(Mv.X.1.1) [238] At that time the Blessed One was staying at Kosambī, at Ghosita’s monastery. And at that time, a certain monk fell into an offense. He was of the view that that offense was (in fact) an offense. Other monks were of the view that it wasn’t an offense. At a later time, he was of the view that the offense was not an offense, and the other monks were of the view that it was an offense.

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Then the monks said to that (the first) monk, “Friend, you have fallen into an offense. Do you see that offense?”

“I have no offense that I should see, friends.”

Then the monks, having gotten consent (from the Saṅgha), suspended the monk for not seeing the offense.(2)

(Mv.X.1.2) But the monk was learned and erudite, had memorized the Dhamma, the Vinaya, the Mātikā. He was wise, experienced, astute, conscientious, scrupulous, desirous of training. Then the monk went to his friends and companions and said, “This is a non-offense. This is not an offense. I have not fallen into an offense. It’s not the case that I have fallen into an offense. I am unsuspended, not suspended. I was suspended with a non-Dhamma transaction — reversible, not fit to stand. Be on my side (I am) in accordance with the Dhamma & Vinaya.”(3)

So the monk was able to get his friends and companions to be on his side. He sent a messenger to his friends and companions in the countryside, (saying,) “This is a non-offense. This is not an offense. I have not fallen into an offense. It’s not the case that I have fallen into an offense. I am unsuspended, not suspended. I was suspended with a non-Dhamma transaction — reversible, not fit to stand. Be on my side (I am) in accordance with the Dhamma & Vinaya.”

So the monk was able to get his friends and companions in the countryside to be on his side.

(Mv.X.1.3) Then those monks — followers of the suspended monk — went to the monks who had suspended him and said to them, “This is a non-offense. This is not an offense. That monk has not fallen into an offense. It’s not the case that he has fallen into an offense. He is unsuspended, not suspended. He was suspended with a non-Dhamma transaction — reversible, not fit to stand.”

When that was said, the monks who had suspended him said to his followers, “This is an offense. This is not a non-offense. That monk has fallen into an offense. It’s not the case that he has not fallen into an offense. He is suspended, not unsuspended. He was suspended with a Dhamma transaction — irreversible and fit to stand. Venerable sirs, don’t follow or attend on that suspended monk.”

Being told that by the monks who had suspended him, the followers (of the suspended monk) still followed and attended on him.

(Mv.X.1.4) [239] Then a certain monk went to the Blessed One, bowed down, and sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he said to the Blessed One, “Lord, here, a certain monk fell into an offense. He was of the view that that offense was (in fact) an offense. Other monks were of the view that it wasn’t an offense. At a later time, he was of the view that the offense was not an offense, and the other monks were of the view that it was an offense. Then the monks said to that (the first) monk, ‘Friend, you have fallen into an offense. Do you see that offense?’ (He said,) ‘I have no offense that I should see, friends.’ Then the monks, having gotten consent (from the Saṅgha), suspended the monk for not seeing the offense. But the monk is learned and erudite, has memorized the Dhamma, the Vinaya, the Mātikā. He is wise, experienced, astute, conscientious, scrupulous, desirous of training. Then the monk went to his friends and companions and said, ‘This is a non-offense. This is not an offense. I have not fallen into an offense. It’s not the case that I have fallen into an offense. I am unsuspended, not suspended. I was suspended with a non-Dhamma transaction — reversible, not fit to stand. Be on my side (I am) in accordance with the Dhamma & Vinaya.’ So the monk was able to get his friends and companions to be on his side. He sent a messenger to his friends and companions in the countryside, (saying,) ‘This is a non-offense. This is not an offense. I have not fallen into an offense. It’s not the case that I have fallen into an offense. I am unsuspended, not suspended. I was suspended with a non-Dhamma transaction — reversible, not fit to stand. Be on my side (I am) in accordance with the Dhamma & Vinaya.’ So the monk was able to get his friends and companions in the countryside to be on his side. Then those monks — followers (of the suspended monk) — went to the monks who had suspended him and said to them, ‘This is a non-offense. This is not an offense. That monk has not fallen into an offense. It’s not the case that he has fallen into an offense. He is unsuspended, not suspended. He was suspended with a non-Dhamma transaction — reversible, not fit to stand.’ When that was said, the monks who had suspended him said to his followers, ‘This is an offense. This is not a non-offense. That monk has fallen into an offense. It’s not the case that he has not fallen into an offense. He is suspended, not unsuspended. He was suspended with a Dhamma transaction that is irreversible and fit to stand. Venerable sirs, don’t follow or attend on that suspended monk.’ Being told that by the monks who had suspended him, the followers (of the suspended monk) still followed and attended on him.”

