Chapter 1 - His Noble Disciples

In Buddhism there are three noble objects of veneration, namely:

1. The Buddha, the Perfectly Enlightened One,
2. The Dhamma, The Teaching of the Buddha, and
3. The Sangha, the Buddhist Monks of the Holy Order of the Buddha.

The word 'Sangha', a Pali term, is commonly and essentially used in the texts of Buddhism, but ordinary readers might find it difficult to properly understand this term in the actual sense.

Outside Buddhist countries, there are many who have little knowledge of the accurate facts about the Sangha. A Buddhist monk is therefore generally thought of in a similar sense as the Christian term for "monk" or "priest".

The term "Sangha" is a compound Pali word San-hr which according to Pali dictionary means a group or a community or an assembly of the Buddhist monks. The "Sangha" in a general sense, is a community of Buddha's disciples who follow and practise the Teaching in order to attain Liberation (Vimutti) from the incessant suffering of life. A "Sangha" Sangha, as an individual, is one who destroys or cuts off defilements in himself (Kilese himsatiti sangho). Also"Sangha" in a wider sense of the term means the congregation which comprises of those monks who have renounced home for the homeless life and having the same view of right understanding and moral observance of Vinaya Discipline (Ditthi sila samannena sanghata bhavena sangho).

 The following are some other synonyms of the word "Sangha"

1. Bhikkhu is one who contemplates on the cycle of birth and death (Samsara) as the greatest danger:
2. Samana is one who endeavours to extinguish and eliminate the defilements;
3. Muni is one who controls his mind from wavering or flittering away because of greed, hatred and delusion;
4. Brahmana is one who discards and avoids all evil actions;
5. Tapodhana is one who practises restraint in all matters; such as in the use of his own wealth.

The "Sangha" Sangha therefore refers to those monks who have reached four stages of the Path and four stages of the Fruition (Magga and Phala). They are called the Noble Ones or the Holy Saints (Ariya Sanghas). And lastly "Sangha" , since the time of the Buddha till the present day, refers to all those who are practising the Dhamma for the attainment of the Path and the Fruition (Samuti Sanghas).