Did Buddha forsaw the split into Theravada and Mahayana schools
after his death? since he is omniscience, surely he would have
known about this isnt it. did he utter any words on the split?
Personally, it does not matter to me whether he had forsee the
split or not.
Excerpts from Ajahn Chah Dhamma talk...
Ditthi-mana is a harmful thing. Ditthi means "view" or
"opinion". All forms of view are called ditthi; seeing good as
evil, seeing evil as good... any way whatsoever that we see things.
This is not the problem. The problem lies with the clinging to
those views, called mana; holding on to those views as if there
were the truth. This leads us to spin around from birth to death,
never reaching completion, just because of that clinging. So the
Buddha urged us to let go of views.
If many people live together, as we do here, they can still
practise comfortably if their views are in harmony. But even two or
three monks would have difficulty if their views were not good or
harmonious. When we humble ourselves and let go of our views, even
if there are many of us, we come together at the Buddha, Dhamma and
Sangha ( the Monastic Order, or those who have realised the
Dhamma).
It is not true that there will be disharmony just because there
are many of us. Just look at millipede. A millipede has many legs,
doesn't it? Just looking at it you'd think it would have difficulty
walking, but actually it doesn't. It has its own order and rhythm.
In our practice it's the same. If we practise as the Noble Sangha
of the Buddha practised, then it's easy. That is
supatipanno - those who practise well; ujupatipanno
- those who practise straightly nayapatipanno -
those who practise to transcend suffering, and
samicipatipanno- those who practise properly. These four
qualities, established within us, will make us true members of the
Sangha. Even if we number in the hundreds or thousands, no matter
how many we are, we all travel the same path. We come from
different backgrounds, but we are the same.
Even though our views may differ, if we practise
correctly there will be no friction. Just like all the rivers and
streams which flow to the sea...once they enter the sea they all
have the same taste and colour. It's the same with people. When
they enter the stream of Dhamma, it's the one Dhamma. Even though
they come from different places, they harmonise, they merge. But
the thinking which causes all the disputes and conflict is
ditthi-mana. Therefore the Buddha taught us to let go of views.
Don't allow mana to cling to those views beyond their
relevance.