Those Who Cause the Good Teachings to Disappear (First Discourse)

Monks, those Monks who explain non-Teachings as Teachings are acting for the harm of many people, the unhappiness of many people, for the ruin, harm, and suffering of many people, of heavenly beings and human beings.

These Monks generate much unwholesome Kamma and cause these good wholesome Teachings to disappear.

Monks, those Monks who explain Teachings as non-Teachings …

Monks, those Monks who explain non-discipline as discipline …

Monks, those Monks who explain discipline as non-discipline …

Monks, those Monks who explain what has not been stated and spoken by The Perfectly Enlightened One as having been stated and spoken by him …

Monks, those Monks who explain what has been stated and spoken by The Perfectly Enlightened One as not having been stated and spoken by him …

Monks, those Monks who explain what has not been practiced by The Perfectly Enlightened One as having been practiced by him …

Monks, those Monks who explain what has been practiced by The Perfectly Enlightened One as not having been practiced by him …

Monks, those Monks who explain what has not been prescribed by The Perfectly Enlightened One as having been prescribed by him …

Monks, those Monks who explain what has been prescribed by The Perfectly Enlightened One as not having been prescribed by him are acting for the harm of many people, for the unhappiness of many people, for the ruin, harm, and suffering of many people, of heavenly beings and human beings.

These Monks generate much unwholesome Kamma and cause these good Teachings to disappear.

‘Venerable Sir, it is said: Division in The Community, division in The Community. How is there division in the Community?’

Here, Ānanda,

(1) Monks explain non-Teachings as Teachings

(2) and Teachings as non-Teachings.

(3) They explain non-discipline as discipline, and

(4) discipline as non-discipline.

(5) They explain what has not been stated and spoken by The Perfectly Enlightened One as having been stated and spoken by him, and

(6) what has been stated and spoken by The Perfectly Enlightened One as not having been stated and spoken by him.

(7) They explain what has not been practiced by The Perfectly Enlightened One as having been practiced by him, and

(8) what has been practiced by The Perfectly Enlightened One as not having been practiced by him.

(9) They explain what has not been prescribed by The Perfectly Enlightened One as having been prescribed by him, and

(10) what has been prescribed by The Perfectly Enlightened One as not having been prescribed by him.

On these ten grounds they withdraw and go apart.

They perform legal acts separately and recite the training guidance of these Teachings separately.

It is in this way, Ānanda, that there is division in The Community.

‘But, Venerable Sir, when one causes division in a harmonious Community, what does one generate?’

One generates evil lasting for an eon, Ānanda.

‘But, Venerable Sir, what is that evil lasting for an eon?’

One is tormented in hell for an eon, Ānanda.

One who causes division in The Community is bound for misery, bound for hell, to reside there for an eon.

Delighting in division, established in non-Teachings, he falls away from security from bondage (Enlightenment).

Having caused division in a harmonious Community, he is tormented in hell for an eon.

(Reference: AN 1.130-139 and AN 10.37-39)

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares how his Teachings would disappear based on decisions made by people to not share his Teachings in the way that he taught them.

The Buddha explains that an individual who modifies his Teachings is “acting for the harm of many people, the unhappiness of many people, for the ruin, harm, and suffering of many people, of heavenly beings and human beings”. Heavenly beings and human beings are able to attain Enlightenment while the other realms of hell, animal, and afflicted spirits are unable to attain Enlightenment. Therefore, one who modifies his Teachings is acting for the harm of heavenly and human beings as they would be unable to attain Enlightenment without The Teachings of a Buddha as a Buddha taught them.

One who modifies a Buddha’s Teachings “generate much unwholesome Kamma and cause these good wholesome Teachings to disappear” and it causes The Community to become divided no longer in harmony.

The Buddha shares that an individual who causes division within The Community will “generate evil lasting for an eon”. An eon is an immeasurable amount of time.

The Buddha further explains that “one who causes division in The Community is bound for misery, bound for hell, to reside there for an eon. Delighting in division, established in non-Teachings, he falls away from security from bondage (Enlightenment). Having caused division in a harmonious Community, he is tormented in hell for an eon”.