31 (1) Upāli
Then the Venerable Upāli approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him:
“Bhante, on how many grounds has the Tathāgata prescribed the training rules2030 for his disciples and recited the Pātimokkha?”
“It is, Upāli, on ten grounds that the Tathāgata has prescribed the training rules for his disciples and recited the Pātimokkha. What ten? (1) For the well-being of the Saṅgha; (2) for the ease of the Saṅgha; (3) for keeping recalcitrant persons in check; (4) so that well-behaved bhikkhus can dwell at ease; (5) for the restraint of taints pertaining to this present life; (6) for the dispelling of taints pertaining to future lives; (7) so that those without confidence might gain confidence; and (8) for increasing [the confidence] of those with confidence; (9) for the continuation of the good Dhamma; and (10) for promoting discipline.
“It is on these ten grounds that the Tathāgata has prescribed the training rules for his disciples and recited the Pātimokkha.”
32 (2) Suspending2031
“Bhante, how many reasons are there for suspending the Pātimokkha?”
“There are, Upāli, ten reasons for suspending the Pātimokkha. What ten? (1) One who has committed a pārājika is sitting in that assembly; (2) a discussion about one who has committed a pārājika is underway;2032 (3) one not fully ordained is sitting in that assembly; [71] (4) a discussion about one not fully ordained is underway; (5) one who has given up the training is sitting in that assembly; (6) a discussion about one who has given up the training is underway; (7) a eunuch is sitting in that assembly;2033 (8) a discussion about a eunuch is underway; (9) a seducer of a bhikkhunī is sitting in that assembly;2034 (10) a discussion about a seducer of a bhikkhunī is underway. These are the ten reasons for suspending the Pātimokkha.”
33 (3) Adjudication
“Bhante, how many qualities should a bhikkhu possess to be agreed upon to adjudicate [in a disciplinary issue]?”2035
“A bhikkhu who possesses ten qualities, Upāli, may be agreed upon to adjudicate [in a disciplinary issue]. What ten? (1) Here, a bhikkhu is virtuous; he dwells restrained by the Pātimokkha, possessed of good conduct and resort, seeing danger in minute faults. Having undertaken the training rules, he trains in them. (2) He has learned much, remembers what he has learned, and accumulates what he has learned. Those teachings that are good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, with the right meaning and phrasing, which proclaim the perfectly complete and pure spiritual life—such teachings as these he has learned much of, retained in mind, recited verbally, investigated mentally, and penetrated well by view. (3) Both Pātimokkhas have been well transmitted to him in detail, well analyzed, well mastered, well determined in terms of the rules and their detailed explication. (4) He is firm in the discipline, immovable. (5) He is able to convince those on both sides of the issue, to describe matters to them, to persuade them, to demonstrate to them, and to placate them. (6) He is skilled in the origination and [72] settlement of disciplinary issues. (7) He knows what a disciplinary issue is.2036 (8) He knows the origin of a disciplinary issue. (9) He knows the cessation of a disciplinary issue. (10) He knows the way leading to the cessation of a disciplinary issue.2037 A bhikkhu who possesses these ten qualities may be agreed upon to adjudicate [in a disciplinary issue].”
34 (4) Full Ordination
“Bhante, how many qualities should a bhikkhu possess to give full ordination?”
“A bhikkhu who possesses ten qualities, Upāli, may give full ordination. What ten? (1) Here, a bhikkhu is virtuous … he trains in them. (2) He has learned much … and penetrated well by view. (3) Both Pātimokkhas have been well transmitted to him in detail, well analyzed, well mastered, well determined in terms of the rules and their detailed explication. (4) He is able to look after a patient or to get someone else to look after him. (5) He is able to eliminate one’s dissatisfaction or to get someone else to eliminate it. (6) He is able to use the Dhamma to dispel regrets that might arise [in his pupils]. (7) He is able to dissuade them, by way of the Dhamma, from erroneous views that have arisen. (8) He is able to encourage them in the higher virtuous behavior. (9) He is able to encourage them in the higher mind. (10) He is able to encourage them in the higher wisdom. A bhikkhu who possesses these ten qualities may give full ordination.” [73]
35 (5) Dependence
“Bhante, how many qualities should a bhikkhu possess to give dependence?”
“A bhikkhu who possesses ten qualities, Upāli, may give dependence. What ten?” …
[The same ten qualities as in the preceding sutta.]
“A bhikkhu who possesses these ten qualities may give dependence.”
36 (6) Novice2038
“Bhante, how many qualities should a bhikkhu possess to be attended upon by a novice?”
