We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track. If this problem persists help us by reporting it so we can investigate it.
Watch this talk
Login or create a free account to watch this talk and discover other teachings from Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh.
Log in or create an account
Practicing as a Sangha: Including the Six Harmonies
This title has been reviewed for accuracy.
Sanghakarman Procedure, the Six Harmonies, and the Core and Extended Sangha
Thay further develops in this talk the concept of sangha as a superorganism, where each member functions as a cell within this body. He mentions that the traditional minimum number of individuals in a Sangha is four, and proposes five as a more appropriate minimum, as this number is more suitable for a Sangha to make collective decisions. He highlights the democratic procedure called Sanghakarman, discussing the process and stressing the need for communication and harmony within the group, through the practice of the Six Togethernesses (often referred to elsewhere as the “Six Harmonies”. Thay describes the relationship between the Core (permanent) and Extended Sangha, and concludes by comparing Sangha to an organism like an ant hill, emphasizing the Sangha’s role in creating peace and stability both within and outside the community.
This is the second talk in a series of twelve given during The Eyes of the Buddha, twenty-one-day retreat in the year 2000. Thay offered this talk at the New Hamlet, Plum Village, France.
These teachings later appear in the following book: Joyfully Together.
Part of the following collection
Non-Discriminative Wisdom