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Yunmen retreat Dharma Talk nuns
Sangha building is a primary subject of study, as building a happy community is often more difficult than delivering beautiful Dharma talks. The Buddha himself was an excellent Sangha builder, establishing a community of 1,250 monks in the first year with the aid of talented disciples like the three Kasyapa brothers, Sariputra, and Moggallana. In any group, talented builders must be discovered to help combine the insights of everyone into a collective insight. This process relies on deep listening and loving speech, ensuring that every member, including novices, contributes their “gold” to the community. Conflicting ideas are viewed as thesis and antithesis, which are not rejected but combined into a synthesis that encompasses the truth found in every perspective.
To implement this, the community listens to all ideas, records them, and creates a collective decision. An executive council is elected to carry out these decisions, functioning like a government that is supported but not interfered with. This council is re-elected every six months to allow others to develop their talents, while the Abbot or Abbess focuses on caring for individual happiness. This structure reflects the democratic spirit found in primitive Buddhism and the procedure of Sangha Karma.
During a dialogue with the community, sisters express challenges regarding the pressure to memorize the Vinaya, emotional instability, and deep suffering arising from past experiences that makes living with others difficult. To address individual suffering and isolation, the Sangha is advised to organize regular sessions to sit and listen to each other without making any remarks or commentaries. This practice of non-judgmental listening allows for the circulation of communication and understanding, essential for a harmonious and happy Sangha.
