Buddhism Community

1. BUDD
HISM

2. Hinduism = c. 15th-5th BCE
Zoroastrianism = c. 10th-5th BCE
Judaism = c. 9th-5th BCE
Jainism = c. 8th-2nd BCE
Confucianism = c. 6th-5th BCE
Buddhism = c. 6th-5th BCE
Taoism = c. 6th-4th BCE
Shintoism = c. 3rd-8th CE
THE WORLD’S 8 OLDEST RELIGIONS

3. The fundamental structure
of Buddhism is that it is a
self-governing body of
individuals, each of whom is
theoretically equal and
intent on his or her own
salvation while
compassionately mindful of
fellow beings.
BUDDHISM ELEMENT
#4: Community; Buddhist Organizational Structure

4. As soon as Buddhist monks
began to form into groups,
however, there was a need
for rules (contained in the
Vinaya Pitaka) and also for
a degree of hierarchy that
was needed to keep order, to
enforce the rules, and to
maintain religious purity
within the community.
BUDDHISM ELEMENT
#4: Community; Buddhist Organizational Structure

5. This hierarchy was, and
continues to be, based on
seniority—the longer one has
been a monk, the more seniority
he or she has. Each group has a
leader or leaders who provide
guidance to the community as a
whole, and the degree of internal
hierarchy varies considerably in
what group and in what
country.
BUDDHISM ELEMENT
#4: Community; Buddhist Organizational Structure

6. There has always been a
symbiosis between the
Sangha (community of
monks) and the laity: the
former depends on the latter
for material support, while
the latter depends on the
former for religious
instruction. In these roles
they keep each other in
check.
BUDDHISM ELEMENT
#4: Community; Buddhist Organizational Structure