[259] Then the Venerable Upāli approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, the Venerable Upāli said this to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, when concerning some matter there is strife, quarrel, contention, and dispute in the Saṅgha — schism in the Saṅgha (saṅghabheda), rift in the Saṅgha (saṅgharāji), taking of sides in the Saṅgha (saṅghavavatthāna), acting separately in the Saṅgha (saṅghanānākaraṇa) — and the Saṅgha, without having adjudicated that matter, without having traced it to the root from the root (amūlā mūlaṃ gantvā), makes concord of the Saṅgha (saṅghasāmaggī) — is that concord of the Saṅgha in accordance with the Dhamma, venerable sir?"
"Upāli, when concerning some matter there is strife, quarrel, contention, and dispute in the Saṅgha — schism in the Saṅgha, rift in the Saṅgha, taking of sides in the Saṅgha, acting separately in the Saṅgha — and the Saṅgha, without having adjudicated that matter, without having traced it to the root from the root, makes concord of the Saṅgha, that concord of the Saṅgha, Upāli, is not in accordance with the Dhamma."
"But venerable sir, when concerning some matter there is strife, quarrel, contention, and dispute in the Saṅgha — schism in the Saṅgha, rift in the Saṅgha, taking of sides in the Saṅgha, acting separately in the Saṅgha — and the Saṅgha, having adjudicated that matter, having traced it to the root from the root (mūlā mūlaṃ gantvā), makes concord of the Saṅgha — is that concord of the Saṅgha in accordance with the Dhamma, venerable sir?"
"Upāli, when concerning some matter there is strife, quarrel, contention, and dispute in the Saṅgha — schism in the Saṅgha, rift in the Saṅgha, taking of sides in the Saṅgha, acting separately in the Saṅgha — and the Saṅgha, having adjudicated that matter, having traced it to the root from the root, makes concord of the Saṅgha, that concord of the Saṅgha, Upāli, is in accordance with the Dhamma."
"How many kinds of concord of the Saṅgha are there, venerable sir?"
"There are two kinds of concord of the Saṅgha, Upāli. There is, Upāli, concord of the Saṅgha that is deprived of the meaning but possessed of the letter (atthāpetā byañjanupetā); and there is, Upāli, concord of the Saṅgha that is possessed of both the meaning and the letter (atthupetā ca byañjanupetā ca).
"And what, Upāli, is concord of the Saṅgha that is deprived of the meaning but possessed of the letter? When, Upāli, concerning some matter there is strife, quarrel, contention, and dispute in the Saṅgha — schism in the Saṅgha, rift in the Saṅgha, taking of sides in the Saṅgha, acting separately in the Saṅgha — and the Saṅgha, without having adjudicated that matter, without having traced it to the root from the root, makes concord of the Saṅgha: this, Upāli, is called concord of the Saṅgha that is deprived of the meaning but possessed of the letter.
"And what, Upāli, is concord of the Saṅgha that is possessed of both the meaning and the letter? When, Upāli, concerning some matter there is strife, quarrel, contention, and dispute in the Saṅgha — schism in the Saṅgha, rift in the Saṅgha, taking of sides in the Saṅgha, acting separately in the Saṅgha — and the Saṅgha, having adjudicated that matter, having traced it to the root from the root, makes concord of the Saṅgha: this, Upāli, is called concord of the Saṅgha that is possessed of both the meaning and the letter. These, Upāli, are the two kinds of concord of the Saṅgha."
Then the Venerable Upāli rose from his seat, arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, raised his joined palms in reverence toward the Blessed One, and addressed the Blessed One in verses:
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.