The Laity’s influence on the Sangha

The bhikkhu’s lack of control over his lay-followers was a noticeable characteristic of the relationship between the sangha and the laity. The bhikkhu’s expressed disapproval by turning his alms-bowl upside down in a symbolic refusal of the preferred alms^[1] in a case a conflict took place between the two, thereby depriving the lay-follower of merit. In case the bhikkhus and upasakas were not firmly bound together, apart from their relationship through dana, the relationship between bhikkhu and layman became easily tenuous. A diference was bound to be made once the firm establishment of monasteries took place through the patronage of selected sections of society which reduced the need for the daily alms-round. The layman was not able to meet the bhikkhus unless he sought them out particularly by inviting them to his home for special meals. There were no common rituals at which the bhikkhus and the upasakas could meet. The laity remained very less attached to the sangha since the major Buddhist rituals like the patimokkha ceremony were exclusively for bhikkhus. In the Indian situation, Buddhism did not have an impact on the large areas of an upasaka’s life. For instance, the domestic rituals based on the life cycle or samskaras continued to be performed according to the existing tradition, probably because they were already deep-rooted and Buddhism did not attempt to substitute different rituals.

Buddhism did not take into consideration the issue of domestic rituals but it endorsed some other traditions such as the uposatha which acquired an important place in Buddhism. All the cakkavattis are depicted as observing it as a prelude to the appearance of the dhammacakka (wheel of dhamma) in the sky.^[2] Its observance by laymen^[3] had been approved by the Anguttara Nikaya.

The uposatha was important for the anna titthiya’s^[4] as well. The ritual of the patimokkha was held for the bhikkhu sangha on the uposatha day. One of the popular existing traditions which Buddhism adopted was uposatha. Moreover, the Buddhists exhibited a certain sympathy with the popular cult of venerating caityas or the local shrines ² a particularly marked characteristic of worship in the gana-sanghas. The Lichchhavis had seven such spots just outside Vesali, of which Buddha spoke admiringly.^[5] One of the seven conditions that he outlined for the prosperity of the Lichchhavis was their continued veneration of caityas in the region.^[6] A special association between the gana-sanghas and this tradition can be seen which the Buddha adopted.