I hear the word “sangha” used a lot these days in Buddhist circles. What does it really mean?
The Pali word “sangha” literally means “group” or “congregation”, but when it is used in the suttas, the word usually refers to one of two very specific kinds of groups: either the community of Buddhist monastics (bhikkhus and bhikkhunis), or the community of people who have attained at least the first stage of Awakening. In recent decades, a new usage of the word has emerged in the West, one that seems to have no basis in classical Theravada Buddhist teachings: the usage of the word “sangha” to describe a meditation group or any sort of spiritual community. It sounds innocent enough, but this particular usage can — and often does — lead to profound confusion concerning one of the most fundamental underpinnings of the Buddha’s teachings, the going for refuge in the Triple Gem.
The Pali word “sangha” literally means “group” or “congregation,” but when it is used in the suttas, the word usually refers to one of two very specific kinds of groups: either the community of Buddhist monastics (bhikkhus and bhikkhunis), or the community of people who have attained at least the first stage of Awakening. In recent decades, a new usage of the word has emerged in the West, one that seems to have no basis in classical Theravada Buddhist teachings: the usage of the word “sangha” to describe a meditation group or any sort of spiritual community.1 It sounds innocent enough, but this particular usage can and often does lead to profound confusion concerning one of the most fundamental underpinnings of the Buddha’s teachings, the going for refuge in the Triple Gem. The act of going for refuge in the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha2 marks a major turning point in one’s spiritual development, the real start of the journey down the Buddhist path.3 It helps foster a healthy attitude to
The Pali word “sangha” literally means “group” or “congregation,” but when it is used in the suttas, the word usually refers to one of two very specific kinds of groups: either the community of Buddhist monastics (bhikkhus and bhikkhunis), or the community of people who have attained at least the first stage of Awakening. In recent decades, a new usage of the word has emerged in the West, one that seems to have no basis in classical Theravada Buddhist teachings: the usage of the word “sangha” to describe a meditation group or any sort of spiritual community.1 It sounds innocent enough, but this particular usage can — and often does — lead to profound confusion concerning one of the most fundamental underpinnings of the Buddha’s teachings, the going for refuge in the Triple Gem. The act of going for refuge in the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha2 marks a major turning point in one’s spiritual development, the real start of the journey down the Buddhist path.3 It helps foster a healthy attitud
