Originally, Sangha refers to a group/community of monks. In modern term, Sangha refers to a community of Buddhism practitioners. Sangha is part of the Three Jewels in which we take refuge : the Buddha , the Dharma , the Sangha .

In taking refuge in the Sangha, we set our inner sights on the ideal community of Noble Ones ( ariya-sangha ) -- those monks, nuns, laywomen, and laymen who, throughout history, have by their own diligent efforts successfully carried out the Buddha's instructions and gained at least a glimpse of the supreme happiness of nibbana .

If this is the direction in which we also wish to go, then it is to these individuals that we should turn for refuge .

We are also asked to turn to the monastic community ( bhikkhu-sangha ) for refuge, for it is thanks to the unbroken lineage of this 2,600-year-old institution that we are fortunate enough today to be able to hear the teachings.

The Sangha as Training Ground
The sangha embodies two qualities that are truly reliable. The first, direct recognition of the absolute nature of mind, gives rise to the second, the liberation of delusion, confusion and the poisons of mind -- the root causes of suffering. Those who possess these qualities, and fully understand and uphold the vow of refuge, perceive and participate in life in a way that is not at all ordinary. As true sangha members, they are dedicated to refraining from harm and to helping others in any way they can. We can depend on them as examples, as well as for leadership and guidance.

What can we do to sustain a strong sangha ?

First, we have to understand that practicing dharma means correcting our own faults, changing our own minds. As humans, we all have flaws. Just as sisters and brothers in a large family have to learn how to deal with one another, we have to learn how to help and support one another in the sangha. If we were holding hands to help each other cross a river and one person fell in, we wouldn't leave him there; we'd lift him out and keep going.

Simply hearing the teachings of the dharma isn't enough to completely transform ourselves. The teachings have to be implemented, and we begin by increasing our compassion. If someone in the sangha is rude to us, instead of responding in our habitual way, by being angry, sarcastic, hurtful or holding a grudge, we practice compassion.

As dharma practitioners we bring our understanding of karma to bear on difficult situations, recognizing that someone who upsets others is creating nonvirtue. Rather than being critical, we try to help, and in this way we create virtue. And when we make mistakes, we purify the karma we've created.

There are times when we are upset or irritated. Sometimes our body is out of sorts. Sometimes our subtle energies are out of balance and our mind is agitated. Sometimes we just wake up on the wrong side of the bed. We need to recognize that this emotional turmoil is not permanent, that it will pass, like clouds in the sky--and then patiently let it go by.

We shouldn't add fuel to the fire. If an irritable person says something annoying, we should remain patient and maintain respect. We shouldn't prolong or even try to correct the situation, but rather wait until the person calms down and then try to talk things over. We always need to focus on how we can help others, not on how we can benefit ourselves.

When anger arises, the best thing to do is to drop it. But if we can't, we remain patient and it will eventually dissolve. Because sangha members don't cling to anger for months or years, they don't inflict the kind of damage in relationships that resentment can cause.

If we try again and again to develop love, concern and patience, slowly we will make progress in our practice. Like grains of barley in a bag whose husks fall away as the grains rub together, sangha members working together can swiftly cleanse their minds' poisons and obscurations and contribute to each other's learning and growth.

The world isn't going to change for us. From the very beginning of our journey on the dharma path, we realize that what must be changed is our own mind -- that the mind is the arena for training. We recognize that nothing in samsara or nirvana is outside mind; all is rooted in it.

Our interactions within the sangha serve as a mirror that reflects our mind back to us so that we can use the methods of the dharma to correct ourselves. If we find ourselves responding to irritating situations in an ordinary way, we ask, " Why do I react this way? Why do I hold onto these things ? " By transforming mental poisons as they arise, we learn to deal more effectively with our immediate circumstances and live up to our spiritual goals.

At first, the sangha is like a collection of holy objects, such as statues, in a bag; they inevitably clank against one another. But if people trying to create something of benefit are at odds with one another, the negativity and disharmony undercut their spiritual aspirations.

On the other hand, if they treat each other with patience, respect, love and compassion, those qualities radiate out and benefit all those around them. When they go about their activities in the world, where there is less support for spiritual practice, they will have well-established habits of patience and kindness.

They won't lose them in stressful situations. In this way, the sangha provides a training ground for applying the dharma in the world at large, which is the true arena for our practice.




Sources: e-Sangha Buddhism Portal