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TOPBuddhist Sangha

Buddhism is more relevant in today’s world than ever. With wars raging in many countries across the globe, the path of non-violence and peace is the need of the hour. Buddhism is being welcomed in places near and far.

Buddhism is less of a religion and more of a way of life. A life governed by the ‘Five Percepts’. Moral conduct, in Buddhism, differs for a lay person and that of the clergy, popularly known as the Sangha. The Buddhist Sangha is an association or a community of people working with a common purpose and towards a common goal. The Sangha of monks and nuns was established by The Buddha himself with the aim of preserving the teachings of the religion, not just by sermons but leading lives of examples.

The Sangha is regarded in high esteem by the Buddhist people. They are looked upon by the common people as those:

• Practicing the good way
• Practicing the upright way
• Practicing the knowledgeable way
• Practicing the proper way

Vinaya

Therefore, it is no wonder that they follow a strict regime, one that is governed by several rules. These rules are contained in the Vinaya or the first collection of the Buddhist scriptures. Depending on whether you were a male or a female member of the Sangha, there are 227 to 253 and 290 to 354 rules governing your moral conduct. There are varying penalties attached to each rule and some could even cause expulsion from the Sangha.

Some of the common rules governing the lives of Sangha members are abstinence from:

• Sexual intercourse
• Killing a human being
• Stealing that calls for a jail sentence
• Claiming super powers

TOPBhikkus and Bhikkunis

With such high moral grounds defined for the Sangha, it is but natural that the induction to the Sangha is a long and elaborate process. The Sangha houses both monks and nuns. They are also known as Bhikkus and Bhikkunis or Bhikshunis depending on whether you are a male or a female member. The word Bhikku literally means beggar and originated from the idea of living off the alms donated by the lay people.

TOPSamanera and Samaneri

When a person is first inducted into the Sangha, s/he is regarded as a novice. In Buddhist terminology, a male novice is known as Samanera while his female counterpart is known as Samaneri. The person remains a novice for a year or till the time s/he turns 20 years of age.

TOPVassas

Unlike the Church, the Sangha does not follow a strict hierarchy in terms of ranks and positions for its Bhikkus and Bhikkunis. Rather, it relies more on respect shown to senior members of the Sangha. In the Thai tradition, seniority is defined according to the number of vassas that a Sangha member has ordained. Vassas are traditional retreats for Sangha members during the rainy season from July to October. During this time, monks indulge in intense medidation and lay people abstain from alcohol, meat, and smoking. It is synonymous with the Lent season of the Christians.

TOPSymbiotic Life

All members of the Sangha, irrespective of their years of monastic life are expected to lead exemplary lives. Their prime focus is to preserve the Buddhist doctrine, and through their teachings and lives is expected to serve as ‘field of merit’ for lay people. The Buddhist Sangha and the lay people share an interdependent life. While the Sangha members guide the laity on religious disciplines, the laity support the clergymen and women with shelter and food. With such symbiosis existing in the Buddhist religion, one can only turn to it for hope in today’s troubled times.