The Chapter on Abuse
AN 10.41 Arguments Vivādasutta
Then Venerable Upāli went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:
"What is the cause, sir, what is the reason, why arguments, quarrels, and disputes arise in the Saṅgha, and the mendicants don't live happily?"
"Upāli, it's when a mendicant explains what is not the teaching as the teaching, and what is the teaching as not the teaching. They explain what is not the training as the training, and what is the training as not the training. They explain what was not spoken and stated by the Realized One as spoken and stated by the Realized One, and what was spoken and stated by the Realized One as not spoken and stated by the Realized One. They explain what was not practiced by the Realized One as practiced by the Realized One, and what was practiced by the Realized One as not practiced by the Realized One. They explain what was not prescribed by the Realized One as prescribed by the Realized One, and what was prescribed by the Realized One as not prescribed by the Realized One. This is the cause, this is the reason why arguments, quarrels, and disputes arise in the Saṅgha, and the mendicants don't live happily."
AN 10.42 Roots of Arguments (1st) Paṭhamavivādamūlasutta
"Sir, how many roots of arguments are there?"
"Upāli, there are ten roots of arguments. What ten? It's when a mendicant explains what is not the teaching as the teaching, and what is the teaching as not the teaching. They explain what is not the training as the training, and what is the training as not the training. They explain what was not spoken and stated by the Realized One as spoken and stated by the Realized One, and what was spoken and stated by the Realized One as not spoken and stated by the Realized One. They explain what was not practiced by the Realized One as practiced by the Realized One, and what was practiced by the Realized One as not practiced by the Realized One. They explain what was not prescribed by the Realized One as prescribed by the Realized One, and what was prescribed by the Realized One as not prescribed by the Realized One. These are the ten roots of arguments."
AN 10.43 Roots of Arguments (2nd) Dutiyavivādamūlasutta
"Sir, how many roots of arguments are there?"
"Upāli, there are ten roots of arguments. What ten? It's when a mendicant explains what is not an offense as an offense, and what is an offense as not an offense. They explain a light offense as a serious offense, and a serious offense as a light offense. They explain an offense committed with corrupt intention as an offense not committed with corrupt intention, and an offense not committed with corrupt intention as an offense committed with corrupt intention. They explain an offense requiring rehabilitation as an offense not requiring rehabilitation, and an offense not requiring rehabilitation as an offense requiring rehabilitation. They explain an offense with redress as an offense without redress, and an offense without redress as an offense with redress. These are the ten roots of arguments."
AN 10.44 At Kusinārā Kusinārasutta
At one time the Buddha was staying near Kusinārā, in the Forest of Offerings. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants, "Mendicants!"
"Venerable sir," they replied. The Buddha said this:
"Mendicants, a mendicant who wants to accuse another should first check five things in themselves and establish five things in themselves. What five things should they check in themselves? A mendicant who wants to accuse another should check this: 'Is my bodily behavior pure? Do I have pure bodily behavior that is impeccable and irreproachable? Is this thing found in me or not?' If it's not, there will be people who say: 'Come on, venerable, train your own bodily behavior first.'
Furthermore, a mendicant who wants to accuse another should check this: 'Is my verbal behavior pure? Do I have pure verbal behavior that is impeccable and irreproachable? Is this thing found in me or not?' If it's not, there will be people who say: 'Come on, venerable, train your own verbal behavior first.'
Furthermore, a mendicant who wants to accuse another should check this: 'Is my heart established in love for my spiritual companions, without resentment? Is this thing found in me or not?' If it's not, there will be people who say: 'Come on, venerable, establish your heart in love for your spiritual companions first.'
Furthermore, a mendicant who wants to accuse another should check this: 'Am I very learned, remembering and keeping what I've learned? These teachings are good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased, describing a spiritual practice that's entirely full and pure. Am I very learned in such teachings, remembering them, rehearsing them, mentally scrutinizing them, and comprehending them theoretically? Is this thing found in me or not?' If it's not, there will be people who say: 'Come on, venerable, memorize the scriptures first.'
Furthermore, a mendicant who wants to accuse another should check this: 'Have both monastic codes been passed down to me in detail, well analyzed, well mastered, and well evaluated in both the rules and accompanying material? Is this thing found in me or not?' If it's not, and if they are unable to respond when asked "Venerable, where was this spoken by the Buddha?" there will be people who say: 'Come on, venerable, train in the monastic code first.' These are the five things they should check in themselves.
What five things should they establish in themselves? 'I will speak at the right time, not at the wrong time. I will speak truthfully, not falsely. I will speak gently, not harshly. I will speak beneficially, not harmfully. I will speak lovingly, not from secret hate.' These are the five things they should establish in themselves. A mendicant who wants to accuse another should first check these five things in themselves and establish these five things in themselves."
AN 10.45 Entering a Royal Compound Rājantepurappavesanasutta
"Mendicants, there are ten drawbacks to entering a royal compound. What ten?