(Mv.X.1.5) Then the Blessed One, (thinking,) “The Saṅgha of monks is split. The Saṅgha of monks is split,” got up from his seat and went to the monks who had suspended (the first monk), and sat down on a seat made ready. Having sat down, he said to the monks who had suspended (the first monk), “Monks, don’t assume, (thinking,) ‘It’s clear to us. It’s clear to us,’ that in every case a monk should be suspended.

(Mv.X.1.6) “Monks, there is the case where a monk falls into an offense. He is of the view that that offense is not an offense. Other monks are of the view that it is an offense. And the monks know of that monk that, ‘This monk is learned … and is desirous of training. (They think,) ’If we suspend this monk for not seeing an offense, then we won’t do the uposatha with him. We will do the uposatha without him. From that cause there would be arguing, quarreling, clashes, and disputes in the Saṅgha, a split in the Saṅgha, a crack in the Saṅgha, a falling apart in the Saṅgha, a separation in the Saṅgha.’

“Monks who see the seriousness of a split (in the Saṅgha) would not suspend that monk for not seeing an offense.

(Mv.X.1.7) “Monks, there is the case where a monk falls into an offense. He is of the view that that offense is not an offense. Other monks are of the view that it is an offense. And the monks know of that monk that, ‘This monk is learned … and is desirous of training.’ (They think,) ’If we suspend this monk for not seeing an offense, then we won’t do the Invitation with him. We will do the Invitation without him.

“’We won’t do Saṅgha transactions with him. We will do Saṅgha transactions without him.

“’We won’t sit on (the same) seat with him. We will sit on a seat separate from him.

“’We won’t sit having conjey with him. We will sit having conjey separate from him.

“’We won’t sit in the meal-hall with him. We will sit in the meal-hall separate from him.

“’We won’t dwell under the same roof with him. We will dwell under a roof separate from him.

“’We won’t — in line with seniority — bow down to him, stand up to greet him, salute him with hands placed palm-to-palm over the heart, or perform form of respect due to superiors.

“’From that cause there would be arguing, quarreling, clashes, and disputes in the Saṅgha, a split in the Saṅgha, a crack in the Saṅgha, a falling apart in the Saṅgha, a separation in the Saṅgha.’

“Monks who see the seriousness of a split (in the Saṅgha) would not suspend that monk for not seeing an offense.”

(Mv.X.1.8) Then the Blessed One, having explained the matter to the monks who had suspended (the first monk), got up from his seat, went to the followers (of the suspended monk), and sat down on a seat made ready. Having sat down he said to them, “Don’t think that, having fallen into an offense, (thinking,) ‘We haven’t fallen (into an offense). We haven’t fallen (into an offense),’ it should not be confessed.

“Monks, there is the case where a monk falls into an offense. He is of the view that that offense is not an offense. Other monks are of the view that it is an offense. And that monk knows of the other monks that, ‘These monks have heard much … and are desirous of training.’ (He thinks,) ‘It’s unlikely that they — from desire, aversion, delusion, or fear on my account or the account of others — would follow a wrong course.

“’If these monks suspend me for not seeing an offense, then they won’t do the uposatha with me. They’ll do the uposatha without me. From that cause there would be arguing, quarreling, clashes, and disputes in the Saṅgha, a split in the Saṅgha, a crack in the Saṅgha, a falling apart in the Saṅgha, a separation in the Saṅgha.’

“A monk who sees the seriousness of a split (in the Saṅgha) should confess an offense even out of conviction in others.

“Monks, there is the case where a monk falls into an offense. He is of the view that that offense is not an offense. Other monks are of the view that it is an offense. And that monk knows of the other monks that, ‘These monks have heard much … and are desirous of training.’ (He thinks,) ‘It’s unlikely that they — from desire, aversion, delusion, or fear on my account or the account of others — would follow a wrong course.’

“’If these monks suspend me for not seeing an offense, then they won’t do the Invitation with me. They’ll do the Invitation without me.

“’They won’t do Saṅgha transactions with me. They’ll do Saṅgha transactions without me.

“’They won’t sit on (the same) seat with me. They’ll sit on a seat separate from me.

“’They won’t sit having conjey with me. They’ll sit having conjey separate from me.

“’They won’t sit in the meal-hall with me. They’ll sit in the meal-hall separate from me.

“’They won’t dwell under the same roof with me. They’ll dwell under a roof separate from me.

“’They won’t — in line with seniority — bow down to me, stand up to greet me, salute me with hands placed palm-to-palm over the heart, or perform forms of respect due to superiors to me.

“’From that cause there would be arguing, quarreling, clashes, and disputes in the Saṅgha, a split in the Saṅgha, a crack in the Saṅgha, a falling apart in the Saṅgha, a separation in the Saṅgha.’

“A monk who sees the seriousness of a split (in the Saṅgha) should confess an offense even out of conviction in others.”

