No Great Teachers Without Great Sanga
Thich Nhat Hanh
"A teacher is also helped by a good Sangha. However brilliant a teacher may be, unless he or she is part of a Sangha, there is not much they can do. A teacher without a Sangha is like a manufacturer without materials or a musician without an instrument. The capacity of a teacher can be seen in his or her community. If there is harmony in the Sangha, even a short-term visitor to the community will receive some benefit.
Do not expect any teacher or Sangha to be perfect. We need only a committed group of ordinary people in order to receive great benefit from it. When the individuals in the group take refuge in the Sangha, it will grow strong and beautiful. When we smile and take a conscious breath, our whole Sangha is smiling and taking a conscious breath with us. In a Sangha, there is mutual helping. When we fall down, there is always someone who can help us. When we practice walking meditation, we are serving our Sangha. The techniques for building a Sangha are the half-smile, walking meditation, stopping (shamatha), and abiding in the present moment. When we build on these foundations, we can help others. Most important is that the Sangha be happy, nurturing, and stable."
"A teacher is also helped by a good Sangha. However brilliant a teacher may be, unless he or she is part of a Sangha, there is not much they can do. A teacher without a Sangha is like a manufacturer without materials or a musician without an instrument. The capacity of a teacher can be seen in his or her community. If there is harmony in the Sangha, even a short-term visitor to the community will receive some benefit.
Do not expect any teacher or Sangha to be perfect. We need only a committed group of ordinary people in order to receive great benefit from it. When the individuals in the group take refuge in the Sangha, it will grow strong and beautiful. When we smile and take a conscious breath, our whole Sangha is smiling and taking a conscious breath with us. In a Sangha, there is mutual helping. When we fall down, there is always someone who can help us. When we practice walking meditation, we are serving our Sangha. The techniques for building a Sangha are the half-smile, walking meditation, stopping (shamatha), and abiding in the present moment. When we build on these foundations, we can help others. Most important is that the Sangha be happy, nurturing, and stable."
