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The Sangha Is a Body
The Five Eyes include
- The flesh eye (the physical eye, the worldly eye, the dusty eye) cannot see far or deep
- The heavenly eye, the Dharma eye, and the Buddha eye are to see clearly the true nature
- The Sangha eye: a new contribution of Plum Village to 2,500 years of Buddhism
From the scientific perspective, all living beings – from single-celled organisms that appeared after 3 billion years to multicellular beings after 750 million years – are sangha, assemblies of cells that specialize (differentiation) into various systems: central and peripheral nervous systems for communication, heart, liver, kidneys… The cell membrane, only 7 nanometers thick, contains lipids and proteins forming a “mem-brain” that receives and processes both internal and external signals, manifesting subtle intelligence. Thanks to this, the cell knows how to open and close its doors to let in oxygen and nutrients, and expel toxins, just like reflexes in the peripheral nervous system.
The sangha body is also a biological organism: each member is like a cell that needs
- Harmony in dwelling together (living together 24 hours a day)
- Harmony in practicing the precepts together (mindfulness–silence–observing the precepts)
- Harmony in sharing views (integrating all information from within and without)
- Harmony in sharing benefits
- Harmony in sharing aspirations
- Harmony in practicing the precepts together
When communication is good – from Dharma discussions, mindfulness, specialized meetings (sound, cooking, children…) to mindful walking – the sangha operates like a common river: specialization, coordination, and sharing of information to make timely decisions, avoid difficulties, and generate strength and happiness, maintaining longevity just like a healthy body.
