With palms together,
Good Morning Everyone,
We have been considering sangha of late and what sangha really means. It used to be that sangha was a group of monks who practiced together, lived together, and wondered together. That was some time ago. Through the centuries, though, and with the ascendancy of lay practice centers, sangha has widened to include nearly everyone and, in some cases, everything, in the universe.
Many lay practice centers welcome people in off the street, visitors who are curious, who might want to learn, and yet, have little real sense or desire to join a sangha. Visitors and people who simply attend, are not sangha members. We, in the Order of Clear Mind Zen, have just completed our grandfathering period. From this point forward, sangha members will be those who have joined and, once accepted, become members of the sangha. I think it should be said, a sangha is a commitment to join a group and support that group. It is not about the individuals needs, but rather the group's needs. This is where we, in America, seem to have an issue, because we seem to be all about ourselves. The Buddha Way is not that way.
Sangha today may not be place specific, but could be connected through the virtual reality of the Internet. I have students in far away places, most I have met in person, some I have not, yet in each and every case, I feel a commitment and connection to them. I am here for them; they are here for me,. In a very real sense, in this, then, there is no "them" or "me," there is just the "sangha."
For those living in or near Las Cruces, NM, please consider visting us and at some point, joining our sangha. If you are not in the area, please consider talking to me personally over Skype video chat. Simply email my Jiisha, Soku Shin, and set a time.
Be well.
Good Morning Everyone,
We have been considering sangha of late and what sangha really means. It used to be that sangha was a group of monks who practiced together, lived together, and wondered together. That was some time ago. Through the centuries, though, and with the ascendancy of lay practice centers, sangha has widened to include nearly everyone and, in some cases, everything, in the universe.
Many lay practice centers welcome people in off the street, visitors who are curious, who might want to learn, and yet, have little real sense or desire to join a sangha. Visitors and people who simply attend, are not sangha members. We, in the Order of Clear Mind Zen, have just completed our grandfathering period. From this point forward, sangha members will be those who have joined and, once accepted, become members of the sangha. I think it should be said, a sangha is a commitment to join a group and support that group. It is not about the individuals needs, but rather the group's needs. This is where we, in America, seem to have an issue, because we seem to be all about ourselves. The Buddha Way is not that way.
Sangha today may not be place specific, but could be connected through the virtual reality of the Internet. I have students in far away places, most I have met in person, some I have not, yet in each and every case, I feel a commitment and connection to them. I am here for them; they are here for me,. In a very real sense, in this, then, there is no "them" or "me," there is just the "sangha."
For those living in or near Las Cruces, NM, please consider visting us and at some point, joining our sangha. If you are not in the area, please consider talking to me personally over Skype video chat. Simply email my Jiisha, Soku Shin, and set a time.
Be well.
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