“A bhikkhu who possesses ten qualities, Upāli, may be attended upon by a novice. What ten?” …
[The same ten qualities as in 10:34.]
“A bhikkhu who possesses these ten qualities may be attended upon by a novice.”
37 (7) Schism (1)
“Bhante, it is said: ‘Schism in the Saṅgha, schism in the Saṅgha.’ How, Bhante, is there schism in the Saṅgha?”
“Here, Upāli, (1) bhikkhus explain non-Dhamma as Dhamma, (2) and Dhamma as non-Dhamma. (3) They explain non-discipline as discipline, [74] and (4) discipline as non-discipline. (5) They explain what has not been stated and uttered by the Tathāgata as having been stated and uttered by him, and (6) what has been stated and uttered by the Tathāgata as not having been stated and uttered by him. (7) They explain what has not been practiced by the Tathāgata as having been practiced by him, and (8) what has been practiced by the Tathāgata as not having been practiced by him. (9) They explain what has not been prescribed by the Tathāgata as having been prescribed by him, and (10) what has been prescribed by the Tathāgata as not having been prescribed by him. On these ten grounds they withdraw and go apart. They perform legal acts separately and recite the Pātimokkha separately. It is in this way, Upāli, that there is schism in the Saṅgha.”
38 (8) Schism (2)
“Bhante, it is said: ‘Concord in the Saṅgha, concord in the Saṅgha.’ How is there concord in the Saṅgha?”
“Here, Upāli, (1) bhikkhus explain non-Dhamma as non-Dhamma, and (2) Dhamma as Dhamma. (3) They explain non-discipline as non-discipline, and (4) discipline as discipline. (5) They explain what has not been stated and uttered by the Tathāgata as not having been stated and uttered by him, and (6) what has been stated and uttered by the Tathāgata as having been stated and uttered by him. (7) They explain what has not been practiced by the Tathāgata as not having been practiced by him, and (8) what has been practiced by the Tathāgata as having been practiced by him. (9) They explain what has not been prescribed by the Tathāgata as not having been prescribed by him, and (10) what has been prescribed by the Tathāgata as having been prescribed by him. On these ten grounds, they do not withdraw and go apart. They do not perform legal acts separately or recite the Pātimokkha separately. It is in this way, Upāli, that there is concord in the Saṅgha.” [75]
39 (9) Ānanda (1)
Then the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him:
“Bhante, it is said: ‘Schism in the Saṅgha, schism in the Saṅgha.’ How is there schism in the Saṅgha?”
“Here, Ānanda, (1) bhikkhus explain non-Dhamma as Dhamma … [as in 10:37] … and (10) what has been prescribed by the Tathāgata as not having been prescribed by him. On these ten grounds they withdraw and go apart. They perform legal acts separately and recite the Pātimokkha separately. It is in this way, Ānanda, that there is schism in the Saṅgha.”2039 “But, Bhante, when one causes schism in a harmonious Saṅgha, what does one generate?”
“One generates evil lasting for an eon, Ānanda.”2040
“But, Bhante, what is that evil lasting for an eon?”
“One is tormented in hell for an eon, Ānanda.” [76]
One who causes schism in the Saṅgha is bound for misery,
bound for hell, to abide there for an eon.
Delighting in factions, established in non-Dhamma,
he falls away from security from bondage.
Having caused schism in a harmonious Saṅgha,
he is tormented in hell for an eon.
40 (10) Ānanda (2)
“Bhante, it is said: ‘Concord in the Saṅgha, concord in the Saṅgha.’ How is there concord in the Saṅgha?”
“Here, Ānanda, (1) bhikkhus explain non-Dhamma as non-Dhamma … [as in 10:38] … and (10) what has been prescribed by the Tathāgata as having been prescribed by him. On these ten grounds they do not withdraw and go apart. They do not perform legal acts separately or recite the Pātimokkha separately. It is in this way, Ānanda, that there is concord in the Saṅgha.”2041
“But, Bhante, when one reconciles a divided Saṅgha, what does one generate?”
“One generates divine merit, Ānanda.”
“But, Bhante, what is divine merit?”
“One rejoices in heaven for an eon, Ānanda.” [77]
Pleasant is concord in the Saṅgha,
and the mutual help2042 of those who live in concord.
Delighting in concord, established in Dhamma,
one does not fall away from security from bondage.
Having brought concord to the Saṅgha,
one rejoices in heaven for an eon.
2030 Though sikkhāpadaṃ is singular, I understand the statement here to refer to the whole corpus of training rules and I thus translate in the plural. In the Vinaya Piṭaka, this statement occurs in connection with the laying down of the first pārājika and the singular is therefore appropriate; see Vin III 21,15–23.
