The Quarrel at Kosambī

At that time the Blessed One was dwelling near Kosambī in 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.

Then the monks said to that (the first) monk, “Friend, you have fallen into an offense. See (admit) the offense (as such).”

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

Then the monks, having achieved unanimity (in meeting of the Saṅgha), suspended the monk for not seeing the offense. But the monk was learned & well versed in the tradition, had memorized the Dhamma, the Vinaya, & the Mātikās,152 was wise, competent, knowledgeable, scrupulous, anxious (not to commit an offense), & desirous of training.

And so the monk went to his like-minded 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 as being in accordance with the Dhamma & Vinaya.” So the monk was able to get his like-minded companions to be on his side.

He sent a messenger to like-minded 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 as being in accordance with the Dhamma & Vinaya.” So the monk was able to get his friends & companions in the countryside to be on his side.

Then those monks—partisans 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 partisans, “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 be partisans or followers of that suspended monk.”

Being told that by the monks who had suspended him, the followers (of the suspended monk) still were his partisans & followers.

Then a certain monk went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, bowed down to him and sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he said to the Blessed One, “There is a case, lord, where a certain monk has fallen into an offense. He was of the view that that offense was (in fact) an offense.… Being told that by the monks who had suspended him, the followers (of the suspended monk) still are his partisans & followers.”

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 laid out. Seated, he said to them, “Monks, don’t suppose, (thinking,) ‘It’s clear to us. It’s clear to us,’ that in every case a monk should be suspended.

“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, & 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.

“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 [pavāraṇā] 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, & 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.”

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 partisans of the suspended monk, and sat down on a seat laid out. Seated, he said to them, “Don’t suppose 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 are learned… and are desirous of training.’

“(He thinks,) ‘It’s unlikely that they—on my account or the account of others—would from desire, aversion, delusion, or fear 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, & 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 are learned… and are desirous of training.

“(He thinks,) ‘It’s unlikely that they—on my account or the account of others—would from desire, aversion, delusion, or fear 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, & 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 partisans of the suspended monk, got up from his seat and left.

And at that time the monks were quarreling, arguing, & disputing in the midst of the Saṅgha, wounding one another with verbal daggers. They couldn’t resolve the issue.

Then a certain monk went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, bowed down to him and sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he said to the Blessed One, “Lord, now the monks are quarreling, arguing, & disputing in the midst of the Saṅgha, wounding one another with verbal daggers. It would be good if the Blessed One would 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 laid out. Seated, he said to them, “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 rest, devoted to a pleasant abiding in the here-&-now, Lord Blessed One. We will be the ones who deal with this argument, quarrel, strife, & 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, & dispute.”

Then the Blessed One addressed the monks, saying, “Once, monks, in Vārāṇasī, Brahmadatta was the king of Kāsi—rich, prosperous, with many possessions, many troops, many vehicles, many territories, with fully stocked armories & granaries. Dīghīti was the king of Kosala—poor, not very prosperous, with few possessions, few troops, few vehicles, few territories, with poorly stocked armories & granaries. So Brahmadatta the king of Kāsi, raising a fourfold army, marched against Dīghīti the king of Kosala. Dīghīti the king of Kosala heard, ‘Brahmadatta the king of Kāsi, they say, has raised a fourfold army and is marching against me.’ Then the thought occurred to him, ‘King Brahmadatta is rich, prosperous… with fully stocked armories & granaries, whereas I am poor… with poorly stocked armories & granaries. I am not competent to stand against even one attack by him. Why don’t I slip out of the city beforehand?’ So, taking his chief consort, he slipped out of the city beforehand. Then King Brahmadatta, conquering the troops, vehicles, lands, armories, & granaries of King Dīghīti, lived in lordship over them.

“Meanwhile, King Dīghīti had set out for Vārāṇasī together with his consort and, traveling by stages, arrived there. There he lived with her on the outskirts of Vārāṇasī in a potter’s house, disguised as a wanderer. Not long afterwards, she became pregnant. She had a pregnancy wish of this sort: She wanted to see a fourfold army, armed & arrayed, standing on a parade ground at dawn, and to drink the water used for washing the swords. She said to King Dīghīti, ‘Your majesty, I am pregnant and I have a pregnancy wish of this sort: I want to see a fourfold army, armed & arrayed, standing on a parade ground at dawn, and to drink the water used for washing the swords.’ He said, ‘My queen, where is there for us—fallen on hard times—a fourfold army, armed & arrayed, standing on a parade ground, and water used for washing the swords?’

