Buddha Desana

And Essential Principles of Enlightenment

by Sayadaw U Pannadipa | 1998 | 17,153 words

Aggamaha Saddhamma Jotika Dhaja Dean, Faculty of Patipatti, I T B M U, Yangon 1998...

Chapter 7 - The Holy Order Of The Sangha

After the Buddha had spent the rainy season (vassa) in Benares with his sixty Arahat disciples, he addressed them thus: "O, Bhikkhus I am free from all the fetters and attachment in the world, both divine and human; you also are free in the same manner. You have now became fit to be messengers of the Dhamma. So go ye, O Bhikkhus, and wander forth for the gain of many, for the welfare of gods and men. Proclaim, O Bhikkhus the glorious doctrine, preach ye the life of holiness and purity."

Having followed the obeisance to the instruction, the disciples went to different direction and preached the Dhamma at many places. And thus the number of Sanghas increased by the thousands even during the Buddha's life time. Since then the Holy Order of the Buddha has continued without a break to the present day.

The Buddha was thus the first religious teacher to send his enlightened ordained disciples to propagate the doctrine out of compassion for the welfare of the others. With no permanent abode, alone and penniless, these first missionaries were expected to wander from place to place to teach the sublime Dhamma, just by living on alms-food. They had no other material possessions but their robes to cover themselves and alms-bowls for receiving their food. As they were Arahats who had been freed from all sensual bonds, their chief and only object was to teach the Dhamma and proclaim the Holy Life (Brahmacariya). The original role of Arahats who had already achieved their life's goal was only to work for the moral upliftment of the people both by examples and by precept. Their real concern was to release people like themselves from the whirlpool of sufferings and to the safety of Nibbana.

With His sixty Arahats disciples the Buddha founded a celibate Order as the nucleus: it was a real systematic organization of democratic principles in lifestyle; dress, abode, almsfood and medicine were equally shared. The original members were selected from the highest status of society. All were educated and rich men, but the Order was open to all worthy ones, irrespective of caste, class, colour or rank. Both young and old belonging to all the castes, anyone who could follow the Rules were freely admitted into the Order. All the members of the Sangha lived like brothers of the same family without any distinction. This Noble Order of Bhikkhus or Sanghas which stands to this day is the oldest historic body of celibates in the world.

Like what you read? Consider supporting this website: