The Monks of Kosambī

At that time a certain Monk accused another Monk that he had fallen into a wrongdoing and did not see that wrongdoing as a wrongdoing.

He and a group of Monks who took part with this Monk carried out a (formal) act of suspension against that specific Monk for not seeing the wrongdoing.

Then there were also a group of Monks who took the side of the suspended Monk and sided with him. The Community of Monks was divided. They could not carry out the observance together.

Now at that time Monks, causing fights, causing arguments, falling into disputes in the dining hall in the middle of the house, behaved unsuitably towards one another in actions, in speech; they came to blows...

Having expressed disapproval of them, having given reasoned talk, The Perfectly Enlightened One addressed the Monks, saying: …

Enough, Monks; no arguments, no fights, no contention, no disputing.

When he had spoken thus, a certain Monk who spoke what was not The Teachings spoke thus to The Perfectly Enlightened One: “Venerable Sir, let The Perfectly Enlightened One, the Master of The Teachings wait; Venerable Sir, let The Perfectly Enlightened One, unconcerned, live intent on residing in ease here and now; we will be (held) accountable for this argument, fight, contention, disputing.

And a second time The Perfectly Enlightened One spoke thus to these Monks:

Enough, Monks; no arguments, no fights, no contention, no disputing.

And a second time the Monk who spoke what was not The Teachings spoke thus to The Perfectly Enlightened One: “Venerable Sir, let The Perfectly Enlightened One, the Master of The Teachings wait; Venerable Sir, let The Perfectly Enlightened One, unconcerned, live intent on residing in ease here and now; we will be (held) accountable for this argument, fight, contention, disputing.

Then The Perfectly Enlightened One addressed the Monks setting Prince Dīghãvu’s story as an example. Brahmadatta, the King of Kāsi, had done him much mischief. He had killed the Prince’s parents. As Prince Dīghãvu had opportunity to show his anger by killing Brahmnadatta, the King of Kāsi, he thought of his father’s last words.

Do not you, dear Dīghãvu, look far or close for, dear Dīghāvu, angry moods are not calmed by anger: angry moods, dear Dīghãvu, are calmed by non-anger.

[‘do not look far’ means: do not bear anger long.]

[‘do not look close’ means: do not hastily break with a friend.]

Thus the life of Brahmadatta, the King of Kāsi, was granted by Prince Dīghāvu.

Then Brahmadatta, the King of Kāsi gave back the Prince’s troops and vehicles and territory and storehouses and barns of grain, and he gave him his daughter.

Now, Monks, if such is the patience and gentleness of Kings who wield the scepter, who wield the sword, herein, Monks, let your light shine forth so that you who have gone forth in these Teachings and discipline which are thus well taught may be equally patient and gentle.

But none of these Monks listened to The Perfectly Enlightened One.

Then The Perfectly Enlightened One, having dressed in the morning, taking his bowl and robe, entered Kosambī for almsfood; having walked for almsfood in Kosambī, bringing back his almsbowl after his meal, having packed away his lodging, taking his bowl and robe and standing in the midst of The Community, he spoke these verses:

When all together they shout out, none feels unwise,

though The Community is divided, one might think otherwise.

With wandering wisdom, the wise one understands all the field of talk;

with mouths wide open to full extent, what leads them on they know not.

They who (in thought) argue this: That man has abused me, has hurt, has defeated me, has me devastated; these angers not calmed.

They who do not argue this: That man has abused me, has hurt, has defeated me, has me devastated; in them anger is calmed.

No, not by anger are angry moods calmed here (and) at any time,

but by non-anger are they calmed; this is an (ageless) endless natural law.

People do not understand that here we are confused (in life, in time),

but they who herein do understand, thereby their fights are calmed.

Criminals who injure and kill, steal cattle, horses and wealth, who plunder the countryside; for there is unity.

Why should there not be for you?

If one finds a friend with whom to go forward fascinated in the well-residing (of these Teachings), appropriately, surmounting dangers one and all, with joy go forward with him mindfully.

Finding none appropriate with whom to go forward, none in the well-residing fascinated (in these Teachings), as King quits the conquered country, go forward lonely as a bull-elephant in an elephant jungle.

Better to go forward one alone, there is no companionship with the unwise.

Go forward lonely, unconcerned, doing no evil as a bull-elephant in an elephant-jungle.

Then The Perfectly Enlightened One, having spoken these verses as he was standing in the midst of The Community, approached Bālakalonakāra village, and the Eastern Bamboo Grove. Along the way he had met a few of his senior disciples. Walking on tour in due course he arrived at Pārileyya. The Perfectly Enlightened One stayed there at Pārileyya in the Guarded Woodland Thicket at the root of the lovely sāl-tree. There was a large bull-elephant named Pārileyya approached The Perfectly Enlightened One. Having approached, he set out by means of his trunk drinking water for The Perfectly Enlightened One and water for washing, and he kept the grass down.

Then The Perfectly Enlightened One set out on tour for Sāvatthi.