Firstly, a king is sitting with his chief queen when a monk enters. When the queen sees the monk she smiles, or when the monk sees the queen he smiles. So the king thinks: 'They've done it for sure, or they will do it.' This is the first drawback of entering a royal compound.
Furthermore, a king has many duties, and much to do. He has sex with one of the women but doesn't remember. She gets pregnant from that. So the king thinks: 'No-one else has entered here, except for that monk. Could this be the monk's doing?' This is the second drawback of entering a royal compound.
Furthermore, a gem is lost somewhere in the royal compound. So the king thinks: 'No-one else has entered here, except for that monk. Could this be the monk's doing?' This is the third drawback of entering a royal compound.
Furthermore, secret deliberations in the royal compound are leaked outside. So the king thinks: 'No-one else has entered here, except for that monk. Could this be the monk's doing?' This is the fourth drawback of entering a royal compound.
Furthermore, in a royal compound, a father longs for their son, or a son longs for his father. They think: 'No-one else has entered here, except for that monk. Could this be the monk's doing?' This is the fifth drawback of entering a royal compound.
Furthermore, the king promotes someone to a higher position. Those who are upset by this think: 'The king is close to that monk. Could this be the monk's doing?' This is the sixth drawback of entering a royal compound.
Furthermore, the king demotes someone to a lower position. Those who are upset by this think: 'The king is close to that monk. Could this be the monk's doing?' This is the seventh drawback of entering a royal compound.
Furthermore, the king dispatches the army at the wrong time. Those who are upset by this think: 'The king is close to that monk. Could this be the monk's doing?' This is the eighth drawback of entering a royal compound.
Furthermore, the king dispatches the army at the right time, but orders it to turn back while still on the road. Those who are upset by this think: 'The king is close to that monk. Could this be the monk's doing?' This is the ninth drawback of entering a royal compound.
Furthermore, in the royal compound there is a trampling of elephants, horses, and chariots, as well as arousing sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and touches that do not befit a monk. This is the tenth drawback of entering a royal compound.
These are the ten drawbacks of entering a royal compound."
AN 10.46 With the Sakyans Sakkasutta
At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Sakyans, near Kapilavatthu in the Banyan Tree Monastery. Then on the sabbath several Sakyan lay followers went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to them:
"Sakyans, do you observe the sabbath with its eight factors?"
"Sir, sometimes we do, sometimes we don't."
"That's your loss, Sakyans, it's your misfortune. In this life with its fear of sorrow and death, you sometimes keep the sabbath and you sometimes don't.
What do you think, Sakyans? Take a man who earns half a dollar for an honest day's work. Is this enough to call him a deft and industrious man?"
"Yes, sir."
"What do you think, Sakyans? Take a man who earns a dollar for an honest day's work. Is this enough to call him a deft and industrious man?"
"Yes, sir."
"What do you think, Sakyans? Take a man who, for an honest day's work, earns two dollars ... three dollars ... four dollars ... five dollars ... six dollars ... seven dollars ... eight dollars ... nine dollars ... ten dollars ... twenty dollars ... thirty dollars ... forty dollars ... fifty dollars ... a hundred dollars. Is this enough to call him a deft and industrious man?"
"Yes, sir."
"What do you think, Sakyans? Suppose that man earned a hundred or a thousand dollars every day and saved it all up. If he lived for a hundred years, would he not accumulate a large mass of wealth?"
"Yes, sir."
"What do you think, Sakyans? Would that man, on account of that wealth, experience perfect happiness for a single day or night, or even half a day or night?"
"No, sir."
"Why is that?"
"Because sensual pleasures, sir, are impermanent, hollow, false, and deceptive."
"But take one of my disciples who lives diligent, keen, and resolute for ten years, practicing in line with my instructions. They can experience perfect happiness for a hundred years, ten thousand years, or a hundred thousand years. And they could become a once-returner or a non-returner, or unfailingly a stream-enterer. Let alone ten years, take one of my disciples who lives diligent, keen, and resolute for nine years ... eight years ... seven years ... six years ... five years ... four years ... three years ... two years ... one year ... ten months ... nine months ... eight months ... seven months ... six months ... five months ... four months ... three months ... two months ... one month ... a fortnight ... ten days ... nine days ... eight days ... seven days ... six days ... five days ... four days ... three days ... two days ...
Let alone two days, take one of my disciples who lives diligent, keen, and resolute for one day, practicing in line with my instructions. They can experience perfect happiness for a hundred years, ten thousand years, or a hundred thousand years. And they could become a once-returner or a non-returner, or unfailingly a stream-enterer. It's your loss, Sakyans, it's your misfortune. In this life with its fear of sorrow and death, you sometimes keep the sabbath and you sometimes don't."
"Well, sir, from this day forth we will observe the sabbath with its eight factors."
AN 10.47 With Mahāli Mahālisutta
At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof. Then Mahāli the Licchavi went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:
"What is the cause, sir, what is the reason for doing bad deeds, for performing bad deeds?"