“‘If I don’t get this, your majesty, I will die.’

Now at that time, the brahman adviser to King Brahmadatta was a friend of King Dīghīti. So King Dīghīti went to him and, on arrival, said, ‘A lady friend of yours, old friend, is pregnant, and she has a pregnancy wish of this sort: She wants to see a fourfold army, armed & arrayed, standing on a parade ground at dawn, and to drink the water used for washing the swords.’

“‘In that case, let me see her.’

“So King Dīghīti’s consort went to King Brahmadatta’s brahman adviser. When the brahman adviser saw her coming from afar, he rose from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder and, with his hands raised in salutation to her, exclaimed three times, ‘Surely the king of Kosala has come to your womb! Surely the king of Kosala has come to your womb! Surely the king of Kosala has come to your womb! Don’t be worried, my queen. You will get to see a fourfold army, armed & arrayed, standing on a parade ground at dawn, and to drink the water used for washing the swords.’

“Then he went to King Brahmadatta and, on arrival, said to him, ‘Your majesty, signs have appeared such that tomorrow at dawn a fourfold army, armed & arrayed, should stand on a parade ground and that the swords should be washed.’

“So King Brahmadatta ordered his people, ‘I say, then: Do as the brahman adviser says.’ Thus King Dīghīti’s chief consort got to see a fourfold army, armed & arrayed, standing on a parade ground at dawn, and got to drink the water used for washing the swords. Then, with the maturing of the fetus, she gave birth to a son, whom they named Dīghāvu [LongLife]. Not long afterwards, Prince Dīghāvu reached the age of discretion. The thought occurred to King Dīghīti, ‘This King Brahmadatta of Kāsi has done us great harm. He has seized our troops, vehicles, lands, armories, & granaries. If he finds out about us, he will have all three of us killed. Why don’t I send Prince Dīghāvu to live outside of the city?’ So Prince Dīghāvu, having gone to live outside of the city, learned all the crafts.

“Now at that time King Dīghīti’s barber had gone over to King Brahmadatta. He saw King Dīghīti, together with his consort, living on the outskirts of Vārāṇasī in a potter’s house, disguised as a wanderer. On seeing them, he went to King Brahmadatta and, on arrival, said to him, ‘Your majesty, King Dīghīti of Kosala, together with his consort, is living on the outskirts of Vārāṇasī in a potter’s house, disguised as a wanderer.’

“So King Brahmadatta ordered his people, ‘I say, then: Go fetch King Dīghīti together with his consort.’

“Responding, ‘As you say, your majesty,’ to the king, they went and fetched King Dīghīti together with his consort.

“Then King Brahmadatta ordered his people, ‘I say, then: Having bound King Dīghīti & his consort with a stout rope with their arms pinned tightly against their backs, and having shaved them bald, march them to a harsh-sounding drum from street to street, crossroads to crossroads, evict them out the south gate of the city and there, to the south of the city, cut them into four pieces and bury them in holes placed in the four directions.’

Responding, ‘As you say, your majesty,’ to the king, the king’s people bound King Dīghīti & his consort with a stout rope, pinning their arms tightly against their backs, shaved them bald, and marched them to a harsh-sounding drum from street to street, crossroads to crossroads.

“Then the thought occurred to Prince Dīghāvu, ‘It’s been a long time since I saw my mother & father. What if I were to go see them?’ So he entered Vārāṇasī and saw his mother & father bound with a stout rope, their arms pinned tightly against their backs, their heads shaven bald, being marched to a harsh-sounding drum from street to street, crossroads to crossroads. So he went to them. King Dīghīti saw Prince Dīghāvu coming from afar and, on seeing him, said to him, ‘Don’t, my dear Dīghāvu, be far-sighted. Don’t be near-sighted. For vengeance is not settled through vengeance. Vengeance is settled through non-vengeance.’

