Six Memorable Qualities that Engender Harmony

The Buddha’s admonition did not put an end to the matter however. The dispute continued and again a monk reported the following to the Buddha:

“Venerable sir, the monks here at Kosambi have taken to quarrelling and brawling and are deep in disputes, stabbing each other with verbal daggers. It would be good, venerable sir, if the Blessed One would go to those monks out of compassion.” (Middle Length Discourses, p. 1008)

So again the Buddha went to the monks of Kosambi and asked them:

“Monks, is it true that you have taken to quarrelling and brawling and are deep in disputes, stabbing each other with verbal daggers; that you can neither convince each other nor be convinced by others, that you can neither persuade each other nor be persuaded by others?” (Ibid, p. 419)

 The monks admitted that this was indeed the case. The situation that the Buddha describes, wherein people of different convictions are no longer able to disagree in a reasonable or civil manner is one that still all too familiar, even among Buddhists. Today, on the impersonal and fairly anonymous realm of the internet, it is even easier to get into rancorous debates and “flame wars.” And even though internet opponents will likely never even see each other face-to-face, feelings are still hurt, wrong speech (or writing in this case) and wrong intentions are still made, and those who witness such disputes are far from edified and may even lose their esteem for the disputants or even the Buddha Dharma itself. What is worse, the records of such debates remain and may even be brought up again years later to start the debate and bad feelings anew. Even offline, there are Buddhists and Buddhist groups who defeat the purpose of Buddhist practice and damage the reputation of Buddhism itself in the eyes of other Buddhists and the general public by engaging in sectarian polemics or else speaking or acting in ways that betray a spirit of pride, dogmatism, paranoia, and even vindictiveness rather than non-attachment and selfless compassion. Around the world there have even been occasions in recent times when such disputes has led to physical brawls, street riots, and even murder. The Buddha’s guidance in dealing with such disputes within the Sangha is as important as ever.

After asking the monks about their conduct, the Buddha ascertains that the monks of Kosambi have not been maintaining loving-kindness in regards to one another. Once the situation has been made clear and the monks have owned up to their less than admirable conduct, the Buddha proceeds to teach them how to restore and maintain peace and harmony within the Sangha. As with all the Buddha’s discourses, we should read the following as though the Buddha were directly addressing us:

“So, monks, when you take to quarrelling and brawling and are deep in disputes, stabbing each other with verbal daggers, on that occasion you do not maintain acts of loving-kindness by body, speech, and mind, in public and in private towards your companions in the holy life. Misguided men, what can you possibly know, what can you see, that you take to quarrelling and brawling and are deep in disputes, stabbing each other with verbal daggers? That you can neither convince each other nor be convinced by others, that you can neither persuade each other nor be persuaded by others? Misguided men, that will lead to your harm and suffering for a long time.” (Ibid, p. 420)

Note that the Buddha asks, “What can you possibly know, what can you see, that you take to quarrelling and brawling and are deep in disputes, stabbing each other with verbal daggers?” This rhetorical question can be taken to mean that there is nothing that can be known or seen in regard to the authentic Buddha Dharma that can lead to fighting and ill-will between people. Whatever knowledge or insight the disputants think they have is invalidated insofar as it has led them to such feelings of ill-will. Furthermore, the Buddha again points out that they disputants are no longer able to convince or persuade each other. The fact is, they are no longer really listening to each other at all, and there is no longer even the minimum amount of mutual respect left that could allow for an honest and reasonable discussion. Only the egoistic and tribal qualities of paranoia, aggression, and defensiveness remain.

Then the Blessed One addressed the monks thus: “Monks, there are these six memorable qualities that create love and respect and conduce to helpfulness, to non-dispute, to concord, and to unity. What are the six?”  

“Here a monk maintains bodily acts of loving-kindness both in public and in private towards his companions in the holy life. This is a memorable quality that creates love and respect, conduces to helpfulness, to non-dispute, to concord, and to unity.

Again, a monk maintains verbal acts of loving-kindness both in public and in private towards his companions in the holy life. This is a memorable quality that creates love and respect, conduces to helpfulness, to non-dispute, to concord, and to unity.

