Sanghakarman Procedure, the Six Harmonies, and the Core and Extended Sangha

Thầy 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”. Thầy 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 fifteen given during The Eyes of the Buddha, twenty-one-day retreat in the year 2000. Thầy offered this talk at the New Hamlet, Plum Village, France.

These teachings later appear in the following book: Joyfully Together.