AN.6.36. Vivādamūlasutta ("Roots of Arguments")

Aṅguttara Nikāya ("Collections of Numbered Discourses")

“Mendicants, there are these six roots of arguments. What six? Firstly, a mendicant is irritable and hostile. Such a mendicant lacks respect and reverence for the Teacher, the teaching, and the Saṅgha, and they don’t fulfill the training. They create a dispute in the Saṅgha, which is for the hurt and unhappiness of the people, for the harm, hurt, and suffering of gods and humans. If you see such a root of arguments in yourselves or others, you should try to give up this bad thing. If you don’t see it, you should practice so that it doesn’t come up in the future. That’s how to give up this bad root of arguments, so it doesn’t come up in the future.

Furthermore, a mendicant is offensive and contemptuous … They’re jealous and stingy … devious and deceitful … with wicked desires and wrong view … They’re attached to their own views, holding them tight, and refusing to let go. Such a mendicant lacks respect and reverence for the Teacher, the teaching, and the Saṅgha, and they don’t fulfill the training. They create a dispute in the Saṅgha, which is for the hurt and unhappiness of the people, for the harm, hurt, and suffering of gods and humans. If you see such a root of arguments in yourselves or others, you should try to give up this bad thing. If you don’t see it, you should practice so that it doesn’t come up in the future. That’s how to give up this bad root of arguments, so it doesn’t come up in the future. These are the six roots of arguments.”



Subscribe to The Empty Robot

Get the latest posts delivered right to your inbox



Spread the word: