Dharma Dictionary: Sangha (संघ)

Greetings Dharma Friends! Human beings are social creatures. We love to do activities in groups like watching a basketball game together, eating together (in some cases going to the restroom together), and living together. Group behavior is such a vital part of the human experience that our languages have lots of names for groups of people engaging in similar activities. For example, a group of athletes is called a team, a group of soldiers is called an army, a group of students a class, etc. But is there a name for a group of people whose common interest is spiritual practice? The answer is yes, and name for such a group is called a sangha. To call the concept of a sangha extremely important would be a gross understatement. Before delving into how sangha fits in the Buddha's teachings however, let us first look at the meaning of the word itself. 

The word sangha (pronounced sun-ghuh) comes from the Pali/Sanskrit(1,2) and means "multitude, assemblage, assembly, community, crowd, society, association, congregation, and any number of people living together for a common purpose". In usage, sangha has two distinct but related meanings. In the first sense, sangha refers exclusively to the Buddha's disciples and/or the monastic community of monks and nuns who practice the Buddha's teachings. The second usage refers to anyone, monastic or layperson, that practices the Buddha's teachings or, more broadly, anyone spiritually inclined. The emphasis in this thread will be on the second usage. 

Sangha is such a fundamental and defining characteristic of the Buddha's path to awakening that is considered one of the "Three Jewels". The Three Jewels are 'Buddha', the teacher of the path to enlightenment, 'Dharma', the teachings that lead us to awakening, and finally 'Sangha', the community that practices the Buddha's Dharma. Many might find it odd that a sense of community is so strongly emphasized, particularly in light of the focus on solitary, monastic practice that is found in many of the early texts. The Venerable Ananda, the Buddha's cousin and attendant, touched on this idea in a famous Pali Sutta (3). Here he tells the Buddha, 

"...This is half of the holy life, lord: admirable friendship, admirable companionship,  admirable camaraderie." 

The Buddha's response?

"Don't say that, Ananda.  Don't say that. Admirable friendship, admirable companionship, admirable camaraderie is actually the whole of the holy life. When a monk has admirable people as friends, companions & comrades, he can be expected to develop & pursue the noble eightfold path". 

In our time, we have the expression, "a friend in need is a friend indeed", that is friends who stay with us and never abandon us, no matter how bad the situation may be, are considered the best/truest of friends. This is the purpose and value of a sangha. As a group of like-minded people practicing the Buddha's teachings, we can relate to issues that arise on the path and offer effective help precisely because of our common, spiritual association. A spiritual friend of this sort is known as kalyana mitra in Sanskrit and we can think of a sangha as a group of spiritual friends. Often times these spiritual friends are the Dharma teachers that we learn from. Many times however, they can be our peers or anyone that we happen to learn an insightful lesson from. 

One way we can remind ourselves of the preciousness and importance of the Sangha is to recite/chant/read verses of in praise of it. This has been a traditional practice since the time of the Buddha himself.  As you read these words of devotion (4), remember that you too are part of the Sangha: 

RECOLLECTION OF THE SANGHA

Now let us chant the recollection of the Sangha.

They are the Blessed One's disciples, who have practiced well,

Who have practiced directly,

Who have practiced insightfully,

Those who practice with integrity--

That is the four pairs, the eight kinds of noble beings--

These are the Blessed One's disciples.

Such ones are worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of

offerings,

worthy of respect;

They give occasion for incomparable goodness to arise in the world.

SUPREME PRAISE OF THE SANGHA

Now let us chant the supreme praise of the Sangha

Born of the Dhamma, that Sangha which has practiced well,

The field of the Sangha formed of eight kinds of noble beings,

Guided in body and mind by excellent morality and virtue.

I revere that assembly of noble beings perfected in purity.

The Sangha, which is the supreme, secure refuge of all beings--

As the Third Object of Recollection, I venerate it with bowed head.

I am indeed the Sangha's servant, the Sangha is my Lord and Guide.

The Sangha is sorrow's destroyer and it bestows blessings on me.

***

(1)Pali Text Society's Pali-English Dictionary Online, p. 667

(2)Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary, Motilal, 2005 reprint,

p.1129

(3)Uppadha Sutta, Samyutta Nikaya 45.2 http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn45/sn45.002.than.html

(4) From the Abhayagiri Monastery Chanting Book, Evening Chanting, p. 13.  The book is freely available in .pdf format: (http://www.abhayagiri.org/main/book/288/)

Sarvamangalam!