What use is a sangha?

blueface

Well you have to have a snappy title or nobody notices

But seriously, I am pretty early in my practice and I am not sure where a sangha comes in for me.

Of course you'll notice that an online sangha is a strange place to ask this question! However in a way it's a little different - you can hide a little if you need to here. However I am aware that like minded peers can help me given that the majority of my time is spent being influenced by pretty unbalanced people. Yet I feel my practice is strong in its solitude in a way...

federica

It's a partnership, and one of the recommended refuges of Buddhism.
What other reason would you need?

Simonthepilgrim

Thrangu Rinpoche (Buddha Nature - Ten Teachings on the Uttara Tantra Shastra. 1988) has this to say about the Sangha:

...(R)efuge has two aspects: the refuge of cause and the refuge of fruition.

SANGHA AS THE REFUGE OF CAUSE
In general the term sangha of causal refuge refers to our companions on the path, those following Buddha Shakyamuni's teachings. Because he lived twenty-five centuries ago, at present we cannot meet the Buddha in person and receive his teachings directly. We cannot know what he actually said and did. However, the Buddha established a noble sangha which has continued in an unbroken succession throughout the ages until the present day. Thus, the sacred teachings have been perfectly preserved. We can consider the noble sangha our companions on the path because they are skilled in helping us practice what is unfamiliar. When we are unable to praqctice due to, say, laziness, the noble sangha give us encouragement and urge us along the path. This is called the sangha of causal refuge.

SANGHA AS THE REFUGE OF FRUITION
The Uttara Tantra depicts the sangha as the refuge of fruition. (he then goes on to list eight qualities of the sangha of fruition according to the Uttara Tantra)

Without the notion of Sangha, Buddhism would have little or no argument against those non-Buddhists who accuse it of being solipsistic and selfish. With it, we affirm the importance of community as one of the Precious Jewels.

NamelessRiver

The Sangha, in special the monastic institution, is important because without it the Dharma wouldn't be carried on to future generations and it can provide the premium atmosphere to attain enlightenment.

If you take the Sangha in the scope of people that have attained at least some degree of realization, it is important in the sense that those people serve as an exemple of what to do, and also reinforce you conviction in the Dharma.

In my own view Sangha is the social body or kaya of the Buddha x-)

RichardH

Without Sangha my practice would not have moved beyond my personal comfort zone. The discipline enforced by routine and structure, especially during retreats made the difference between a deep practice and a shallow one. After two decades of sharing and growing together my Sangha is family.

blueface

You have each helped me clarify this point in my mind. I think i have never really been in doubt a sangha is a great support structure- eg this one is great! Perhaps my real concern is finding the sangha with which i can connect properly as Buddhism is such a broad church. I will have to choose carefully in order to strengthen my practice.:rolleyes:

federica

The other advantage of our online sangha, is that everyone has their own 'room', we all have a wonderful idea of what our home is like, you can come and go as you wish, there are no contributions sought, and no attendance times.....

Somnilocus

A Sangha may not be part of your journey right now and that's ok! Take from Buddhism whatever you need at the time.

But also realize that a Sangha isn't just a physical community. This online community is the Sangha, too. Sharing the journey with anyone else on the Middle Path is the Sangha. It is the teachings of the Buddha and the Buddha himself. And thus it is YOU.

The Sangha, are like other travellers on the same spiritual path, but we need their help like nurses with the correct medicine of good advice. They are our spiritual friends who can help us stay on the right path and can share their own experience.

MaxH

From someone who is sangha deficient I feel that I would benefit from sharing thoughts with others who practice meditation, especially those who are more experienced.

I was fully unprepared for how I have, at times, responded to meditation. For meditation practitioners to have access to each other to relate experiences must be helpful.

sukhita

I am fairly new to Buddhism. I have yet to personally meet another Buddhist, let alone a Sangha. My practice so far has been based on books and articles on the internet. But I am going to try to find some local support groups to enhance my practice. In the meantime, I have taken the Sanga to include everyone who made it possible for me to come into contact with the Buddhist Teachings. This includes the disciples of old who passed on the oral tradition over such a long time, the people who compiled the written texts, the people who spread the Dhamma across the world, the publishers of books, and - yes - the Dhamma Forums on the internet. Without the Sangha, the Buddha's Teachings would have been long forgotten. That's why we go for refuge to not only the Buddha and the Dhamma, but also to the Sangha. This is what I think now ...... but when the fog of ignorance lifts from my mind ... who knows what I,ll think?

Dazzle

It's good to be able to chat to others in online forums, but I would always recommend that people try to find an offline Buddhist meditation group or centre if its possible, even if they have to travel a little further afield occasionally.
Even if a group isn't local, its possible to maybe visit somewhere once a month just to keep in touch. listen to some talks, and meditate together.

.

msmedusa

blueface wrote: »

Well you have to have a snappy title or nobody notices

But seriously, I am pretty early in my practice and I am not sure where a sangha comes in for me.

Of course you'll notice that an online sangha is a strange place to ask this question! However in a way it's a little different - you can hide a little if you need to here. However I am aware that like minded peers can help me given that the majority of my time is spent being influenced by pretty unbalanced people. Yet I feel my practice is strong in its solitude in a way...

I like having an online Sangha because it has flexibility . Sometimes I like to just sit back and read, keep quiet and learn. Other times I read something I am curious about and need questions answered. And sometimes I feel chatty, mischeivious, or plain daft and like to banter..tonight is one of those by the way!!:D

I

Tokyo_Rose

msmedusa wrote: »

And sometimes I feel chatty, mischeivious, or plain daft and like to banter..tonight is one of those by the way!!:D

You want to banter?
:poke:

RichardH

Online Sangha can be tricky because there are different understandings representing different streams of Dharma. The measure of authenticity in...say Dzogchen is very different than Theravada. Then there are new practitioner and those who practice alone (a wonderful most excellent thing to do!!! ). Within a given stream, the effective meaning of "Anatta" for instance is settled in practice, but when there are fundamental differences about something so basic it hard to move onto more subtle discussions. It can be difficult to have a discussion when the same word has a different meaning for so many people. Still, the creativity of the mix can make it worth it.

Aurelius

as far as I'm aware sangha isn't just the physical community but the community of all enlightened practicioners who have ever lived. That's how I was taught it anyway; when you take refuge in the sangha you are taking refuge in all they represent, on many levels. I simplify things here a little but you get the general gist...

MaxH

Aurelius wrote: »

as far as I'm aware sangha isn't just the physical community but the community of all enlightened practicioners who have ever lived..

Do I have to be enlightened to be a part of the sangha?

sukhita

Aurelius wrote: »

as far as I'm aware sangha isn't just the physical community but the community of all enlightened practicioners who have ever lived. That's how I was taught it anyway; when you take refuge in the sangha you are taking refuge in all they represent, on many levels. I simplify things here a little but you get the general gist...

From the point of taking "refuge", I did sometimes come across some people saying the sangha represents the monks as well as officiating lay practitioners (where monks are not available). But the way I personally see it, all the lay practitioners are also part of the sangha, because we can also support each other.

I also try to steer clear from talking about "enlightened" practitioners. I don't think we can really tell who is enlightened and who are not. This reminds me of this anonomous quote:

Before enlightenment, chop wood and carry water.
After enlightenment, chop wood and carry water.

With kind regards.

Palzang

In Asia sangha referred mainly to the ordained community. In the West it has taken on the broader sense of the community of practitioners, which is healthy, imho.

Palzang