Then the Blessed One, having explained the matter to the followers of the suspended monk, got up from his seat and left.

(Mv.X.1.9) [240] At that time the followers of the suspended monk were performing the Uposatha and Saṅgha transactions right there inside the territory, while the monks who suspended (the first monk) were performing the Uposatha and Saṅgha transactions, having gone outside the territory. Then a certain one of the monks who had suspended (the first monk) went to the Blessed One, bowed down, and sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he said to the Blessed One, “Lord, the followers of the suspended monk are performing the Uposatha and Saṅgha transactions right there inside the territory, while we monks who suspended (the first monk) are performing the Uposatha and Saṅgha transactions, having gone outside the territory.”

“If the followers of the suspended monk perform the Uposatha, do a Saṅgha transaction in that very same territory in accordance with the motion and announcement formulated by me, those transactions of theirs are in accordance with the Dhamma, irreversible, and fit to stand.

“If you, the monks who suspended (him) perform the Uposatha, do a Saṅgha transaction in that very same territory in accordance with the motion and announcement formulated by me, those transactions of yours are (also) in accordance with the Dhamma, irreversible, and fit to stand.

(Mv.X.1.10) “Why is that?

“Those monks belong to a separate affiliation from you, and you belong to a separate affiliation from them.(4)

“There are these two grounds for being of a separate affiliation: Oneself makes oneself of a separate affiliation or a united Saṅgha suspends one for not seeing (an offense), for not making amends (for an offense), or for not relinquishing (an evil view). These are the two grounds for being of a separate affiliation.

“There are these two grounds for being of common affiliation: Oneself makes oneself of a common affiliation or a united Saṅgha restores one who has been suspended for not seeing (an offense), for not making amends (for an offense), or for not relinquishing (an evil view). These are the two grounds for being of common affiliation.”

(Mv.X.2.1) [241] And at that time, the monks were arguing, quarreling, and disputing in the meal-hall and in the village. They were showing inappropriate bodily and verbal actions toward each other — seizing one another with the hands. People criticized and complained and spread it about, “How can the Sakyan contemplatives argue, quarrel, and dispute in the meal-hall and in the village, and show inappropriate bodily and verbal actions toward each other — seizing one another with the hands?”

The monks heard the people criticizing, complaining, and spreading it about.

Those monks who were modest … criticized and complained and spread it about, “How can the monks argue, quarrel, and dispute in the meal-hall and in the village, and show inappropriate bodily and verbal actions toward each other — seizing one another with the hands?”

Then the monks reported the matter to the Blessed One.

“Is it true, monks, that you argue, quarrel, and dispute in the meal-hall and in the village? And show inappropriate bodily and verbal actions toward each other — seizing one another with the hands?”

“It’s true, O Blessed One.”

The Buddha, the Blessed One, rebuked them …

Having rebuked them, he gave a Dhamma talk and addressed the monks,

“When the Saṅgha is split and getting along in an uncourteous way, not in accordance with the Dhamma, then one should sit down in a seat (far enough apart from a member of the opposite faction) to the extent that, ‘We won’t exhibit any improper bodily action or verbal action to one another, we won’t seize one another with the hands.’

“When the Saṅgha is split and getting along in a courteous way in accordance with the Dhamma, one may sit down leaving the interval of a seat (from a member of the opposite faction).”

(Mv.X.2.2) [242] And at that time the monks were quarreling, arguing, and disputing in the midst of the Saṅgha, wounding each other with verbal daggers. They couldn’t resolve the issue. Then a certain monk went to the Blessed One, bowed down, and sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he said to the Blessed One, “Lord, now the monks are quarreling, arguing, and disputing in the midst of the Saṅgha, wounding each other with verbal daggers. It would be good if the Blessed One could go to them out of sympathy.”

The Blessed One acquiesced with silence.

Then the Blessed One went to the monks and sat down on a seat made ready. Having sat down he said to the monks, “Enough, monks. Don’t quarrel. Don’t argue. Don’t make strife. Don’t dispute.”

When that was said, a certain non-Dhamma-declaring monk said to the Blessed One, “Wait, Lord Blessed One. May the Master of the Dhamma dwell at ease, devoted to a pleasant abiding in the here-and-now, Lord Blessed One. We will be the ones who deal with this argument, quarrel, strife, and dispute.”

A second time, the Blessed One said to the monks, “Enough, monks. Don’t argue. Don’t quarrel. Don’t make strife. Don’t dispute.”

A second time, the non-Dhamma-declaring monk said to the Blessed One, “Wait, Lord Blessed One. May the Master of the Dhamma dwell at ease, devoted to a pleasant abiding in the here-and-now, Lord Blessed One. We will be the ones who deal with this argument, quarrel, strife, and dispute.”