[239] Then a certain bhikkhu approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, that bhikkhu said this to the Blessed One: "Here, venerable sir, a certain bhikkhu had committed an offence (āpatti). He was of the view that it was an offence, but other bhikkhus were of the view that it was not an offence. Then at a later time he became of the view that it was not an offence, while other bhikkhus were of the view that it was an offence. Then, venerable sir, those bhikkhus said this to that bhikkhu: 'Friend, you have committed an offence. Do you see that offence?' 'Friends, I have no offence that I should see.' Then, venerable sir, those bhikkhus, having obtained concord, suspended that bhikkhu for not seeing the offence. And that bhikkhu, venerable sir, is learned, a master of the tradition, an expert in the Dhamma, an expert in the Vinaya, an expert in the Mātikās, wise, competent, intelligent, conscientious, scrupulous, desirous of the training. Then, venerable sir, that bhikkhu approached the bhikkhus who were his friends and companions and said this: 'This is no offence, friends; this is not an offence. I have not committed an offence; it is not the case that I have committed one. I am unsuspended; it is not the case that I am suspended. I have been suspended by a formal act that is not in accordance with the Dhamma — reversible, not fit to stand. Let the venerable ones be on my side according to the Dhamma and according to the Vinaya.' And that bhikkhu, venerable sir, won over the bhikkhus who were his friends and companions to his side; and he sent a messenger to his friends and companions in the countryside, saying: 'This is no offence, friends; this is not an offence. I have not committed an offence; it is not the case that I have committed one. I am unsuspended; it is not the case that I am suspended. I have been suspended by a formal act that is not in accordance with the Dhamma — reversible, not fit to stand. Let the venerable ones be on my side according to the Dhamma and according to the Vinaya.' And that bhikkhu, venerable sir, won over the bhikkhus in the countryside who were his friends and companions to his side.
"Then, venerable sir, the bhikkhus siding with the suspended one approached the suspending bhikkhus; having approached, they said this to the suspending bhikkhus: 'This is no offence, friends; this is not an offence. That bhikkhu has not committed an offence; it is not the case that that bhikkhu has committed one. That bhikkhu is unsuspended; it is not the case that that bhikkhu is suspended. He has been suspended by a formal act that is not in accordance with the Dhamma — reversible, not fit to stand.' When this was said, venerable sir, the suspending bhikkhus said this to the bhikkhus siding with the suspended one: 'This is an offence, friends; it is not the case that it is no offence. That bhikkhu has committed an offence; it is not the case that that bhikkhu has not committed one. That bhikkhu is suspended; it is not the case that that bhikkhu is unsuspended. He has been suspended by a formal act that is in accordance with the Dhamma — irreversible, fit to stand. Do not, venerable ones, side with that suspended bhikkhu, do not attend upon him.' But even when spoken to thus by the suspending bhikkhus, venerable sir, those bhikkhus siding with the suspended one still side with that suspended bhikkhu and attend upon him just as before."
Then the Blessed One, [realizing]: "The Saṅgha of bhikkhus is divided! The Saṅgha of bhikkhus is divided!" rose from his seat and approached the suspending bhikkhus; having approached, he sat down on the seat prepared. Having sat down, the Blessed One said this to the suspending bhikkhus: "Bhikkhus, do not think, saying 'It is evident to us! It is evident to us!' that a bhikkhu is to be suspended for this or that reason.
"Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu has committed an offence. He is of the view that it is not an offence, while other bhikkhus are of the view that it is an offence. If, bhikkhus, those bhikkhus know that bhikkhu thus: 'This venerable one is learned … desirous of the training. If we suspend this bhikkhu for not seeing the offence, we shall not perform the Uposatha together with this bhikkhu; we shall perform the Uposatha without this bhikkhu. From that source there will arise for the Saṅgha strife, quarreling, contention, dispute, schism in the Saṅgha, rift in the Saṅgha, demarcation in the Saṅgha, differentiation in the Saṅgha' — then, bhikkhus, by bhikkhus who regard schism as a grave matter, that bhikkhu should not be suspended for not seeing the offence.
