Sangha: "A Crowd or Gathering"

The community of Buddhists is the Sangha

 

Bhikku - Monks

Bhikkhuni - Nuns

Upasaka and Upasika - Lay Followers

 

The core of monastic discipline is the following

three principles: poverty ; celibacy and inoffensiveness.

The monastic rules are legion and are found in many texts. It is customary for as many as strict rules 250 to be read outloud every two weeks in a Buddhist monastery.

 

The Buddhist monastic tradition stands in tension with the idea of Dharma in the Hindu tradition, especially as it is articulated in the Gita. The Buddhists describe the renunciation of the duties of the householder and of family and society as the first step in eliminating the causes of life's problems. Stories illustrate that the middle way is open to all, no matter one's caste, social status, moral state, age or gender.

 

The story of Datta:

 

"Before Datta's birth, his mother had been thrown out of her house in her husband's absence by her mother-in-law, and the child was born in a traveler's hostel. The young mother joined a traveling caravan and went in search of her husband. But the caravan leader stole the child, and the mother was carried off by a highway robber, by whom she had a daughter. One day she had an argument with her daughter and hit her on the head, causing a wound; filled with fear, she ran off and took refuge in the town of Rajagaha. There she became a courtesan, and the mistress of the rich Datta, not knowing that he was her son. Some time later, Datta married the highway robber's daughter, not realizing she was his half sister. One day, Datta's mistress was arranging the young wife's hair; she saw the wound on her head and asked where she came from. The young woman told her story and was recognised by her mother, who also discovered that Datta was none other than her own son. The two women left Datta in horror and entered the order of nuns. Datta, equallly filled with digust, immediately went to see the Buddha and joined the Community. He led a contemplative life in the forest for two year, and became an Arahant know as Gangatiriya Thera." As told by Mohan Wikayaratna in Buddhist Monastic Life According to the Texts of the Theravada Tradition, 11.

 

 

Poverty

 

It is the duty of all monks to beg for daily food.

In essence, the monk who sought arhathood led a homeless life, cut off from society within the confines of a monastery.

The begging bowl became the badge of Buddhist monks.

The ideal of begging is based on the necessity to sever all attachments to the world.

Complete poverty is admirable as it means the monk has no material possessions to which he might form an attachment.

He is so poor, he must even beg his daily food.

 

 

Celibacy

 

"Ananda asked the Buddha, "how shall we e behave to women?" The Buddha replied: "Not see them."

Ananda: "And if we have to see them?"

Buddha: "Not speak to them."

Ananda: "And if we have to speak to them?"

Buddha:"Keep your thoughts tightly controlled." D II 141

 

Women epitomize the lure of the world for Buddhists. As such they were to be avoided whenever possible. For the Monk, marriage was out of the question, as it would lead to deep attachments.

Hostile attitude to body

Songs describe the body, particularly that of the opposite sex as bile, phlegm, urine, feces, pus, etc. In an attempt to undermine its lure.

 

Meditation

 

In the Digha Nikaya, the Buddha directs the monk to retire to the forest to a tree, isolate himself,

sit down cross legged, and begin by contemplating the expiration and inspiration of the breath.

The monk trains the consciousness of these actions and quiets them.

He develops observance of the body - whether walking, standing or sitting - and

dentification of distinct parts of the body:

"There is in this body hair of the head, hair of the body, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinew, bone,marrow of the bones, kidneys, heart, liver pleura, spleen, lungs, intestines, stomach, faeces, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat tears, lymph, saliva, snot, urine etc."

 

Cemetery meditation

1) decaying body black swollen and festering

2) decaying body begin eaten by scavengers and insects

3) skeleton with flesh blood and tendons

4) articulated skeleton stained with blood

5) bare articulated skeleton

6) unarticulated and scattered skeleton

7) bleached bones

8) piles of bleached bones

9) bones rotting and crumbling into dust.

 

"Verily, my body also has this nature, this destiny and is not exempt."

 

Inoffensiveness to all things: non-injury to all living things. Look at all sentient beings as potentially one's own self, either in the past or in the future and behave toward all beings with that in mind. In one's actions one must be inoffensive always, respecting all stages and spheres of life. Humility is to be cultivated if one is to succeed in becoming an arhat.

 

The Buddhist laity are encouraged to live as much as possible like a monk. Emphasis is placed on fulfilling a moral code and rituals rather than monastic discipline.

 

The relationship to the Buddha, Dharma, and Community is formalized by ritual.

One is born and dies amid the chanting of monks.

Every daily act, every meal,becomes a ritual.

Every act, an act of charity and worship.

 

** A description of the Thai Sangha