“When this was said, the people said to him, ‘This King Dīghīti has gone crazy. He’s talking nonsense. Who is Dīghāvu? Why is he saying, “Don’t, my dear Dīghāvu, be far-sighted. Don’t be near-sighted. For vengeance is not settled through vengeance. Vengeance is settled through non-vengeance”?’

“‘I’m not crazy or talking nonsense. He who knows will understand.’ Then a second time… a third time he said, ‘Don’t, my dear Dīghāvu, be far-sighted. Don’t be near-sighted. For vengeance is not settled through vengeance. Vengeance is settled through non-vengeance.’

“A third time, the people said to him, ‘This King Dīghīti has gone crazy. He’s talking nonsense. Who is Dīghāvu? Why is he saying, “Don’t, my dear Dīghāvu, be far-sighted. Don’t be near-sighted. For vengeance is not settled through vengeance. Vengeance is settled through non-vengeance”?’

“‘I’m not crazy or talking nonsense. He who knows will understand.’

“Then the king’s people, having marched King Dīghīti together with his chief consort to a harsh-sounding drum from street to street, crossroads to crossroads, evicted them out the south gate of the city and there, to the south of the city, cut them into four pieces, buried them in holes placed in the four directions, stationed guards, and left.

“Then Prince Dīghāvu, having entered Vārāṇasī, brought out some liquor and got the guards to drink it. When they had fallen down drunk, he collected sticks, made a pyre, raised the bodies of his mother & father onto the pyre, set fire to it, and then circumambulated it three times with his hands raised in salutation.

“Now at that time, King Brahmadatta had gone up to the terrace on top of his palace. He saw Prince Dīghāvu circumambulating the pyre three times with his hands raised in salutation, and on seeing him, the thought occurred to him, ‘Doubtlessly, this person is a relative or blood-kinsman of King Dīghīti. Ah, how unfortunate for me, for there is no one who will tell me what this means!’

“Then Prince Dīghāvu, having gone into the wilderness and having cried & wept as much as he needed to, dried his tears and entered Vārāṇasī. Going to an elephant stable next to the king’s palace, he said to the chief elephant trainer, ‘Teacher, I want to learn this craft.’

“‘In that case, young man, you may learn it.’

“Then, rising in the last watch of the night, Prince Dīghāvu sang in a sweet voice and played the lute in the elephant stable. King Brahmadatta, also rising in the last watch of the night, heard the sweet-voiced singing & lute-playing in the elephant stable. On hearing it, he asked his people, ‘I say: Who was that, rising in the last watch of the night, singing in a sweet voice and playing a lute in the elephant stable?’

“‘Your majesty, a young man—the student of such-and-such an elephant trainer, rising in the last watch of the night—was singing in a sweet voice and playing a lute in the elephant stable.’

“‘I say, then: Go fetch that young man.’

“Responding, ‘As you say, your majesty,’ to the king, they went and fetched Prince Dīghāvu.

“Then King Brahmadatta said to Prince Dīghāvu, ‘I say, my young man: Was that you rising in the last watch of the night, singing in a sweet voice and playing a lute in the elephant stable?’

“‘Yes, your majesty.’

“‘I say then, my young man: Sing and play the lute.’

“Responding, ‘As you say, your majesty,’ to the king and seeking to win favor, Prince Dīghāvu sang with a sweet voice and played the lute.

Then King Brahmadatta said to him, ‘I say: You, my young man, are to stay and attend to me.’

“‘As you say, your majesty,’ Prince Dīghāvu responded to the king. Then he rose in the morning before King Brahmadatta, went to bed in the evening after him, did whatever the king ordered, always acting to please him, speaking politely to him. And it wasn’t long before King Brahmadatta placed the prince close to him in a position of trust.

“Then one day King Brahmadatta said to Prince Dīghāvu, ‘I say then, my young man: Harness the chariot. I’m going hunting.’

“Responding, ‘As you say, your majesty,’ to the king, Prince Dīghāvu harnessed the chariot and then said to King Brahmadatta, ‘Your chariot is harnessed, your majesty. Now is the time for you to do as you see fit.’