"Here again, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu has committed an offence. He is of the view that it is not an offence, while other bhikkhus are of the view that it is an offence. If, bhikkhus, those bhikkhus know that bhikkhu thus: 'This venerable one is learned … desirous of the training. If we suspend this bhikkhu for not seeing the offence, we shall not perform the Pavāraṇā together with this bhikkhu; we shall perform the Pavāraṇā without this bhikkhu. We shall not carry out formal acts of the Saṅgha together with this bhikkhu; we shall carry out formal acts of the Saṅgha without this bhikkhu. We shall not sit on a seat together with this bhikkhu; we shall sit on a seat without this bhikkhu. We shall not sit at the drinking of gruel together with this bhikkhu; we shall sit at the drinking of gruel without this bhikkhu. We shall not sit in the refectory together with this bhikkhu; we shall sit in the refectory without this bhikkhu. We shall not dwell under one roof together with this bhikkhu; we shall dwell under one roof without this bhikkhu. We shall not perform, together with this bhikkhu, the paying of homage, rising up, salutation with joined palms, and acts of proper respect according to seniority; we shall perform, without this bhikkhu, the paying of homage, rising up, salutation with joined palms, and acts of proper respect according to seniority. From that source there will arise for the Saṅgha strife, quarreling, contention, dispute, schism in the Saṅgha, rift in the Saṅgha, demarcation in the Saṅgha, differentiation in the Saṅgha' — then, bhikkhus, by bhikkhus who regard schism as a grave matter, that bhikkhu should not be suspended for not seeing the offence."
Then the Blessed One, having spoken this matter to the suspending bhikkhus, rose from his seat and approached the bhikkhus siding with the suspended one; having approached, he sat down on the seat prepared. Having sat down, the Blessed One said this to the bhikkhus siding with the suspended one: "Bhikkhus, having committed an offence, do not think, saying 'We have not committed it! We have not committed it!' that the offence need not be made amends for.
"Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu has committed an offence. He is of the view that it is not an offence, while other bhikkhus are of the view that it is an offence. If, bhikkhus, that bhikkhu knows those bhikkhus thus: 'These venerable ones are learned … desirous of the training; they are incapable of taking a wrong course out of desire, hatred, delusion, or fear, whether on my account or on account of others. If these bhikkhus suspend me for not seeing the offence, they will not perform the Uposatha together with me; they will perform the Uposatha without me. From that source there will arise for the Saṅgha strife, quarreling, contention, dispute, schism in the Saṅgha, rift in the Saṅgha, demarcation in the Saṅgha, differentiation in the Saṅgha' — then, bhikkhus, by a bhikkhu who regards schism as a grave matter, that offence should be confessed even out of faith in others.
"Here again, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu has committed an offence. He is of the view that it is not an offence, while other bhikkhus are of the view that it is an offence. If, bhikkhus, that bhikkhu knows those bhikkhus thus: 'These venerable ones are learned … desirous of the training; they are incapable of taking a wrong course out of desire, hatred, delusion, or fear, whether on my account or on account of others. If these bhikkhus suspend me for not seeing the offence, they will not perform the Pavāraṇā together with me; they will perform the Pavāraṇā without me. They will not carry out formal acts of the Saṅgha together with me; they will carry out formal acts of the Saṅgha without me. They will not sit on a seat together with me; they will sit on a seat without me. They will not sit at the drinking of gruel together with me; they will sit at the drinking of gruel without me. They will not sit in the refectory together with me; they will sit in the refectory without me. They will not dwell under one roof together with me; they will dwell under one roof without me. They will not perform, together with me, the paying of homage, rising up, salutation with joined palms, and acts of proper respect according to seniority; they will perform, without me, the paying of homage, rising up, salutation with joined palms, and acts of proper respect according to seniority. From that source there will arise for the Saṅgha strife, quarreling, contention, dispute, schism in the Saṅgha, rift in the Saṅgha, demarcation in the Saṅgha, differentiation in the Saṅgha' — then, bhikkhus, by a bhikkhu who regards schism as a grave matter, that offence should be confessed even out of faith in others."
Then the Blessed One, having spoken this matter to the bhikkhus siding with the suspended one, rose from his seat and departed.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.