Who is in Your Sangha?

Sangha [ˈsäNG(ɡ)ə], what a lovely word as it is spoken. Without context, an English speaker might think it refers to music or a song, a ballad, perhaps a choral group of some sort. The last answer is pretty close. Sangha is a Sanskrit (the language of Ancient India) and Pali (the language of the Buddha) word meaning association or community The Buddha’s community of monks was known as a Sangha. But Sangha is not limited to ancient groups or specific philosophies. The Buddhist community of monks symbolized the true meaning of the word. The monks were gathered together because they were like-minds, living and working together in harmony. Each one was an individual in their own right, bringing specific talents or skills that were useful to the community as a whole. Everyone was welcome. Today a sangha can be as varied as the individuals belonging to it, all offering their knowledge and gifts to help the group thrive. A sangha can be a Buddhist monastic community, a group of practicing yogis, a circle of friends supporting a cause or an individual, a family, and many more iterations. The requirements to join a sangha are simple; a safe place for people to express their individuality, lending their abilities to support the group as a whole.

Who is your Sangha?

The sangha is a community where there should be harmony and peace and understanding. That is something created by our daily life together. If love is there in the community, if we've been nourished by the harmony in the community, then we will never move away from love.

-Ticht Nhat Hanh