“Then King Brahmadatta mounted the chariot, and Prince Dīghāvu drove it. He drove it in such a way that the king’s entourage went one way, and the chariot another. Then, after they had gone far, King Brahmadatta said to Prince Dīghāvu, ‘I say then, my young man: Unharness the chariot. I’m tired. I’m going to lie down.’

“Responding, ‘As you say, your majesty,’ to the king, Prince Dīghāvu unharnessed the chariot and sat down cross-legged on the ground. Then King Brahmadatta lay down, placing his head on Prince Dīghāvu’s lap. As he was tired, he went to sleep right away. Then the thought occurred to Prince Dīghāvu: ‘This King Brahmadatta of Kāsi has done us great harm. He has seized our troops, vehicles, lands, armories, & granaries. And it was because of him that my mother & father were killed. Now is my chance to wreak vengeance!’ He drew his sword from his scabbard. But then he thought, ‘My father told me, as he was about to die, “Don’t, my dear Dīghāvu, be far-sighted. Don’t be near-sighted. For vengeance is not settled through vengeance. Vengeance is settled through non-vengeance.” It would not be proper for me to transgress my father’s words.’ So he put his sword back in its scabbard.

“A second time… A third time the thought occurred to Prince Dīghāvu: ‘This King Brahmadatta of Kāsi has done us great harm. He has seized our troops, vehicles, lands, armories, & granaries. And it was because of him that my mother & father were killed. Now is my chance to wreak vengeance!’ He drew his sword from his scabbard. But then he thought, ‘My father told me, as he was about to die, “Don’t, my dear Dīghāvu, be far-sighted. Don’t be near-sighted. For vengeance is not settled through vengeance. Vengeance is settled through non-vengeance.” It would not be proper for me to transgress my father’s words.’ So once again he put his sword back in its scabbard.

“Then King Brahmadatta suddenly got up—frightened, agitated, unnerved, alarmed. Prince Dīghāvu said to him, ‘Your majesty, why have you gotten up suddenly—frightened, agitated, unnerved, & alarmed?’

“‘I say, my young man: Just now as I was dreaming, Prince Dīghāvu—son of Dīghīti, king of Kosala—struck me down with a sword.’ Then Prince Dīghāvu, grabbing King Brahmadatta by the head with his left hand, and drawing his sword from its scabbard with his right, said, ‘I, your majesty, am that very Prince Dīghāvu, son of Dīghīti, king of Kāsi. You have done us great harm. You have seized our troops, vehicles, lands, armories, & granaries. And it was because of you that my mother & father were killed. Now is my chance to wreak vengeance!’

“So King Brahmadatta, dropping his head down to Prince Dīghāvu’s feet, said, ‘Grant me my life, my dear Dīghāvu! Grant me my life, my dear Dīghāvu!’

“‘Who am I that I would dare grant life to your majesty? It is your majesty who should grant life to me!’

“‘In that case, my dear Dīghāvu, you grant me my life, and I grant you your life.’

“Then King Brahmadatta and Prince Dīghāvu granted one another their lives and, taking one another by the hands, swore an oath to do one another no harm.

“Then King Brahmadatta said to Prince Dīghāvu, ‘In that case, my dear Dīghāvu, harness the chariot. We will go on.’

“Responding, ‘As you say, your majesty,’ to the king, Prince Dīghāvu harnessed the chariot and then said to King Brahmadatta, ‘Your chariot is harnessed, your majesty. Now is the time for you to do as you see fit.’

“Then King Brahmadatta mounted the chariot, and Prince Dīghāvu drove it. He drove it in such a way that it wasn’t long before they met up with the king’s entourage.

“Then King Brahmadatta, having entered Vārāṇasī, had his ministers & councilors convened and said to them, ‘I say, then. If you were to see Prince Dīghāvu, the son of Dīghīti, the king of Kosala, what would you do to him?’

“Different ministers said, ‘We would cut off his hands, your majesty’—‘We would cut off his feet, your majesty’—‘We would cut off his hands & feet, your majesty’—‘We would cut off his ears, your majesty’—‘We would cut off his nose, your majesty’—‘We would cut off his ears & nose, your majesty’—‘We would cut off his head, your majesty.’

“Then the king said, ‘This, I say, is Prince Dīghāvu, the son of Dīghīti, the king of Kāsi. You are not allowed to do anything to him. It was by him that my life was granted to me, and it was by me that his life was granted to him.’