… Then the Household Practitioners of Kosambī thought: “These masters, the Monks of Kosambī, have done us much mischief: The Perfectly Enlightened One is departing, harassed by these; come, we should neither greet the masters, the Monks of Kosambī, nor should we stand up before them, nor should we greet them with joined palms or perform the proper duties; we should not appreciate, respect, admire or honor them, and neither should we give them almsfood when they come (to us); thus they, when they are neither appreciated, respected, admired nor honored by us, will depart unappreciated, or they will leave The Community, or they will restore friendly relations for themselves to The Perfectly Enlightened One.

Then the Monks of Kosambī, as they were not being appreciated, respected, admired or honored by the Household Practitioners of Kosambī, spoke thus: ‘Come now, you Venerable Sirs, let us, having gone to Sāvatthī, settle this moral question in The Perfectly Enlightened One’s presence.’ Then the Monks of Kosambī, having packed away their lodgings, taking their bowls and robes, approached Sāvatthi.

Then in due course the Monks of Kosambī arrived at Sāvatthi. They agreed to stop the dispute. The Monk who had been suspended agreed that there was a wrongdoing and he had fallen. Those Monks who were taking the side of the suspended (one) restored that Monk.

Since Monks, that Monk has fallen and was suspended but see and is restored well then, Monks, achieve harmony in The Community for settling that case. And thus, Monks, should it be achieved: One and all should gather together, ... If the achieving of harmony in The Community for settling this case is pleasing to the Venerable Ones, they should be silent; he to whom it is not pleasing should speak. Harmony in The Community for settling that case is achieved by The Community. Arguments in The Community are put down, fighting in The Community is put down. It is pleasing to the Venerable Ones; therefore they are silent... Observance may be carried out at once, the training guidelines recited.

(Reference: The Book of the Discipline (Vinaya-Pitaka), Vol. 4: Mahavagga by I.B. Horner)

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares how a certain Ordained Practitioner had decided to do wrongdoing observable by others in The Community. This Ordained Practitioner was not interested in observing this wrongdoing for themselves, even when The Buddha attempted to discuss this wrongdoing with them.

Rather than argue or create hostility where The Buddha might have attempted to forcefully convince this Student of their wrongdoing, The Buddha just chose to leave and move on to the next town.

Then, the Household Practitioners observing the unwholesome conduct by the Ordained Practitioners, chose to also ignore the individuals involved and did not even make offerings to them to sustain their life through food, water, shelter, etc. The Ordained Practitioners were not virtuous (i.e. practicing moral conduct), therefore, they did not make offerings to them.

Through ignoring the individuals involved, with The Buddha moving on and the Household Practitioners not supporting or encouraging the unwholesome conduct, the Ordained Practitioner eventually observed the wrongdoing and decided to apologize for their mistakes.

This Teaching helps us to understand that we do not need to forcefully point out every shortcoming, mistake, or wrongdoing of those around us to be successful in life. Instead, we can choose to move past it and beyond it. If we attempted to constantly tell others of their shortcomings, mistakes, and wrongdoing, that puts us in a position of continuously needing to tell others what is “wrong” and what is “right” through confrontation. That would come from a place of arrogance (i.e. conceit and ego).

Instead, we can peacefully and humbly choose to help those who are seeking guidance while ignoring those who choose to do unwholesome actions and incentivize wholesome actions. We cannot change others. We are unable to make decisions for others and change their behavior. All we can do is improve the way we either react or respond to a given situation based on our own decision making.

Through our own wise decision making, which sometimes might include ignoring the situation and move beyond it, we can learn to live in harmony with one another without the need to judge others and constantly tell others that they are “wrong” and we are “right”.

Conceit and the judging of others needs to be eliminated from the mind to experience Enlightenment. If we are judging others, we are placing ourselves above them feeling as if we are superior. Therefore, this is going to motivate and encourage unskillful conduct that only serves to create tension and hostility in relationships. Instead, eliminate the conceit and judging of others as if you are superior to them. Learn how to be humble and function with loving-kindness and compassion towards all beings. In this way, you will find that interactions with others will originate from warmth and peacefulness leading to skillful conduct that produces wholesome results.

To experience wholesome results (i.e. wholesome Kamma) in one’s life, they would need to practice generosity, loving-kindness, and wisdom - The Three Wholesome Roots. The wisdom found in The Eight Fold Path is how to practice, in a way that, does not cause harm to others and therefore, you will not experience harm coming back to you.

The Path to Enlightenment is not about having a decision tree of exactly what to do in any given situation. Instead, it is about learning, reflecting, and practicing these Teachings, in such a way, that one’s own pollution of mind is eliminated and all intentions, speech, and actions can originate from wise wholesome decisions based on The Eight Fold Path.

There is no permanent answer that will solve every challenge you face in life. But through developing your life practice to include, eliminating the pollution of mind by purification of the mind on The Path to Enlightenment, in each given situation, you can make wise decisions that lead to wholesome results (i.e. wholesome Kamma).

Loving-kindness (Pāli: mettā) is active goodwill towards all beings without judgment. A genuine interest in seeing all beings be well.

Compassion (Pāli: karuṇā) is concern for the misfortunes of others.