Korea Journal of Buddhist StudiesISSN:1598-0642(Print)불교학연구회

Studies on the schism in the saṅgha (saṅghabheda) created by Devadatta is incomplete and ongoing. Although there are testimonies of Chinese monks that sects following him survived for about 1,000 years, the history of that period remains blank. Thus it is necessary to approach the legend of Devadatta's saṅghabheda carefully and to make our conclusions with great reserve.The first premise is that the testimonies of Chinese monks can be the starting point of a study on Devadatta's schism. Namely, the testimonies can be a measure to set the limits on the scope of studying the schism. There is a difference of 200 years in which Devadatta's sect was discovered by Fa-xian and Hsṻan-tsang, and the regions differed from Middle India to East India. We cannot rule out the possibility that there were more than two sects widespread at that time. The record by I-tsing is particularly key to reorganize the position of Devadatta's sect in the history of denominations, since it contains details of their lifestyle, their relations with Buddhism, and conversations with the sect members he studied with in Nālandā.Key contents in this testimony are about the pure practices of Devadatta's sect which are connected directly with ‘five rules(pañcavatthū)’ proposed by Devadatta. From this testimony, we may guess that pañcavatthū had been a consistent religious tradition thereafter for the Devadatta's sects. Therefore, the testimony suggests that the schism should only be studied on the basis of pañcavatthū. It is then a presupposition for a historical review of Devadatta's saṅghabheda to inquire into pañcavatthū.The second premise is that the transformation from wandering to being settled was an issue of enormous controversy in the saṅgha, having been called a ‘revolution in Buddhist doctrine’, and that this was a fundamental cause of proposing pañcavatthū. About 45 relic sites in the age of the Buddha was found in Jīvaka-ārama alone which back up the existence of ārāma empirically. Additionally, there are about 30 ārama described widely in the canon. This evidence tells the story of the transformation from wandering to being settled. This transformation was accompanied by changes in clothing and eating during the Buddha's lifetime.Another consequence of this transformation were unexpected side effects which produced a sense of crisis for those who kept the lifestyle of the wandering bhikkhu in spite of the reformation. This conflict finally came up to the surface between advocates for wandering and those for being settled, and Devadatta's saṅghabheda should be viewed as an extension of the conflict.On the other hand, the Buddha's refusal of the five rules came not from a situational interpretation of the precepts, but from thoughtful consideration for the safety and welfare of bhikkhus, in line with a general view of the precepts. It should also be considered that refusal was an inevitable option for the Buddha due to changes in the secular societal environment, which had mutually beneficial relations with the saṅgha