“Then King Brahmadatta said to Prince Dīghāvu, ‘What your father said to you as he was about to die—“Don’t, my dear Dīghāvu, be far-sighted. Don’t be near-sighted. For vengeance is not settled through vengeance. Vengeance is settled through non-vengeance”—in reference to what did he say that?’

“‘What my father said to me as he was about to die—“Don’t be far-sighted”: “Don’t bear vengeance for a long time” is what he was saying to me as he was about to die. And what he said to me as he was about to die—“Don’t be near-sighted”: “Don’t be quick to break with a friend” is what he was saying to me as he was about to die. And what he said to me as he was about to die—“For vengeance is not settled through vengeance. Vengeance is settled through non-vengeance”: My mother & father were killed by your majesty. If I were to deprive your majesty of life, those who hope for your majesty’s well-being would deprive me of life. And those who hope for my well-being would deprive them of life. And in that way, vengeance would not be settled by vengeance. But now I have been granted my life by your majesty, and your majesty has been granted your life by me. And in this way vengeance has been settled by non-vengeance. That is what my father was saying to me as he was about to die.’

“Then King Brahmadatta said, ‘Isn’t it amazing! Isn’t it astounding! How wise this Prince Dīghāvu is, in that he can understand in full the meaning of what his father said in brief!’ So he returned his father’s troops, vehicles, lands, armories, & granaries to him, and gave him his daughter in marriage.

“Such, monks, is the forbearance & gentleness of kings who wield the scepter, who wield the sword. So now let your light shine forth, so that you—who have gone forth in such a well taught Dhamma & Vinaya—will be their equal in forbearance & gentleness.”

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

And a third 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, & dispute.”

Then the Blessed One, (thinking,) “These worthless men seem to be out of control—they’re not easy to convince,” got up from his seat and left.

Then, early in the morning, the Blessed One—having adjusted his under robe and carrying his bowl & outer robe—went into Kosambī for alms. Having gone for alms in Kosambī, after the meal, returning from his almsround, having set his dwelling in order, taking his robes & bowl, standing in the midst of the Saṅgha, he recited these verses:

Loud-voiced

on a par with people at large,

no one considers himself

a fool.

Though the Saṅgha is splitting

they don’t consider

anything else more.

Totally forgotten:

the words of the wise

declaring the right range of speech.

They stretch out their mouths

as far as they want,

led on where, by what,

they don’t know.

‘He insulted me,

hit me,

beat me,

robbed me’:

For those who brood on this,

hostility isn’t stilled.

‘He insulted me,

hit me,

beat me,

robbed me’:

For those who don’t brood on this,

hostility is stilled.

Hostilities aren’t stilled

through hostility,

regardless.

Hostilities are stilled

through non-hostility:

This, an unending truth.

Unlike those who don’t realize

that we’re here on the verge

of perishing,

those who do:

Their quarrels are stilled.

Bone-breakers, killers,

robbers, cattle thieves,

those who plunder the land:

Even they have their fellowship.

Why shouldn’t you have yours?

If you gain a mature companion—

a fellow traveler,

right-living,

enlightened—

overcoming all dangers

go with him,

gratified,

mindful.

If you don’t gain a mature companion—

a fellow traveler,

right-living,

enlightened—

go alone like a king renouncing his kingdom,

like the elephant in the Mātaṅga wilds, his herd.

Going alone is better,

there’s no companionship with a fool.

Go alone,

doing no evil,

at peace,

like the elephant in the Mātaṅga wilds.

Having recited these verses while standing in the midst of the Saṅgha, the Blessed One went to Bālakaloṇakāraka Village. At that time, Ven. Bhagu was living near Bālakaloṇakāraka Village. He saw the Blessed One coming from afar and, on seeing him, laid out a seat. Having set out water for washing his feet, a foot stand, & a pebble foot-washer, he went out to receive his robes & bowl. The Blessed One sat down on the seat laid out and, seated, washed his feet. Ven. Bhagu, having bowed down to the Blessed One, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, the Blessed One said to him, “Is it tolerable, monk? Are you getting by? Are you weary from going for alms?”

