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The Inspiring Discourse: How Not to Split When the Teacher Is Gone
Everyday life

The Inspiring Discourse: How Not to Split When the Teacher Is Gone

Pāsādikasuttaṃ

When Nigaṇṭha Nātaputta dies, his disciples split into two factions stabbing each other with words. The Buddha teaches how to prevent division: meet to compare meaning with wording; when someone seems to misunderstand, neither approve nor reject at once, but ask and explain. He adds guidance on which happiness to pursue and on saying what is true, beneficial and timely.

8 points

In the Pāsādika Sutta of the Dīgha Nikāya, Pāṭikavagga, the Buddha is staying in the mansion in the mango grove of the Vedhañña Sakyans. Nigaṇṭha Nātaputta has just died at Pāvā, and the Nigaṇṭhas have split into two factions, quarrelling and wounding each other with the spears of their mouths: "You don't understand this teaching and discipline; I do." Even their lay followers become disillusioned. The novice Cunda, who spent the rains at Pāvā, tells Ānanda, and the two go to tell the Buddha.

The Buddha says such things happen in a teaching and discipline that is badly proclaimed, and analyses when the teacher, the teaching and the disciple deserve blame or praise. He points out that even with a good teacher and good teaching, if the disciples have not clearly understood, the teacher's passing causes later regret. He then teaches them to meet and recite the Dhamma together, how to conduct themselves when views differ, which happiness to pursue and which not, and why he is called the Tathāgata.

The discourse also explains views about the past and future and matters the Buddha left undeclared; those parts suit in-depth study. This page focuses on principles for living together.

  1. 1

    Stabbing each other with spears of the mouth Aññamaññaṃ mukhasattīhi vitudantā

    After Nigaṇṭha Nātaputta's death, his disciples quarrel: "You practise wrongly, I practise rightly; you say last what should be said first; I have refuted your doctrine." The Buddha says that even in a good teaching and discipline, if the disciples have not clearly understood the holy life, the teacher's passing causes later regret; but if they have clearly understood, it does not.

    Applying it in daily life

    Don't wait until the leader or founder is gone to agree on what the principles are. Build shared understanding now.

  2. 2

    Blaming or praising the right party Sāvako ca tasmiṃ dhamme dhammānudhammapaṭipanno viharati

    If the teacher and teaching are bad but the disciple does not follow them, the disciple deserves praise. If the teacher and teaching are bad and the disciple practises them diligently, all three deserve blame. If the teacher and teaching are good but the disciple does not practise, the disciple deserves blame. If teacher, teaching and disciple are all good, all deserve praise. Encouraging or praising practice in a good teaching and discipline brings much merit; in a bad one it brings demerit.

    Applying it in daily life

    Before criticising, separate clearly whether the problem lies in the principles, the teacher or the practitioner, rather than blaming or praising everything wholesale.

  3. 3

    Meeting to compare meaning with meaning and wording with wording Atthena atthaṃ byañjanena byañjanaṃ saṅgāyitabbaṃ

    The teachings the Buddha taught from direct knowledge are the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four bases of power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of awakening and the noble eightfold path. Everyone should meet in harmony and recite them together, comparing meaning with meaning and wording with wording, so that the holy life may last long for the welfare and happiness of many.

    Applying it in daily life

    Teams working from documents or policies should periodically read them through together, both the letter and the intent, before each person interprets them differently.

  4. 4

    When someone seems to misunderstand, neither approve nor reject at once Neva abhinanditabbaṃ nappaṭikkositabbaṃ

    If a fellow practitioner speaks on the Dhamma and you think he has grasped the meaning or the wording wrongly, you should neither approve nor reject it, but ask, "For this meaning, are these words or those words more fitting?" or "For these words, is this meaning or that meaning more fitting?"

    Applying it in daily life

    In a meeting, instead of saying "That's wrong", try asking "Which of these two words better fits what we want to say?"

  5. 5

    Neither flattering nor putting down, but helping to understand Neva ussādetabbo na apasādetabbo

    If he replies that his own wording or meaning is more fitting, you should neither flatter nor disparage him, but carefully help him understand by considering the meaning and wording together. And if he has both the meaning and the wording right, you should rejoice and say it is our good fortune to have a companion like you who grasps both meaning and wording.

    Applying it in daily life

    When a colleague is right, praise them openly; when they slip, help them understand without making them lose face. Both build trust in a team.

  6. 6

    Low happiness and happiness that leads to peace Cattārome cunda sukhallikānuyogā

    If wanderers of other sects say the Buddha's disciples are devoted to pleasure, ask what kind, since there are four low kinds of devotion to pleasure: killing and making oneself happy by it, stealing and making oneself happy by it, lying and making oneself happy by it, and indulging in the five strands of sensual pleasure. The devotion to pleasure that leads to Nibbāna is the four jhānas; if they say the disciples pursue this kind, they speak rightly.

    Applying it in daily life

    You needn't feel guilty for being happy. Look at whether the happiness comes from harming or from a peaceful mind, and choose to cultivate more of the latter.

  7. 7

    Saying what is true, beneficial and timely Bhūtaṃ tacchaṃ atthasañhitaṃ tatra kālaññū

    Whether about the past, future or present, if something is untrue and unbeneficial, the Tathāgata does not declare it; if true but unbeneficial, he does not declare it either; if true and beneficial, he knows the right time to answer. So the Tathāgata speaks at the right time, speaks truth, speaks of what is real, speaks what is beneficial, speaks Dhamma and speaks discipline.

    Applying it in daily life

    Before answering a question or telling a story about someone, pass it through three steps: is it true, is it useful, and is now the right time?

  8. 8

    As he speaks, so he acts Yathāvādī tathākārī

    One reason the Buddha is called the Tathāgata is that as he speaks, so he acts, and as he acts, so he speaks; and whatever he says from the night of his awakening to the night of his final Nibbāna is just so and not otherwise.

    Applying it in daily life

    The credibility of leaders and parents comes not from fine words but from words and actions matching. Start by keeping small promises.

Try it in daily life

Many organisations, clubs, families and practice groups split after their founder is gone, because each faction claims to understand the teaching correctly. This discourse offers a workable method: go back together over both the meaning and the wording, instead of competing to be right.

The way to conduct yourself when someone seems to misunderstand works in any meeting: don't rush to agree or to object; first ask which wording or which meaning fits better, and consider it together, without flattering or putting them down. And when someone gets both the meaning and the wording right, praise them sincerely.

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