Sangha is a Buddhist community. Sometimes they also call the whole religious fraternity as a whole. Initially, the same word was understood to mean all the students of Shakyamuni, who were reflected in mythical legends associated with Buddhism. Later, one who took the appropriate vows became a member of the Buddhist sangha - they were both secular and monastic.
Different meaning
The traditional sangha includes monks, nuns, laity, and laity. The presence of such a society suggests that Buddhist teachings spread throughout the state. And at the same time, the word is used in a narrower sense when a person takes refuge. The sangha is a community of those who have freed themselves from the illusions of the ego.
The monks
Initially, a similar community was approved by Gautam Buddha in the 5th century BC. He thus provided the means for those who wish to practice the Dharma throughout the day, being free from everyday life. In addition, another important role is assigned to the Buddhist traditional sangha: it preserves the teachings of the Buddha, supports in spiritual terms those who walk along its path.
The main nuance of the monasticism of this religion is considered to be a connection with Guilt, which contains many behavioral norms. For example, monks lead a chaste life, eat only until noon. The remainder of the time is devoted to the study of scripture, singing and meditation. If someone violates these provisions, this threatens with expulsion from the community.
It is noteworthy that Tendai, the founder of the Japanese movement, reduced the number of restrictions to 60. And many schools that appeared later, Vinai replaced completely and completely. For this reason, followers of Japanese schools have priesthood. This is not monasticism.
Limitations
The monastic life in the Sangha is the abandonment of most of the property. From the property there are 3 robes, a bowl, a cloth, a needle with thread, a razor and a water filter. As a rule, the list is supplemented by one or two personal items.
By tradition, monks don’t wear casual clothes. Initially, their clothes were sewn from cuts of fabric and painted with earth. A theory was put forward that saffron was once used in painting. But this was hardly possible, since this product has always been considered expensive, and the monks were poor. The colors of the garments at the moment indicate that the monks belong to one or another current.
The monks were called “bhikkhus,” which translates as “beggar.” As a rule, they requested food. And the laity fed these people in exchange for providing them with luck in subsequent reincarnations. Despite the fact that the Indian monks did not work, with the advent of religion in Asian and Chinese countries, they started farming.
Myths
The misconception is that belonging to the sangha is a mandatory vegetarianism. Indeed, a number of suras are not advised to eat meat products. However, it is known that in the Pali canon, which was drawn up 300 years after the parinirvana of the Buddha, the latter refused to put forward vegetarianism as a requirement in the sangha. He considered this a personal choice for every practitioner.
At the same time, in a number of countries, monks, as a rule, take appropriate vows and stop eating meat. Tibetan traditions do not include such a vow. As a rule, Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese monks do not eat meat, while Japanese and Tibetan monks do not make such vows.
In the Mahayana sutras, Buddha proclaims that any lay person can attain enlightenment. But in Western traditions, the myth is widespread that enlightenment is impossible outside the sangha. There is a story in the sutras about how the uncle of the Buddha, a layman, achieved enlightenment by listening to the speeches of the Buddha.
In exercises
The Sangha is proclaimed the third of the jewels. In the teachings, there are 3 levels: arya-sangha, bhikshu-sangha, maha-sangha. The first is translated as "holy." Arya is always considered holiness in Buddhism. And the Arya Sangha is called a community of saints with certain achievements, spiritual experiences. Such personalities are spiritually united, despite the fact that they do not contact in physical shells. The sangha of this level is precisely the spiritual community, represented by people of various eras, states. There is no disunity in time and space for them.
Bhiksha Sangha is a monastic community. It is hardly possible to imagine how many monks and nuns existed in the oldest monasteries. It is known that a Tibetan monastery with 500 monks was considered small. There has always been a lot of bhikkhus in such formations.
Finally, the maha-sangha is a gathering of all who in one way or another turned to the Refuge, follow some instructions. These are all people who have adopted Buddhist principles or truths, regardless of what lifestyle they lead. Most of all representatives are at the Maha Sangha.
Dharma Sangha
Inhabitants could hear the word “sangha” in the context of the story about the young man. His real name is Dharma Sangha, he spent 6 years in meditation without food and water. He was drawn to the attention of the whole world, including enlightened minds.
At the age of 15, the young man was inspired by the example of the Buddha and sat down to meditate in the jungle, seeking deep concentration, from which he did not go out for 6 years. It is known that twice he was bitten by a snake, from the poison of which a person can die. But he endured it calmly enough. He sweated profusely, so that all the poison was removed from the body.
