I am in the middle of traveling, first to my home temple where I was ordained and then up to the Loas border where I will do some writing, so I was unable to post a blog yesterday. Posts will be less than usual for a week or so as I will be either on the road or doing intensive academic writing for a journal I hope to publish in. In my travels, I am always reminded of the early Sangha, and the Buddha himself, and their life on the road. Many of the monks depicted in the Pali Canon did not have a permanent home and would wander Northern India either teaching, following the Buddha, or in isolation meditating. Not that my travels are anywhere near as extreme as those of the Buddha's, but sleeping in different places every night and eating from different tables always leaves me nostalgic for the stories I learned as a young child; picturing Prince Siddhartha leaving his lush palace filled with pleasures and comforts only to cut his hair, put on a robe, and wander the forest in search of a truth beyond this mundane world. Even after becoming enlightened, the Buddha would not stay in one place for very long as he would walk around the countryside training new disciples and teaching the people of India, whether they be poor beggars or rich kings.
While the Buddha, and the early Sangha, did remain active in the cities and towns of Northern India through teaching, going for alms rounds, or just traveling through and sleeping at a room provided by a lay devotee, they still separated themselves from the society that populated these centers, and the culture of the area itself. These monks and nuns were both of and not of the community in a very delicate relationship between those that have gone forth, to live the Buddha's teachings, and those that stayed within the social norms of the time. The Buddha required monks and nuns to beg for their food, to never ask directly, and to always take what was given with deep appreciation and gratitude. It is against the rules for a monk or nun to prepare their own meals or to even take food that is already prepared without it being offered by a lay person. This is a remarkable rule the Buddha laid down for the benefit of both the Sangha and the lay devotees as it keeps the two connected where the necessities of life are concerned. No matter how isolated, no matter how far one has traveled, a member of the Sangha must beg for their food and be dependent on the lay community for their sustenance. Furthermore, no matter how isolated a monk or nun may be, they are always in contact with those that may require their advice and guidance.
One who has gone forth, one who has broken the shackles of society and has embraced the life of a homeless beggar, one who has devoted one's own life to the teachings of the Dhamma is dedicated to cleansing their own interpretations of the world. Leaving society and concentrating on one's own self without the distractions of the community is a vital step in this process. However, the Buddha made sure that the Sangha would always be dependent on that same society that the members left. This is important, it is actually the Sangha that is wholly dependent on the lay community, not the other way around. The teachings are there if people want them, but humanity is not dependent on them. There have been many past Buddhas and between each one of them there have been uncountable years of existence without the teachings of the Dhamma. The human race has lived far more years without the Dhamma than it has with it. In order for the teachings to stay alive, the Sangha must be supported by the lay community. The Buddha envisioned an interconnection, one which provides livelihood of bodily nutrient and one that provides the nutrient of the Dhamma. But the Sangha must never forget that, while we are the pillars of morality and justice for many, the society is the pillars for our very existence.
As a member of this Sangha, with humbleness and apologies for our imperfections and flaws, I am deeply and sincerely grateful to this very society that keeps me, and the whole Sangha, functioning, I owe you more than I could ever repay. You are with me as a travel this beautiful country of Thailand, you are with me when I'm hungry, you are with me when I'm sick.
My appreciation is far deeper than I could ever express, so I will just say thank you-
Thank you for supporting me and keeping me alive.
No comments:
Post a Comment