"Greed is a cause, Mahāli, greed is a reason for doing bad deeds, for performing bad deeds. Hate is a cause of bad deeds ... Delusion is a cause of bad deeds ... Irrational application of mind is a cause of bad deeds ... A wrongly directed mind is a cause of bad deeds ... This is the cause, Mahāli, this is the reason for doing bad deeds, for performing bad deeds."
"What is the cause, sir, what is the reason for doing good deeds, for performing good deeds?"
"Contentment is a cause, Mahāli, contentment is a reason for doing good deeds, for performing good deeds. Love is a cause of good deeds ... Understanding is a cause of good deeds ... Rational application of mind is a cause of good deeds ... A rightly directed mind is a cause of good deeds ... This is the cause, Mahāli, this is the reason for doing good deeds, for performing good deeds. If these ten things were not found in the world, we wouldn't see either unprincipled and immoral conduct, or principled and moral conduct. But since these ten things are found in the world, we see both unprincipled and immoral conduct, and principled and moral conduct."
AN 10.48 Ten Regular Reflections for a Renunciate Pabbajitaabhiṇhasutta
"Mendicants, one who has gone forth should often review these ten things. What ten?
One who has gone forth should often review this: 'I have secured freedom from class.'
'My livelihood is tied up with others.'
'My behavior should be different.'
'I hope there's no reason to blame myself when it comes to ethical conduct?'
'I hope that, after examination, sensible spiritual companions don't reproach any aspect of my ethics?'
'I must be parted and separated from all I hold dear and beloved.'
'I am the owner of my deeds and heir to my deeds. Deeds are my womb, my relative, and my refuge.
I shall be the heir of whatever deeds I do, whether good or bad.'
'As the days and nights flit by, what sort of person am I becoming?'
'Do I love to stay in empty huts?'
'Do I have any superhuman distinctions in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones, so that when my spiritual companions question me on my deathbed I will not be embarrassed?'
One who has gone forth should often review these ten things."
AN 10.49 Existing Because of the Body Sarīraṭṭhadhammasutta
"Mendicants, these ten things exist because of the body. What ten? Cold, heat, hunger, thirst, feces, urine, restraint of body, speech, and livelihood, and the will to live that leads to future lives. These ten things exist because of the body."
AN 10.50 Arguments Bhaṇḍanasutta
At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's monastery. Now at that time, after the meal, on return from almsround, several mendicants sat together in the assembly hall. They were arguing, quarreling, and disputing, wounding each other with barbed words.
Then in the late afternoon, the Buddha came out of retreat and went to the assembly hall. He sat down on the seat spread out, and addressed the mendicants: "Mendicants, what were you sitting talking about just now? What conversation was left unfinished?"
"Sir, after the meal, on return from almsround, we sat together in the assembly hall, arguing, quarreling, and disputing, wounding each other with barbed words."
"Mendicants, this is not appropriate for you gentlemen who have gone forth out of faith from the lay life to homelessness.
There are ten warm-hearted qualities that make for fondness and respect, conducing to inclusion, harmony, and unity, without quarreling. What ten? Firstly, a mendicant is ethical, restrained in the monastic code, conducting themselves well and resorting for alms in suitable places. Seeing danger in the slightest fault, they keep the rules they've undertaken. When a mendicant is ethical, this warm-hearted quality makes for fondness and respect, conducing to inclusion, harmony, and unity, without quarreling.
Furthermore, a mendicant is very learned, remembering and keeping what they've learned. These teachings are good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased, describing a spiritual practice that's entirely full and pure. They are very learned in such teachings, remembering them, rehearsing them, mentally scrutinizing them, and comprehending them theoretically. ...
Furthermore, a mendicant has good friends, companions, and associates. ...
Furthermore, a mendicant is easy to admonish, having qualities that make them easy to admonish. They're patient, and take instruction respectfully. ...
Furthermore, a mendicant is deft and tireless in a diverse spectrum of duties for their spiritual companions, understanding how to go about things in order to complete and organize the work. ...
Furthermore, a mendicant loves the teachings and is a delight to converse with, being full of joy in the teaching and training. ...
Furthermore, a mendicant lives with energy roused up for giving up unskillful qualities and embracing skillful qualities. They are strong, staunchly vigorous, not slacking off when it comes to developing skillful qualities. ...
Furthermore, a mendicant is content with any kind of robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. ...
Furthermore, a mendicant is mindful. They have utmost mindfulness and alertness, and can remember and recall what was said and done long ago. ...
Furthermore, a mendicant is wise. They have the wisdom of arising and passing away which is noble, penetrative, and leads to the complete ending of suffering. When a mendicant is wise, this warm-hearted quality makes for fondness and respect, helping the Saṅgha to live in harmony and unity, without quarreling.
These ten warm-hearted qualities make for fondness and respect, conducing to inclusion, harmony, and unity, without quarreling."