Someone claimed that it was on this day that the young man gained enlightenment. Since 2005, people began to flock here. All the witnesses said that the Dharma Sangha sat motionless, neither ate nor drank, did not move. Tours began to drive here. Then the young man moved to another, quieter place.
The film crews tried several times to get close to him to find out if the young man really lives all this time without food and water. Discovery Channel filmed 96 hours of continuous film by the tree under which the young man was sitting, finding that he had not moved all this time, despite the cold and changing weather. No stocks of water and food, pipes, were found near the tree. There were no signs of physical degradation caused by dehydration on the young man's body.
Sangha in Russia
At the moment, there is a Buddhist community on Russian territory. The head of Russia's traditional sangha is Pandito Khambo Lama, a native of the Chita region. Under his leadership, several datsans opened in the country, and international relations developed.
Buddhism is considered one of the most popular religions in the country. He traditionally professes in Transbaikalia, Altai, Kalmykia, Tuva and Buryatia.
In recent years, Buddhist traditional sangha has spread in Russia to Moscow and St. Petersburg. In these cities, the number of Buddhists is 1% of the total population, there is a tendency to increase the number of followers of this world religion.
Story
It is known that the Buddhist sangha of Russia is rooted in antiquity. The first mention of Buddhists in Russia dates back to the 8th century. It contacted the country of Bohai, located in the Amur region. It was a state created under the influence of Chinese and Korean traditions. Religion in it was Buddhist. Its Tibetan form spread to Russia in the 17th century. When the Kalmyk tribes took Russian citizenship, this trend spread among the Buryats. At that time, Tibetan lamas escaped from political events in their homeland.
In 1741, a decree issued by Siberian authorities was issued. He established the permissible number of datsans and lamas in the territory of the Russian Empire. This was not an official recognition of this world religion, but at the same time made the Buddhist clergy legitimate. It was officially recognized by Catherine II in 1764, when the post of the Pandit Hambo Lama in the Russian Empire was established. In the 19th century, the practice of these religious teachings was recognized as legal.
But when in the Soviet years, in the 1930s, several uprisings in datsans thundered against the new government, the USSR began the fight against Buddhism. In 1941, not a single datsan remained on the territory of the country, the llamas were repressed. It was officially recognized that this was done in order to destroy the Japanese sabotage network.
The newspaper Pravda published articles on how Japanese intelligence officers pretended to be Buddhist preachers, discovered datsans, creating bases for further sabotage. Japan, on the other hand, acted as patrons for peoples who for centuries followed Buddhist traditions that were now prohibited in the USSR. Actively, this country attracted the Mongols and Buryats to their side. Many monks on Russian territory were unhappy with the actions of the Soviet authorities. They came in contact with representatives of Japanese intelligence and the army. Stalin took harsh repressive measures.
Rebirth
Religion began to revive on Russian territory in 1945, after Japan was defeated in the war, and believers asked to build the Ivolginsky datsan. And the Soviet government agreed to this. This datsan became the residence for the lama, the head of Soviet Buddhists.
At the same time, the state allowed representatives of individual nationalities to be Buddhists. If Buddhism was adopted by representatives of other nations, for which it was never traditional, the authorities treated them negatively, considering them dangerous. And often they hid underground until the end of the 20th century. But with the liberalization of society and the collapse of the USSR, the situation has fundamentally changed.
After the collapse of the USSR
In 1990, more than 10 datsans were opened on the territory of the country, the construction of several more began. In 1996, the concept of the Buddhist traditional Sangha of Russia was introduced in the new Charter. She became a member of the World Buddhist Brotherhood. Includes several organizations, centers associated with this world religion.
It should be noted that at the moment in the Russian Federation there is still no centralized institution that would unite all the Buddhists of the country. There are separate communities associated with different areas.
Current situation
At the moment, Buddhism is becoming more popular among the indigenous Russian population, as well as representatives of other nationalities. In the Russian Federation, Buddhism is officially proclaimed 1 of 4 traditional religions for the country along with Islam, Judaism and Orthodoxy.
The number of Buddhists in the country is about 1 million people. Datsans are increasingly appearing in areas not traditional for Buddhist movements in the country. It is known that datsans were opened in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Samara, and that the current trend is such that the flow of people in them is increasing.