Happily we live, friendly amidst the hostile. Among those who are hostile we dwell free from hatred. Happily we live, we who possess nothing. Feeders on joy we shall be, like the Radiant Gods.
Sangha: the Spiritual Community
The third of the Three Jewels is the Sangha, or spiritual community.
It’s easy to learn about Buddhism and meditation from books or the internet, and perhaps attend a retreat with other Buddhists. But to be effective, Buddhist practice needs to pervade the whole of our lives, and that means sharing it with others. In practical terms, the Sangha means the fellow Buddhists with whom we share the path.
Teachers and those who are more experienced than us can become our ‘spiritual friends’ (or kalyana mitras, literally 'beautiful friends'). We can experience a sense of community with other practitioners, and the example of people who have realised the path before us can inspire us to follow it ourselves.
"Good friends, companions and associates are the whole of the spiritual life. A practitioner with good friends can expect to cultivate the noble eightfold path." The Buddha
The term Sangha is used in many ways. The community of realised teachers is known as ‘the Arya Sangha’ or ‘Noble Community’, and in many Buddhist settings the Sangha is understood to refer to the monastic community, who are united by their shared monastic lifestyle. In modern times, other models of a committed Buddhist life and other kinds of Buddhist community have emerged alongside these, including the Triratna Buddhist Order.
The spirit of sangha naturally emerges from the practice of metta bhavana, or the development of loving kindness meditation practice.
Resources
Books
📖 'What is the Sangha?' by Sangharakshita