2031 Ee mistakenly joins this sutta to the previous one, thus reducing the count by one. At Vin II 240–47 “suspending the Pātimokkha” (pātimokkhaṭṭhapana) refers to canceling an individual’s right to participate in the Pātimokkha recitation on the uposatha. It seems to me that in the present sutta “suspending the Pātimokkha” includes both canceling the Pātimokkha recitation for a particular monk and delaying the recitation of the Pātimokkha until an obstructive condition has been removed. See Ṭhānissaro 2007b: 270–71, for a discussion of the former set of conditions under which the Pātimokkha recitation is canceled.
2032 Pārājikakathā vippakatā hoti. Mp: “Such talk as this, ‘Did such a person commit a pārājika or not?’ has been started and has not been concluded (‘asukapuggalo pārājikaṃ āpanno nu kho no’ ti evaṃ kathā ārabhitvā aniṭṭhāpitā hoti) .” Note that this passage supports the translation of the stock question that the Buddha asks the monks when they are in conversation—kā ca pana vo antarākathā vippakatā?—as: “What was your conversation that was underway?” The common alternatives—”What was your conversation that was interrupted?” and “What was your conversation that has been concluded?”—do not work in this context, and in any case are contradicted by the commentaries, which consistently gloss vippakatā as meaning “not brought to a conclusion, not completed” (apariniṭṭhitā sikhaṃ appattā at Sv I 49,27–28, Ps II 169,15–16; pariyantaṃ na gatā at Ps III 226,1–4; apariyositā at Ud-a 104,26–30).
2033 The word paṇḍaka has a wider meaning than “eunuch” as usually understood. Sp V 1016,1–9 describes five types of paṇḍakas. Of these, the two most relevant here are the castrated male (opakkamikapaṇḍaka) and the person born sexually indeterminate (napuṃsakapaṇḍaka). A parallel of this distinction can be found in Matthew 19:12 (English Standard Version): “For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven.” The first correspond to the napuṃsakas, the second to the opakkamikas, and the third perhaps to those who choose celibacy (or castrate themselves) for religious reasons.
2034 The implications of bhikkhunidūsaka are not spelled out in the canonical texts themselves. However, the Vinayavinicchaya-ṭīkā I 121 (VRI ed.; Be §322) defines the term in a way that applies to a bhikkhu who has had sexual intercourse of any kind with a bhikkhunī: “One is said to be a bhikkhunidūsaka when one has defiled a bhikkhunī in good standing by having sexual relations with her” (dūsako ti pakatattāya bhikkhuniyā methunaṃ paṭisevitvā tassā dūsitattā bhikkhuniṃ dūsetīti ‘‘bhikkhunidūsako’’ti vutto ca). Thus the term does not necessarily imply rape and “seducer of a bhikkhunī” should be a fit rendering.
2035 Ubbāhikā. DOP defines as “the reference (of a dispute) to a committee of selected bhikkhus.” Mp: “Adjudication means picking out, selecting from the Saṅgha to settle a disciplinary issue that has arisen” (sampatta-adhikaraṇaṃ vūpasametuṃ saṅghato ubbāhitvā uddharitvā gahaṇatthāya). The procedure is described in detail at Vin II 95,25–97,16.
2036 Mp: “The four kinds of disciplinary issues.” The four are a dispute, an accusation, an offense, and proceedings (vivādādhikaraṇa, anuvādādhikaraṇa, āpattādhikaraṇa, kiccādhikaraṇa). See MN 104.12–20, II 247–50.
2037 Mp defines this as the seven ways of settling disciplinary issues (satta adhikaraṇasamathā).
2038 Ee merges this sutta with the preceding one, so that from this point on my numbering exceeds Ee’s by two.
2039 Ee treats this as the end of the sutta and the next sentence as the beginning of a separate sutta, which it numbers 38. Thus Ee’s numbering of the suttas catches up on one of the two suttas by which it fell behind earlier.
2040 Kappaṭṭhiyaṃ kibbisaṃ pasavati. Mp glosses kibbisaṃ with pāpaṃ and says that the question concerns the cause for dwelling in hell for āyukappa, the “life eon.” Such an account of the word kappa is not found in the Nikāyas and seems to be a commentarial innovation. See p. 1811, note 1786.
2041 As above, Ee treats this as the end of the sutta and the next sentence as the beginning of a separate sutta, which it numbers 40. Thus Ee’s numbering now matches that of the other editions.
2042 I add the word “mutual” on the basis of Mp’s gloss: aññamaññassa saṅgahānuggaho.