QUARRELS

QUARRELS
A trivial incident lead to an unfortunate dispute among the Bhikkhus of Kosambi.
One group followed the master of Vinaya. The other followed the teacher of the Dhamma.
They were often quarreling among themselves.
They did not even listen to the Buddha's advice.

However, the Buddha knew that eventually they would realize their mistake.
So the Buddha left them and went to spend the Vissa (the rainy reason retreat)
all alone in the forest, where an elephant and money attended to Him.

The lay disciples of Kosambi, on learning the reason for the absence of the Buddha,
refused to make offerings the Bhikkhus.
This made the latter realize their folly and reconciliation took place.
However the lay followers would not treat the monks as respectfully as they had done before.

They were told to ask the pardon of the Buddha.
But the Buddha was away and it was in the middle of the Vissa;
so the bhikkhu of Kosambi spent the Vissa in misery and hardship.

At the end of the Vassa, Venerable Ananda and many other bhikkhus conveyed the message to the Buddha and implored him to return assuring him that they had realised the error of their ways.
In due course, the Buddha returned to the Jetavana monastery in Savathi. When the bhikkhu saw the Buddha, they pay respects and admitted their faults.

The Buddha then admonished them that life is impermanent and therefore they must stop their quarrels and not act as if they would never die.