An Introduction to Buddhism Teachings, History and Practices

The early Saṅgha

The Saṅgha (Skt Saṃgha), in the sense of the ‘Community’ of monks and nuns with the Buddha as its teacher, originated as one of the groups of Samaṇas. These suspended their wandering existence during the three months of the rainy season, and for the Buddhist Samaṇas this ‘rains’ (Vassa, Skt Varṣa) period became a time of intensified religious practice, with greater contact with the public at large. They also tended to return to the same places at Vassa, such as parks donated by wealthy lay patrons, and these locations then became the basis for a more settled communal way of life. In this way, the Buddhists invented monastic life, which was a middle way between the life of the solitary Jain renouncers, and that of the Brahmin householders.

The monastic discipline (Vinaya) developed by the Buddha was designed to shape the Saṅgha as an ideal community, with the optimum conditions for spiritual growth. Its sustaining power is shown by the fact that no human institution has had such a long-lasting continuous existence, along with such a wide diffusion, as the Buddhist Saṅgha. The Buddha advocated frequent meetings of each local Saṅgha, with the aim of reaching a unanimous consensus in matters of common concern (D.ii.76–7). If necessary, there was also provision for voting and majority rule (Vin.ii.84).