“It’s tolerable, O Blessed One. I’m getting by, O Blessed One. And I’m not weary, lord, from going for alms.”

Then the Blessed One, having instructed, urged, roused, & encouraged Ven. Bhagu with a Dhamma talk, got up from his seat and went to the Eastern Bamboo Park.

At that time, Ven. Anuruddha, Ven. Nandiya, & Ven. Kimbila were staying in the Eastern Bamboo Park. The park warden saw the Blessed One coming from afar and, on seeing him, said to him, “Contemplative, don’t enter the park. There are three sons of good families living there, apparently desiring their own (welfare). Don’t make them uncomfortable.”

Ven. Anuruddha heard the park warden conversing with the Blessed One and, on hearing him, said to the park warden, “Friend park warden, don’t keep out the Blessed One. It’s our Teacher, the Blessed One, who has arrived.”

Then Ven. Anuruddha went to Ven. Nandiya & Ven. Kimbila and, on arrival, said to them, “Come out, venerables! Come out, venerables! It’s our Teacher, the Blessed One, who has arrived.”

Then Ven. Anuruddha, Ven. Nandiya, & Ven. Kimbila went out to greet the Blessed One. One received his robe & bowl. Another laid out a seat. Another set out water for washing his feet, a foot stand, & a pebble foot-washer. The Blessed One sat down on the seat laid out and, seated, washed his feet. They, having bowed down to the Blessed One, sat to one side. As they were sitting there, the Blessed One said to Ven. Anuruddha, “Is it tolerable for you, Anuruddhas?153 Are you getting by? Are you weary from going for alms?”

“It’s tolerable, O Blessed One. We’re getting by, O Blessed One. And we’re not weary, lord, from going for alms.”

“But, Anuruddhas, are you living harmoniously, cordially, & without dispute, blending like milk & water, looking at one another with eyes of affection?”

“Yes, lord, we’re living harmoniously, cordially, & without dispute, blending like milk & water, looking at one another with eyes of affection.”

“But, Anuruddhas, how are you living harmoniously, cordially, & without dispute, blending like milk & water, looking at one another with eyes of affection?”

“Here, lord, the thought occurs to me, ‘It’s a gain for me, a great gain, that I am living with companions of this sort in the holy life.’ I am set on bodily acts of goodwill with regard to these venerable ones, to their faces & behind their backs. I am set on verbal & mental acts of goodwill with regard to these venerable ones, to their faces & behind their backs. The thought occurs to me, ‘Why don’t I, having put aside my own thoughts, conduct myself in line with the thoughts of these venerable ones.’ And having put aside my own thoughts, I do conduct myself in line with the thoughts of these venerable ones. Our bodies are separate, lord, but we are one—as it were—in mind.”

Ven. Nandiya & Ven. Kimbila said to the Blessed One, “Here, lord, the thought occurs to me also, ‘It’s a gain for me, a great gain… Our bodies are separate, lord, but we are one—as it were—in mind.

“This, lord, is how we are living harmoniously, cordially, & without dispute, blending like milk & water, looking at one another with eyes of affection.”

“But, Anuruddhas, do you remain heedful, ardent, & resolute?”

“Yes, lord, we remain heedful, ardent, & resolute.”

“But, Anuruddhas, how do you remain heedful, ardent, & resolute?”

“Here, lord, whichever of us returns first from going to the village for alms arranges the seats; sets out water for washing the feet, a foot stand, & a pebble foot-washer; washes the refuse bucket and sets it out; and sets out water for drinking & water for using. Whoever returns afterwards from going to the village for alms eats the leftovers—if there are any and if he wants to—and if not, he throws them out in a place where there are no crops or dumps them into water without living beings in it. He folds up the seats; puts away the water for washing the feet, the foot stand, & the pebble foot-washer; washes and puts away the refuse bucket; puts away the water for drinking & water for using; and sweeps the meal hall.

“Whoever sees that the drinking-water pitcher, using-water pitcher, or rinsing-water pitcher [in the bathroom] are low or empty refills it. If it occurs to him, ‘It’s too much for me,’ calling another by waving—using hand signals—and we refill it. Thus, lord, we don’t, for that reason, break out into speech.

