18. Disunity in the Sangha (ITI18)

This was said by the Lord…

“There is one thing, bhikkhus, which, when it appears in the world, appears for the detriment of many people, for the misery of many people, for the loss, detriment, and suffering of devas and humans. What is that one thing? It is disunity in the Sangha. When the Sangha is divided there are mutual quarrels, mutual recriminations, mutual denigrations, and mutual expulsions. In this situation those who are unsympathetic are not converted and some who are sympathetic change their minds.”

One who divides the Sangha
Abides in a state of misery, in hell,
For the aeon’s full duration.
Delighting in dissent, unrighteous,
He is deprived of security from bondage;
By dividing a unified Sangha
He suffers in hell for an aeon.

Translated from the Pali by John D. Ireland.

Digital Transcription Source: BPS Transcription Project

Extracted from The Udāna & the Itivuttaka, translated and introduced by John D. Ireland. Published in 1997.

The complete book, including introduction and notes by the translator, is available from the Buddhist Publication Society.

ISBN 955–24-0164-X

Copyright © 1997 by John D. Ireland.

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