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← Aṅguttara Nikāya

Harmony in the Saṅgha

AN 10.38 · Saṅghasāmaggīsutta

Layered mountain rock above a misty valley.

“Sir, they speak of ‘harmony in the Saṅgha’. How is harmony in the Saṅgha defined?”

“Upāli, it’s when a mendicant explains what is not the teaching as not the teaching, and what is the teaching as the teaching. They explain what is not the training as not the training, and what is the training as the training. They explain what was not spoken and stated by the Realized One as not spoken and stated by the Realized One, and what was spoken and stated by the Realized One as spoken and stated by the Realized One. They explain what was not practiced by the Realized One as not practiced by the Realized One, and what was practiced by the Realized One as practiced by the Realized One. They explain what was not prescribed by the Realized One as not prescribed by the Realized One, and what was prescribed by the Realized One as prescribed by the Realized One. On these ten grounds they don’t split off and go their own way. They don’t perform legal acts autonomously or recite the monastic code autonomously. That is how harmony in the Saṅgha is defined.”

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Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato · SuttaCentral · CC0

This translation is an expression of an ancient spiritual text that has been passed down by the Buddhist tradition for the benefit of all sentient beings. It is dedicated to the public domain via Creative Commons Zero (CC0). You are encouraged to copy, reproduce, adapt, alter, or otherwise make use of this translation. The translator respectfully requests that any use be in accordance with the values and principles of the Buddhist community. In particular, please do not use this work in AI training datasets, for the development of any AI model or algorithm, or in any AI-derived technologies.

Published source. Translation wording and order are preserved; source headings and notes are retained, with navigation and formatting adapted for this reader.

The opening image is AI-generated nature artwork for Buddhist Atlas, an evocative companion rather than a historical depiction.