“And every five days we sit together for the whole night to discuss the Dhamma. That’s how we remain heedful, ardent, & resolute.”

Then the Blessed One, having instructed, urged, roused, & encouraged Ven. Anuruddha, Ven. Nandiya, & Ven. Kimbila with a Dhamma talk, got up from his seat and set out on a wandering tour toward Pārileyyaka, and, wandering by stages, arrived at Pārileyyaka. There he stayed in Pārileyyaka in the protected forest grove at the root of the auspicious Sal tree.

Then, when the Blessed One was alone in seclusion, this train of thought arose in his awareness: “Before, I was living unpleasantly, hemmed in by those Kosambī monks—quarrelsome, makers of strife, makers of disputes, makers of rumors, makers of issues in the Saṅgha. Now I’m alone, without a second person. I live pleasantly and in ease, away from those Kosambī monks… makers of issues in the Saṅgha.”

It so happened that a certain bull elephant was living hemmed in by elephants, cow-elephants, calf-elephants, & baby elephants. He fed off grass with cut-off tips. They chewed up his stash of broken-off branches. He drank disturbed water. And when he came up from his bathing-place, cow-elephants went along, banging up against his body. Hemmed in, he lived unpleasantly and not in ease. The thought occurred to him: “I now live hemmed in by elephants, cow-elephants, calf-elephants, & baby elephants. I feed off grass with cut-off tips. They chew up my stash of broken-off branches. I drink disturbed water. And when I come up from my bathing place, cow-elephants go along, banging up against my body. Hemmed in, I live unpleasantly and not in ease. What if I were to live alone, apart from the crowd?”

So the bull elephant, leaving the herd, went to Pārileyyaka, to the protected forest grove and the root of the auspicious Sal tree—to where the Blessed One was staying. There he kept the grass down in the area where the Blessed One was staying, and brought drinking water & washing water for the Blessed One with his trunk.

And this train of thought appeared to the awareness of the bull elephant, “Before, I lived hemmed in by elephants, cow-elephants, calf-elephants, & baby elephants. I fed off grass with cut-off tips. They chewed up my stash of broken-off branches. I drank disturbed water. And when I came up from my bathing place, cow-elephants went along, banging up against my body. Hemmed in, I lived unpleasantly and not in ease. But now I live not hemmed in by elephants, cow-elephants, calf-elephants, & baby elephants. I feed off grass with uncut tips. They don’t chew up my stash of broken-off branches. I drink undisturbed water. When I come up from my bathing place, cow-elephants don’t go along, banging up against my body. Not hemmed in, I live pleasantly and in ease.”

Then the Blessed One, realizing his own seclusion and knowing the train of thought in the bull elephant’s awareness, on that occasion exclaimed:

This

harmonizes

mind with mind—

the nāga’s     with the nāga’s—

the elephant with tusks like chariot poles:

that each finds joy

alone

in the forest.

Then the Blessed One, having stayed at Pārileyyaka as long as he liked, set out on a wandering tour toward Sāvatthī and, wandering by stages, arrived at Sāvatthī. There he stayed in Jeta’s Forest, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

Then the thought occurred to the lay followers of Kosambī, “These masters, the Kosambī monks, have done us a lot of harm. Exasperated with them, the Blessed One left. Let’s not bow down to them, stand up to greet them, salute them with hands raised palm-to-palm over the heart, honor them, show them respect, venerate them, do homage to them, or give them alms when they approach. Thus not honored by us, nor shown respect, venerated, nor done homage to, being brushed off rudely, will leave or disrobe or else regain the confidence of the Blessed One.”

So the lay followers of Kosambī didn’t bow down to the Kosambī monks, stand up to greet them, salute them with hands raised palm-to-palm over the heart, honor them, show them respect, venerate them, do homage to them, or give them alms when they approached. And the thought occurred to the Kosambī monks—as they were not being honored by the lay followers of Kosambī, nor shown respect, venerated, nor done homage to, and being brushed off rudely—“Friends, let’s go to Sāvatthī and settle this issue in the Blessed One’s presence.”

Then the Kosambī monks—having set their lodgings in order, and taking their robes & bowls—headed to Sāvatthī. Ven. Sāriputta heard that “They say that the Kosambī monks—quarrelsome, makers of strife, makers of disputes, makers of rumors, makers of issues in the Saṅgha—are coming to Sāvatthī.”

