Who is the Sangha in Buddhism’s three refuges?
A high ranking Buddhist monk has lodged a complaint at the Police Headquarters, this week complaining over a twitter message former Minister Mangala Samaraweera had posted.
The Ven. Ahungalle Sri Jinarathna Thera, Executive Director of Buddhist Information Center, felt that Mangala Samaraweera had insulted the Sangha in his message.
The tweet by MP Samaraweera: “I weep for my beloved country. May the blessings of the double gem, the Buddha and Dhamma be with you.”
The three refuges of a Buddhist is the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha. The triple gem.
Now when Mangala Samaraweera invoked the Buddhist blessing, why did he only mention the Buddha and the Dhamma? Why on earth did he leave the Sangha out?
Perhaps it’s due to a common misconception many Lankans have as to who the Sangha, in whom they are asked to take refuge in, truly is.
Many are under the belief that the ordained monks found in Buddhist temples and who belong to the Buddha Sasanaya comprise the Order of Sangha, declared as the third refuge of a Buddhist. They couldn’t be further from the truth.
The Bhikku is also a searcher of the truth, one journeying to find the bliss of enlightenment at its end. Until the dam of conditioned thought is breached and the ultimate goal reached, one remains chained to ignorance.
The Sangha, the community of monks who form the third refuge, is described by the Buddha in the Rathana Sutta – the Jewel Discourse.
It was expounded by the Buddha in the city of Vesali which had been inflicted by plague and famine. The Buddha had been asked by his disciples to visit Vesali and bring solace to the people. Death was in the air that night when the Buddha set foot on this city plagued by the fear of famine, by the fear of evil spirits and by the fear of pestilence.
Attended by a large following of monks including the Ven. Ananda Thera, the Buddha entered the city. Soon a torrential rain swept away the putrefying corpses and the atmosphere became purified and the city cleansed. Once a large group had assembled to hear the masses speak, the Buddha arrived to deliver his discourse. The subject he chose was the triple gem of Buddhism. The three refuges.
First the Master described the Buddha, the first refuge. He described it thus:
‘Whatsoever treasure there be either here or in the world beyond, or whatever precious jewel in the heavens yet there is none comparable with the Accomplished One.
Verily, in the Buddha is this precious jewel.
By this truth may there be happiness!’
Then he described the Dhamma, the second refuge. He described it thus:
‘The tranquil Sage of the Sakyas realised that Cessation, Passion-Free, Immortality Supreme. There is nought comparable with that Dhamma.
Verily, in the Dhamma is this precious jewel.
By this truth may there be happiness!’
‘The Supreme Buddha extolled a path of purity, the Noble Eightfold Path, calling it the path which unfailingly brings concentration. There is nought comparable to this concentration. Verily, in the Dhamma is this precious jewel.
By this truth may there be happiness!’
Then he described the Sangha, the third refuge. He described it thus:
‘The eight persons extolled by virtuous men constitute four pairs. They are the disciples of the Buddha and are worthy of offerings. Gifts given to them yield rich results. Verily, in the Sangha is this precious jewel.
By this truth may there be happiness!’
‘With a steadfast mind, and applying themselves well in the dispensation of the Buddha Gotama, free from (defilements), they have attained to that which should be attained (arahantship) encountering the Deathless. They enjoy the Peace of Nibbana freely obtained. This precious jewel is the Sangha.
By this truth may there be happiness!’
‘As a post deep-planted in the earth stands unshaken by the winds from the four quarters, so, too, I declare is the righteous man who comprehends with wisdom the Noble Truths. This precious jewel is the Sangha.
By this truth may there be happiness.’
‘Those who realised the Noble Truths well taught by him who is profound in wisdom (the Buddha), even though they may be exceedingly heedless, they will not take an eighth existence (in the realm of sense spheres). This precious jewel is the Sangha.
By this truth may there be happiness.’
‘With his gaining of insight he abandons three states of mind, namely self-illusion, doubt, and indulgence in meaningless rites and rituals, should there be any. He is also fully freed from the four states of woe, and therefore, incapable of committing the six major wrongdoings. This precious jewel is the Sangha.
By this truth may there be happiness.’
‘Any evil action he may still do by deed, word or thought, he is incapable of concealing it; since it has been proclaimed that such concealing is impossible for one who has seen the Path (of Nibbana).
This precious jewel is the Sangha.
By this truth may there be happiness.’
‘Their past (kamma) is spent, their new (kamma) no more arises, their mind to future becoming is unattached. Their germ (of rebirth-consciousness) has died, they have no more desire for re-living. Those wise men fade out (of existence) as the flame of this lamp (which has just faded away).
This precious jewel is the Sangha.
By this truth may there be happiness.’
Thus did the Buddha describe the third precious jewel, The Sangha.
Or to put it briefly, the Rathana Sutta as expounded by the Buddha describes the triple gem in the following way:
The Buddha is the unequalled Realised One.
The Teaching or the Dhamma is Nirvana and the
unsurpassed leading to Nirvana.
And the Sangha is the Noble community of monks who have attained Nirvana after realising the Four Noble Truths after abandoning the three fetters, namely, self- illusion, doubt, and indulgence in meaningless rites and rituals.
In other words, those who have followed the Dhamma as preached by the Buddha and attained the status of Arahants.