Miscellaneous Topics – 2419
A particularly noteworthy thing is a statement in the commentary to the
Analysis (
Vibhaṅga
). In the Analysis of Knowledge (
Ñāṇa-vibhaṅga
, Vibh 16), it
is said: “Only the act of causing schism in the Saṅgha (
Saṅgha-bhedaka-kamma
),
results in suffering for a whole period (
kappa
). Should a man, owing to such an
act, be reborn in Avīci at the beginning or in the middle of the period (
kappa
),
he would gain release only when the period (
kappa
) dissolves. If he were reborn
in that realm of suffering today and if the period (
kappa
) dissolves tomorrow he
should then suffer just one day and would be free tomorrow. But in fact there is
no such possibility.”
On account of this statement, there are some who opine that: “The act of causing
schism in the Saṅgha (
Saṅgha-bhedaka-kamma
) leads to Niraya for the whole
period (
kappa
), in the sense of a great aeon (
mahā-kappa
); he who commits this
productive deed (
kamma
) gains freedom only when the aeon dissolves. As a
matter of fact, the expression lasting for the whole aeon (
kappaṭṭhitiya
) is
explained in the Analyses (
Vibhaṅga
) commentary only in a general manner; it
does not emphatically mention the words lasting for the whole great aeon
(
mahā-kappaṭṭhitiya
). The expression lasting for the whole aeon is based on a
verse in the Vinaya Short Division (
Cūḷa-vagga
, Vin Cv 7, PTS 2.205) which
reads: “Having destroyed the unity of the Saṅgha, one suffers in Niraya for the
whole period (
kappa
).” Therefore, the period (
kappa
) here should be taken only
as a life period (
āyu-kappa
) but not as a great aeon (
mahā-kappa
). In the 13
th
chapter of the Points for Discussion (
Kathā-vatthu
) commentary, it is said, in
dealing with the period (
kappa
) that the verse has been composed with reference
to the life aeon (
āyu-kappa
) of the Avīci inmates which is only one eightieth of a
great aeon (
mahā-kappa
).
Empty and Non-Empty Aeons
The great aeon is divided into two classes: 1) empty aeon (
suñña-kappa
) and 2)
non-empty aeon (
asuñña-kappa
).
[1506]
Of these two, the aeon in which
Buddhas do not appear is an empty aeon (
suñña-kappa
); it means an aeon which
is void of a Buddha. The aeon in which Buddhas appear is a non-empty aeon
(
asuñña-kappa
); it means the aeon which is not void of a Buddha.
Though Buddhas do not appear in an empty aeon, that there can be the
appearance of Independent Buddhas and Universal Monarchs may be inferred
from the Traditions about the Edler Upāli (
Upālitthera-apadāna
, Tha-ap 8). In
the Traditions about the Edler Upāli and its commentary it is said that two aeons