Upāli, monks declare non-Dhamma as non-Dhamma, Dhamma as Dhamma, non-Vinaya as non-Vinaya, Vinaya as Vinaya, what was not spoken, not uttered by the Tathāgata as not spoken, not uttered by the Tathāgata, what was spoken, uttered by the Tathāgata as spoken, uttered by the Tathāgata. they declare, "It is not practiced by the Tathāgata, it is not practiced by the Tathāgata," they declare, "It is practiced by the Tathāgata, it is practiced by the Tathāgata," they declare, "It is not laid down by the Tathāgata, it is not laid down by the Tathāgata," they declare, "It is laid down by the Tathāgata, it is laid down by the Tathāgata," they declare, "It is no offense, it is no offense," they declare, "It is an offense, it is an offense," they declare, "It is a light offense, it is a light offense," they declare, "It is a grave offense, it is a grave offense," they declare, "It is an offense with a remainder, it is an offense with a remainder," they declare, "It is an offense without a remainder, it is an offense without a remainder," they declare, "It is a serious offense, it is a serious offense," they declare, "It is not a serious offense, it is not a serious offense." They do not reject or set aside these eighteen points, nor do they hold a separate Uposatha, nor do they hold a separate Pavāraṇā, nor do they perform a separate Sangha-act. To this extent, Upāli, the Sangha is united." 354. "But, Venerable Sir, what does one produce by breaking a united Sangha?" "By breaking a united Sangha, Upāli, one produces a fault that lasts for an eon, one burns in hell for an eon." "One bound for the lower realms, bound for hell, lasting an eon, is the breaker of the Sangha; Delighting in faction, unrighteous, he falls away from security from bondage; Having broken a united Sangha, he burns in hell for an eon." "But, Venerable Sir, what does one produce by uniting a broken Sangha?" "By uniting a broken Sangha, Upāli, one produces supreme merit, one rejoices in heaven for an eon." "Happy is the unity of the Sangha, and the support of the united; Delighting in unity, righteous, he does not fall away from security from bondage; Having made the Sangha united, he rejoices in heaven for an eon." 355. "Is it possible, Venerable Sir, for a breaker of the Sangha to be bound for the lower realms, bound for hell, lasting an eon, incurable?" "It is possible, Upāli, for a breaker of the Sangha to be bound for the lower realms, bound for hell, lasting an eon, not curable." "Might it be, venerable sir, that a schismatic is not destined for woe, not for hell, not for a kalpa, not incurable?" "It might be, Upāli, that a schismatic is not destined for woe, not for hell, not for a kalpa, not incurable." "But which, venerable sir, is the schismatic destined for woe, for hell, for a kalpa, incurable?" "Here, Upāli, a monk declares what is not Dhamma to be Dhamma. Regarding that, his view is that it is not Dhamma; regarding the schism, his view is that it is not Dhamma; having set aside his view, having set aside his acceptance, having set aside his preference, having set aside his conviction, he proclaims, he takes the voting-stick – 'This is Dhamma, this is Vinaya, this is the Teacher's teaching, take this, approve this!'" "This one too, Upāli, is a schismatic destined for woe, for hell, for a kalpa, incurable." "Furthermore, Upāli, a monk declares what is not Dhamma to be Dhamma. Regarding that, his view is that it is not Dhamma; regarding the schism, his view is that it is Dhamma; having set aside his view, having set aside his acceptance, having set aside his preference, having set aside his conviction, he proclaims, he takes the voting-stick – 'This is Dhamma, this is Vinaya, this is the Teacher's teaching, take this, approve this!'" "This one too, Upāli, is a schismatic destined for woe, for hell, for a kalpa, incurable." "Furthermore, Upāli, a monk declares what is not Dhamma to be Dhamma. Regarding that, his view is that it is not Dhamma; regarding the schism, he is doubtful; having set aside his view, having set aside his acceptance, having set aside his preference, having set aside his conviction, he proclaims, he takes the voting-stick – 'This is Dhamma, this is Vinaya, this is the Teacher's teaching, take this, approve this!'" "This one too, Upāli, is a schismatic destined for woe, for hell, for a kalpa, incurable." "Furthermore, Upāli, a monk declares what is not Dhamma to be Dhamma. Regarding that, his view is that it is Dhamma; regarding the schism, his view is that it is not Dhamma; ... (having set aside his view, acceptance, preference, conviction, he proclaims and takes the voting-stick, saying: 'This is Dhamma, this is Vinaya, this is the Teacher's teaching, take this, approve this!') This one too, Upāli, is a schismatic destined for woe, for hell, for a kalpa, incurable. Regarding that, his view is that it is Dhamma; regarding the schism, his view is that it is..." He is doubtful. Being doubtful about that, in the division, he holds a view of non-Dhamma. Being doubtful about that, in the division, he holds a view of Dhamma. Being doubtful about that, in the division, he is doubtful, having laid aside his view, having laid aside his preference, having laid aside his liking, having laid aside his disposition, he proclaims, he takes the voting-stick – ‘This is Dhamma, this is Vinaya, this is the Teacher’s teaching, take this, approve this.’ This one too, Upāli, is a schismatic, bound for the woeful states, bound for hell, remaining for an eon, incurable. Furthermore, Upāli, a bhikkhu declares Dhamma to be non-Dhamma, declares non-Vinaya to be Vinaya, declares Vinaya to be non-Vinaya, declares what was not spoken, not uttered by the Tathāgata to be spoken, uttered by the Tathāgata, declares what was spoken, uttered by the Tathāgata to be not spoken, not uttered by the Tathāgata, declares what was not practiced by the Tathāgata to be practiced by the Tathāgata, declares what was practiced by the Tathāgata to be not practiced by the Tathāgata, declares what was not laid down by the Tathāgata to be laid down by the Tathāgata, declares what was laid down by the Tathāgata to be not laid down by the Tathāgata, declares a non-offence to be an offence, declares an offence to be a non-offence, declares a light offence to be a heavy offence, declares a heavy offence to be a light offence, declares an offence with remainder to be an offence without remainder, declares an offence without remainder to be an offence with remainder, declares a gross offence to be a non-gross offence, declares a non-gross offence to be a gross offence. In that, he holds a view of non-Dhamma; in the division, he holds a view of non-Dhamma. In that, he holds a view of non-Dhamma; in the division, he holds a view of Dhamma. In that, he holds a view of non-Dhamma; in the division, he is doubtful.