Sangha (community) is one of the three jewels of Buddhism. Buddha cultivated the practice of building community when he created the monastic order, and laid out rules which allowed his monks to live in harmony. These rules have changed slightly as Buddhism has spread between different countries and sects. However, they are still a key part of practice. In fact, it’s not uncommon for practitioners to recite the rules of their sangha together prior to a meditation retreat as a reminder of what is expected. This ensures that whether one is visiting the center for a couple of hours or a couple of years, they will have a quiet, contemplative space to train. That being said, it’s not just monastics who need to live and work peacefully together. Householder Buddhists who have bills, jobs, families, etc. also have a responsibility to build cohesive communities . Thankfully, there are several Buddhist practices that help lay Buddhists live harmoniously with their neighbors. I
by Sensei Alex Kakuyo