Eastern Spirituality

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The community of Buddhist monks and nuns. Teachers and practitioners. Sangha is a word in Pali and Sanskrit meaning "association", "assembly," "company" or "community" and most commonly refers in Buddhism to the monastic community of ordained Buddhist monks or nuns. This community is traditionally referred to as the bhikkhu-sangha or bhikkhuni-sangha. As a separate category, those who have attained any of the four stages of enlightenment, whether or not they are members of the bhikkhu-sangha or bhikkhuni-sangha, are referred to as the ariya-sangha or "noble Sangha".

The Sangha also includes laymen and laywomen who are personally dedicated to the discipline of Dharma-Vinaya. This use of the word "Sangha" is only sometimes found in the Pali texts.

Example via www.ramdass.org: Thích Nhất Hạnh

Glossary Contents: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z