So Ven. Sāriputta went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, bowed down to him and sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he said to the Blessed One, “They say that the Kosambī monks—quarrelsome, makers of strife, makers of disputes, makers of rumors, makers of issues in the Saṅgha—are coming to Sāvatthī. How am I to behave with regard to these monks?”

“In that case, Sāriputta, take your stance in line with the Dhamma.”…

Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī heard… As she was sitting there, she said to the Blessed One, “They say that the Kosambī monks—quarrelsome, makers of strife, makers of disputes, talkers, makers of issues in the Saṅgha—are coming to Sāvatthī. How am I to behave with regard to these monks?”

“In that case, Gotamī, listen to the Dhamma from both sides. Having listened to the Dhamma from both sides, give preference to the view, approval, preference, & belief of the side of those who speak Dhamma. And whatever the Bhikkhunī Saṅgha expects from the Bhikkhu Saṅgha should all be expected from the side of those who speak Dhamma.”

Anāthapiṇḍika the householder heard… Visākhā, Migāra’s mother heard…

“In that case, Visākhā, give gifts to both sides. Having given gifts to both sides, listen to the Dhamma from both sides. Having listened to the Dhamma from both sides, give preference to the view, approval, preference, & belief of the side of those who speak Dhamma.”

Then the Kosambī monks, traveling by stages, arrived at Sāvatthī. Then Ven. Sāriputta went to the Blessed One.… As he was sitting there, he said to the Blessed One, “They say that the Kosambī monks—quarrelsome, makers of strife, makers of disputes, makers of rumors, makers of issues in the Saṅgha—have arrived at Sāvatthī. How am I to behave with regard to their lodgings?”

“In that case, Sāriputta, vacant lodgings are to be given to them.”

“And if there are no vacant lodgings, what should I do?”

“In that case, they are to be given after having made them vacant. But in no way do I say that a senior monk’s lodging should be preempted. Whoever should preempt it: an offense of wrongdoing.”

“And how am I to act with regard to material gifts?”

“Material gifts are to be divided equally among all.”

Then the thought occurred to the suspended monk as he was contemplating the Dhamma & Vinaya, “This is an offense, not a non-offense. I have fallen into an offense. It’s not the case that I haven’t fallen into an offense. I am suspended. It’s not the case that I’m not suspended. I was suspended with a Dhamma transaction that is irreversible and fit to stand.”

So the suspended monk went to his partisans and, on arrival, said to them, “Friends, this is an offense, not a non-offense.… Come, venerable sirs, get me rehabilitated.”

Then the partisans of the suspended monk, taking him along, went to the Blessed One. On arrival, they bowed down to him and sat to one side. As they were sitting there, they said to the Blessed One, “Lord, this suspended monk says, ‘This is an offense, not a non-offense… Come, venerable sirs, get me rehabilitated.’ What should be done?”

“Monks, that is an offense, not a non-offense. This monk has fallen into an offense. It’s not the case that he hasn’t fallen into an offense. He is suspended. It’s not the case that he’s not suspended. He was suspended with a Dhamma transaction that is irreversible and fit to stand. Because this monk, fallen into an offense, suspended, sees the offense, then in that case, monks, rehabilitate him.”

Then the partisans of the suspended monk, having rehabilitated him, went to the monks who suspended him and, on arrival, said to them, “Regarding the matter about which there was arguing, quarreling, clashes, & 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: That monk did fall into an offense and was suspended but (now) has seen his offense and has been rehabilitated. Friends, for the sake of settling this matter, let’s perform a Saṅgha-unification.”

Then the monks who had suspended (the monk) went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, bowed down to him and sat to one side. As they were sitting there, they said to the Blessed One, “Lord, the partisans of the suspended monk say, ‘Regarding the matter about which there was arguing… Friends, for the sake of settling this matter, let’s perform a Saṅgha-unification.’ What should be done?”

“Because the monk, fallen into an offense, suspended, has seen the offense, and has been rehabilitated, then in that case, monks, for the sake of settling of this matter, a Saṅgha-unification should be performed.”