14. What Causes the Karma of Divisive Speech

Divisive speech, commonly known as sowing discord, involves telling one thing to Party A and another to Party B, with the aim of causing mutual misunderstanding between the two parties so that one may profit from it. Divisive speech also contains false speech; whether intentional or unintentional, it constitutes negative karma. Within the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha), merely causing discord among the fourfold assembly (monks, nuns, laymen, laywomen) or between master and disciple constitutes the karma leading to the Avici Hell. If it involves a disciple received by an ordained master, causing them to lose faith in the master, cease following the teachings, and instead turn to other erroneous, inferior, worldly practices that cannot lead to liberation, then one simultaneously incurs grave negative karma by hindering their Dharma-body and wisdom-life. In future lives, there will be immense entanglement between the two individuals, and one will bear the karmic retribution for this.

Committing the evil karma of divisive speech can also arise from jealousy. Most people, or indeed everyone, possess jealousy; the key is whether one can subdue it, preventing it from manifesting and leading to the creation of heavy negative karma. When there is a sense of self and others in the mind, a desire to stand out and gain certain benefits, a wish for others to admire, respect, revere, and follow oneself, and yet one fails to achieve this, jealousy arises. Jealousy is a manifestation of inadequacy. If one were truly capable, all benefits would naturally come to them; why would one need to envy others?

Everyone wishes to be first or second, to stand at the highest peak, above the crowd. If you truly could, your virtue, character, and abilities should be the highest and best. Wanting to be second or to humble oneself below others would be impossible; even hiding among the crowd wouldn't work—you would inevitably stand out. To occupy the first position, one must weigh one's own level of virtue. Virtue must match the position; only then can one hold that position. Otherwise, disaster is inevitable. Exceeding the scope and degree of one's virtue and capability is difficult to bear. For example, if your body can only carry fifty catties or less, yet you insist on carrying a thousand catties, your spine will be crushed and broken.

Whenever anyone desires a certain benefit, they must first assess their own virtue, then assess their capability, then consider their character and integrity, and finally evaluate whether they can bear the responsibility of that position and influence. Do not create excessive troubles and suffering for yourself. If virtue does not match the position, it is better not to have it.

A mind that seeks far beyond one's capability is called ambition. Excessive ambition leads to madness; extreme madness leads to destruction—life itself will cease. Practitioners of the Way, however, should regard all worldly things with indifference, striving to be free of mind, desire, and seeking. Only then will their virtue grow increasingly higher. When virtue reaches a certain level, they will attain the character of a Bodhisattva, enter the Bodhisattva stage, and become a Bodhisattva Mahasattva. The Bodhisattva stage is attained through non-attachment; it cannot be achieved through struggle, jealousy, or pushing others aside to gain a sage's or worthy's position.

Within any group, the first or second position is not won through contention, struggle, self-praise, advertising, or vote-pulling; it comes through the attraction of virtue. What is attracted by virtue cannot be pushed away or hidden. Positions gained through schemes will inevitably decline once one's merit and influence are exhausted. If negative karma is involved during this time, one may even fall into a deep abyss, suffering losses that outweigh the gains. Afflictions arise from self-view and self-attachment. Excessive self-attachment leads to creating negative karma for the sake of the self; placing too much importance on the self brings no benefit whatsoever. The heavier the self, the deeper the fall; conversely, the more selfless the mind, the lighter and higher one ascends. Rising or falling depends entirely on one's grasp of the self. In daily encounters with circumstances, one must continually reflect on the illusory and insubstantial nature of the self, introspect one's mental activities and conduct. The better one reflects and observes, the better one's grasp of the self will be.