Buddhism and the Sangha Relationship between monastics and the lay community What do the lay community do for the monks?
Basic support for the monks Material gifts e.g. provision of:- Food Clothing Medicines Shelter
Support for the monastery People from the local community support the monks at the monastery by:- Volunteering to clean, cook, do the gardening, go shopping and carry out building maintenance
Other issues The vassa or rainy season involves a retreat by the monks. They restrict their movements and remain by and large in the monastery grounds. They will chant, meditate and study the dhamma more. Some lay people can become temporarily ordained for this period and there are Kathina ceremonies at the end of the rainy season. Here the whole lay community will go to the monastery bearing gifts of fruit, flowers, new robes and other gifts and everyone will join together to eat, drink and share their news
Shared beliefs The pursuit of the religious goal is worthwhile The pursuit of the spiritual goal is a supreme thing to do It has continued uninterrupted in South – East Asia for over 2500 years It applies Buddhist values:- non – violence and non- harming It champions environmental projects Generosity is not abused Economically supporting the monastic Sangha allows them to engage full time in this way of life There is an understanding that the Sangha are materially dependent on the lay people for their ultimate survival
The situation today Some regions in Asia have found problems The dominance of materialistic views and communism have challenged the monastic and lay life to the limit Communism in some areas have suggested the monks are ‘social parasites’ Communist regimes have tried to get rid of Buddhist monastic communities. They have destroyed the monasteries and killed the monks. They have forced them to disrobe and become householders. This has primarily happened in China, Cambodia, North Korea, Tibet and Mongolia. Today there are signs of Buddhist revivals in some of these countries.