Again, a monk maintains mental acts of loving-kindness both in public and in private towards his companions in the holy life. This is a memorable quality that creates love and respect, conduces to helpfulness, to non-dispute, to concord, and to unity.” (Ibid, p. 420)

So the first three memorable qualities are bodily, verbal, and mental acts of loving-kindness. Loving-kindness is the translation of the Pali word “metta” and it refers to an attitude of well-wishing towards others. This means that the one cultivating a heart of loving-kindness wishes that others are well and happy, and this sincere wish then manifests in one’s speech and conduct towards them. Related to the cultivation of loving-kindness are the qualities of compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity whereby one respectively wishes that all beings be free of suffering, rejoices in the wholesome accomplishments of others, and regards all beings equally with unconditional love and kindness.

“Again, a monks uses things in common with his virtuous companions in the holy life; without making reservations, he shares with them any gain of a kind that accords with the Dharma and has been obtained in a way that accords with the Dharma, including even the contents of his bowl. This is a memorable quality that creates love and respect, conduces to helpfulness, to non-dispute, to concord, and to unity” (Ibid, p. 420)

This fourth memorable quality refers to the food, clothing, medicine, shelter, and even furnishings that were allowable to the monastics, and also to the proper ways of receiving donations as per the Vinaya, the monastic rule for Buddhist monks and nuns. Though this memorable quality is directed at monks living a simple and communal lifestyle, the point that generosity and sharing is conducive to harmony and good feelings is one that applies to anyone.

“Again, a monk dwells both in public and in private possessing in common with his companions in the holy life those virtues that are unbroken, untorn, unblotched, unmottled, liberating, commended by the wise, not misapprehended, and conducive to concentration. This too is a memorable quality that creates love and respect, conduces to helpfulness, to non-dispute, to concord, and to unity.” (Ibid, pp. 420-421)

This memorable quality is a reference to the observance of the monastic precepts. While those Buddhists who do not chose to become monks or nuns do not observe these precepts, the cultivation of virtuous conduct, speech, and intentions and specifically the observance of the five major precepts against killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, and the loss of self-control and mindfulness through indulging in intoxicants do apply to all. In fact, most civilized societies also have many other written and unwritten codes of ethics and standards of conduct and etiquette designed for the purpose of keeping people from harming one another and more positively to the maintenance of mutual respect and dignity. When such codes are disregarded without good reason, people’s conduct becomes coarse, vulgar, callous, and offensive, and an atmosphere of tension and even hostility is the result. If codes of morality, ethics, and even standards of etiquette are cultivated and maintained, then it becomes easier to maintain peace, harmony, and dignity in social relations.

“Again, a monk dwells both in public and in private possessing in common with his companions in the holy life that view that is noble and emancipating, and leads one who practices in accordance with it to the complete destruction of suffering.

“These are the six memorable qualities that create love and respect, and conduce to helpfulness, to non-dispute, to concord, and to unity.

“Of these memorable qualities, the highest, the most comprehensive, the most conclusive is this view that is noble and emancipating, and leads the one who practices in accordance with it to the complete destruction of suffering. Just as the highest, most comprehensive, most conclusive part of a pinnacled building is the pinnacle itself, so too, of these six memorable qualities, the highest, the most comprehensive, the most conclusive is this view that is noble and emancipating, and leads the one who practices in accordance with it to the complete destruction of suffering.” (Ibid, p. 421)

Right view is of course the first part of the eightfold path. In other discourses it is defined as the view that is in accord with the four noble truths. Right view entails understanding that all phenomenal things are impermanent, ultimately unsatisfactory, and lead to suffering; cutting off selfish craving; realizing the cessation of suffering; and cultivating the eightfold path that puts an end to suffering and its causes. The Buddha’s point is that right view is not a matter of opinion to be clung to and defended or pushed on others. Rather, it is a direct realization. Those who have right view will no longer become entangled in disputes. They will instead overcome suffering in all its forms including such conflicts as the monks of Kosambi had fallen into.