Executive Summary: Karma of Causing Schism in the Sangha (Sanghabheda)
A case study from the Dream in Dream Kindergarten exposing the absolute heaviest karma in Buddhism: Anantarika Kamma. Inciting division and creating a schism among the monastic community leads directly to inescapable and ultimate torment in the Avici Hell.
1. The Ultimate Unwholesome Act
In a past life, this man was an influential layperson closely associated with a temple. Driven by blind ambition and the desire for personal gain, he began spreading malicious rumors, breeding paranoia, and actively inciting conflict among the monks. His manipulations eventually caused a severe fracture in the monastic community, preventing them from performing Sangha rituals together. This act is classified as “Sanghabheda” (causing a schism in the Sangha), one of the five Anantarika Kamma—the gravest sins that absolutely guarantee immediate descent into hell and permanently block the path to heaven or Nirvana in that lifetime.
2. The Retribution of Karma
- The Deepest Abyss of Avici Hell: The moment he took his last breath, the earth swallowed his inner body, plunging him directly into the 8th, deepest, hottest, and most agonizing realm: the Avici Hell. Massive, red-hot iron spears pierced his body from all six directions, pinning him immovably against the burning walls. He is perpetually scorched by hellfire millions of times hotter than any fire on Earth, with no respite for entire cosmic eons (kappas).
- Agony Without Interval: The word “Avici” translates to “without wave or interval,” signifying that the excruciating pain is continuous and absolute. There is not a single fraction of a second of relief.
- Lingering Karmic Residue: Even after eventually exhausting his sentence in Avici (which takes an unfathomable amount of time), the residual karma will force him through all the lower realms. When finally reborn as a human, he will be born in an era completely devoid of Buddhism, suffer from severe congenital deformities, and experience catastrophic betrayals by those closest to him.
3. Spiritual Solutions
Luang Por Dhammajayo issues a grave warning: “Sanghabheda” is a sin heavier than anyone can possibly imagine. Buddhists must be extraordinarily mindful of their speech and actions, ensuring they never become tools of Mara (evil) used to destroy the unity of the Sangha. If one witnesses conflict, they must act as a peacemaker, not an instigator. Anyone who has even slightly participated in sowing discord among monks must immediately and formally beg for forgiveness (Khama) from the Sangha and dedicate the rest of their life to actively protecting and unifying Buddhism, in hopes of slightly mitigating this catastrophic karma.
