僧 Originally an abbreviation of the transcription of saṃgha (僧伽), referring to the whole community of monks and nuns.
僧伽 A transcription of the Sanskrit/Pali saṃgha.
僧侶 The members of the Buddhist order; the clergy (saṃgha); same as 僧衆.
僧衆The monks and nuns of the Buddhist clerical order; the renunciant community (Pali/Sanskrit saṃgha)
saṅgha [saṅgha] Buddhist Order of monks. The term Saṅgha stands for the community of the ordained men (bhikṣu-s) [bhikkhu-s], and women (bhikṣuṇī-s) [bhikkhunī-s]. Bhikṣu means one who lives by alms. The Buddha addressed his monks as Bhikkhu-s. They were also designated us śrāmaṇera [sāmaṇera] and śramaṇa [samaṇa]. The term śramaṇa comes from śram, to toil. A śrāmaṇera is a male ordained candidate who has not yet received all the precepts. Those who entered the stream (mārga) leading to Arhatship were known as ārya. The great disciples who heard the Law from the Buddha were known as hearers (śrāvaka-s) and were afterwards called sthavira-s and became Arhat-s. A male lay-believer who, after taking refuge in the three treasures, continued to be a householder was known as an upāsaka and female lay believer was known as an upāsikā.
Śākyamuni delivered his first sermon in Vārāṇasī to the five ascetics with whom he earlier practised austerities. The Buddha said, "A man that stands alone, having decided to follow the truth may be weak and slip back into his old ways. Therefore, stand together, help one another, and strengthen one another's efforts. Be like unto brothers; one in love, in holiness and in your zeal for truth. Spread the truth and preach the doctrine in all directions, so that in the end all living beings will be citizens of the kingdom of righteousness." This was the beginning of the saṅgha. Yasas brought along with him other followers and number of the members of saṅgha increased to sixty.
Admission to SaṅghaAdmission to saṅgha in early times was not ceremonial. The Buddha used to say "ehi " (come, follow me). Later on, those who were thus admitted by him could admit others to the Order. A layman had to complete at least fifteen years of age to become a novice. For the admission to the full monkhood, the novices had to be at least twenty years of age. Admission to saṅgha consisted of two stages marked by two rites, namely, pravrajyā and upasaṃpadā. Pravrajyā [pabbajjā] is going forth from home, that is renunciation. The term pravrajyā refers to the admission of a novice. It was the first step towards monkhood. He who was admitted was known as novice (śrāmaṇera) or navako bhikkhu, a new monk. He could be admitted only after seeking consent from his parents. The senior monk could admit him without presenting before any formal conclave, and after admission he was associated with a religious teacher (upādhyāya). The novice had to shave his hair; he had to put on three yellow ragged garments (tri-cīvara) and repeat the following formula three times.I take refuge in the Buddha [buddhaṃ saraṇam gacchāmi].
I take refuge in the dhamma [dhammaṃ saraṇam gacchāmi].
I take refuge in the Order [saṅgham saraṇam gacchāmi].
He, the novice, was further given instruction in the ten precepts daśa-śīla or sikkhāpada which consisted of ten abstinences [veramaṇī]. (For details see under śīla.)
Upasampadā stands for higher ordination, that is, admission to full monkhood. Admission to full monkhood was a formal ceremony. After the upasamapadā ceremony was performed, the novice would be called a bhikṣu. He had to observe 227 rules according to the Theravāda tradition. The novice had to appear before a saṅgha of at least ten monks. Before the admission he would receive instructions from a learned monk (ācārya) [ācariya] and upādhyāya [upajjhāya] the teacher for five years after his admission in the saṅgha. The first instructor would inform the saṅgha that the novice is ready for admission. The novice provided with an alms-bowl and yellow garments would present himself to the saṅgha. His right shoulder would be bare and the left would be covered by an upper garment.
The novice would bow down to the assembled monks, would take a seat on the ground, raising his joined hands, would ask for the admission to the full monkhood (upasaṃpadā) uttering the following words thrice. "I entreat the saṅgha for full monkhood. Have compassion on me and uproot me from the world." [ullumpatu mām]
Then the novice would be asked whether he had obtained permission from his parents, whether he had completed twenty years, whether he possessed an alms-bowl and vestments, whether he was in the royal service. Questions regarding his name and his teacher's name were asked and if the answers were appropriate, he was admitted to the saṅgha.
The novice was further made aware regarding the four resources (niśraya) [nissaya] that hereafter were to be provided by the laity, and four prohibitions (akaraṇīyāni) were prescribed to him. The four resources are (1) broken morsels given in alms for food, (2) rags from a dustbin for clothes, (3) roots of trees for an abode, and (4) putrefying liquid excretion of cows for medicine. The four prohibitions [pārājika-āpatti], are offences regarding sexual misconduct, taking anything which is not given, depriving a human being of his life and falsely claiming the attainments of a perfected saint. He was further handed over to the upādhyāya, the preceptor for learning the doctrine.
If the novice would commit any of the four forbidden acts [pārājika āpatti], he would be expelled from the saṅgha. There were thirteen offences regarded as saṅghādisesā āpatti. These required formal participation of the saṅgha in the process of making him free from the guilt of transgression.
The monk had to bind himself with the following rules: (1) wearing garments donated by laymen, (2) possessing only three clothes, a girdle, bowl, razor, needle, and water-strainer, (3) going around for alms and collecting the food in a wooden bowl, (4) eating only mid-day meal, (5) fasting on four prescribed days, (6) staying at one place in the rainy season, (7) avoiding a recumbent posture, and (8) paying visit to cremation ground for meditation on the corruption of the body.
The saṅgha had to discharge threefold functions, namely, preaching the doctrine, guiding people to the doctrine so that they may attain enlightenment, and to transmit the teachings of the Buddha in tradition of precepts and disciples.
The saṅgha is described as an incomparable field of merit to the world. It embraces the virtuous. Hence it is said, "Of good conduct is the saṅgha; of upright conduct is the saṅgha, of the just is the saṅgha; of the law-abiding is the saṅgha. It is a holy alliance in which the bhikṣu-s bind together to preach the good."
Saṃgha
(Sanskrit; Pāli, group or collection). The Buddhist community, especially those who have been ordained as monks (bhikṣu) and nuns (bhikṣunī) but originally referring to the ‘fourfold saṃgha’ of monks, nuns, laymen (upāsaka), and laywomen (upāsikā). The minimal requirements for admission to the Saṃgha are faith in the ‘three jewels’ (triratna) of the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Saṃgha (in this context meaning the ārya-saṃgha), usually demonstrated in the act of ‘taking refuge’ (see triśaraṇa). Laymen are expected to keep the Five Precepts (pañca-śīla) while monks and nuns follow the Prātimokṣa code of over 200 rules.
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