At a certain time the Venerable Ānanda approached the Buddha and asked him
1:
......”But, Bhante there are people who live in deference towards the teaching of the Bhagava and who would, after his passing away, open up a dispute within the Saṅgha about the daily life and about the Pātimokkha. Out of such dispute, harm for many, unhappiness for many would derive; it would be for the loss, the disadvantage, impairment for many beings, and unhappiness of gods and mankind!” - ……
“Ye ca kho, bhante, puggalā bhagavantaṃ patissayamānarūpā2 viharanti
3 tepi bhagavato accayena4 saṅghe vivādaṃ janeyyuṃ ajjhājīve5 vā adhipātimokkhe vā. Svāssa6 vivādo bahujanāhitāya bahujanāsukhāya bahuno janassa anatthāya ahitāya dukkhāya devamanussāna’’nti.
and the Buddha replied thus:
“Appamattako so, ānanda, vivādo yadidaṃ – ajjhājīve vā adhipātimokkhe vā. Magge vā hi, ānanda, paṭipadāya vā saṅghe vivādo uppajjamāno uppajjeyya; svāssa vivādo bahujanāhitāya bahujanāsukhāya bahuno janassa anatthāya ahitāya dukkhāya devamanussānaṃ.……”- ......“Any dispute about matters regarding daily life and or the Pātimokkha would, O'Ānanda, be insignificant. But if, Ānanda, a dispute should arise within the Saṅgha about the practice (
paṭipadāya) or the path (
magge), such a dispute would result in harm for many, unhappiness for many, it would be for the disadvantage, impairment for many beings, and unhappiness of gods and mankind!”
May the teaching, the practice and the path be maintained in its pure form!
May the Dhamma as taught by the Buddha prevail unblemished and harmony and empathy based on pure and wholesome volition amongst those, walking the path, as summarized by this concluding verse be fostered and maintained!
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