CREATING COMMUNITY
Starting & sustaining secular Buddhist groups and sanghas
The Vietnamese Zen Buddhist teacher Thich Nhat Hanh once said that ‘the next Buddha will be a sangha’. Secular Buddhists believe that creating and sustaining democratic sanghas – communities of practitioners – is crucial not just for individual transformation but to promoting an egalitarian culture of awakening in which all beings can flourish.
On this page, you will find recommended reading to introduce and explore the subject, and more articles written by a number of writers that will help you to dig deeper.
RECOMENDED READING
Ramsey Margolis sets out his experience creating and sustaining a secular dharma community in Aotearoa New Zealand, and offers some practical tips on how to make one work.
The community of practitioners – the sangha – is a crucial aspect of the dharmic path for secular Buddhists. But what do we mean by community? How is a community different than other forms of collective organizations? How do we create a true community of practitioners that help each other develop their practice and contribute to a ‘culture of awakening’?
Developing a secular dharma which is relevant to our contemporary world requires us to engage in a serious examination of traditional models and practices of the community of practitioners – the sangha – and to be willing to experiment with new, more democratic forms.
Martine Batchelor discusses the four bonds of fellowship that help build community at a Gaia House talk. What are these four bonds? Generosity, kind words, beneficial help and consistency.
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