Sangha

Bodhisattva sangha from the Longchen Nyingtik field of merit

Sangha (Skt. saṅgha; Tib. gendün; Wyl. dge 'dun) is the term for the community of practitioners who are following the Buddha's teachings. According to the Mahayana teachings, the sangha that is included within the Three Jewels as an object of refuge is the noble sangha, i.e., those who have reached the path of seeing and beyond.

Etymology

The Tibetan word for sangha is gendün (Wyl. dge 'dun), which signifies those who aspire to or yearn for (dün) virtue (gé). Khenpo Ngakchung explains that virtue here refers to the threefold training in discipline, meditation and wisdom.

Qualities

Eight Qualities of the Sangha

According to Maitreya's Uttaratantra Shastra, the Sangha has 'eight qualities of knowledge and liberation' (Tib. རིག་གྲོལ་་གྱི་ཡོན་ཏན་བརྒྱད་, rig drol gyi yönten gye; Wyl. rig grol gyi yon tan brgyad):

Knowledge of:

1) the profound nature of phenomena

2) the vast – phenomena in all their multiplicity

3) discriminating awareness wisdom

Liberation of:

4) attachment, the emotional obscurations

5) hindrance, the cognitive obscurations

6) the inferior – the obscurations of the shravakas and pratyekabuddhas

And

7) knowledge; and

8) liberation.

Teachings Given to the Rigpa Sangha

• Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, Berlin Centre, 26 June 2010

Further Reading

• Khenpo Ngawang Palzang, A Guide to the Words of My Perfect Teacher, Shambhala, 2004, pages 108-123.