Belonging

1. Rituals, actions and beliefs that demonstrate how a person belongs to a faith community – dress, worshipThe offering of praise and reverence to God via a religious service, moral codes, behavioural expectations.

2. The means by which these actions and beliefs can be expressed.

3. What it means to belong for the individual and the community.

4. The difference that it makes to an individual and the community to belong.

Belonging can mean different things in different Buddhist communities. However, a set of basic values reflecting the Noble Eightfold PathThe teachings of the Buddha, declared to lead to the cessation of suffering and Enlightenment. The factors are right view, intention, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, concentration, knowledge and liberation and the Five PreceptsThe Five moral rules Buddhists undertake: I undertake the precept to refrain from taking the life (killing) of living beings I undertake the precept to refrain from stealing. I undertake the precept to refrain from sexual misconduct I undertake the precept to refrain from false speech I undertake the precept to refrain from intoxicants which lead to heedlessness are unifying. Similarly faith in the BuddhaAn Enlightened being who discovers and teachers the Dhamma; the historical person, Siddhartha Gotama who discovered and taught the Dhmrma in the 5th Century BCE and the Four Noble TruthsThe most fundamental teaching of the Buddha; the nature of Suffering; Sufferingâ€™s origin; Sufferings cessation; the way leading to the cessation of suffering gives Buddhist communities an identity. Generally, the action holding people together is taking the Three RefugesThe Buddha, the Dhamma, the Sangha; formulaically taking refuge in these is a defining Buddhist characteristic: going for refuge to the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha. This can be done collectively in a ceremony, as part of the daily life of a family or individually. Another action which demonstrates belonging to the Buddhist community is chanting. For Thervadans, parts of the Pali CanonThe standard collection of scriptures of Theravadin Buddhism preserved in the Pali language are often chanted collectively, or followers will go and listen to members of the Sangha chant. For devotees of the MahayanaA branch of Buddhism distinct from Theravada; followers aim to become bodhisattvas and eventual Buddhas, Mahayana Sutras or Mantras are often chanted. In both cases this can act as a communal act bringing followers closer and instilling a sense of belonging as well as clearing the mind in a form of meditation.

While it is easy to spot members of the Sangha by their clothes and shaved heads, it can be hard to distinguish lay Buddhists from non lay Buddhists in the community. However, Buddhists try to avoid attachment to material possessions, so will shun wearing excessive amounts of jewellery or expensive clothes.

On UposathaMonthly Buddhist celebration based on the lunar calendar days or other Buddhist festivals, VesakThe annual Buddhist festival celebrating the birth, death, enlightenment and parinirvana of the Buddha. It is based on the lunar calendar, but usually falls in April or May in the Gregorian calendar for example, Buddhist communities come together. On each Uposatha day devout members of the lay Buddhist community will take three extra precepts and will usually congregate at a local temple or monastery to make offerings, listen to Dhamma talks and participate in meditation sessions. This is where there is a real sense of belonging in the community.

It is important to note that the means by which these actions and beliefs can be expressed usually involve the Sangha, particularly for Theravadan communities. For example on special days, the lay community will make an effort to provide alms food for the monks and nuns, as well as listening to Dhamma talks given by, or participating in meditation sessions led by, the monks and nuns. For followers of the Mahayana expressions of belonging to a community can be more devotion based (particularly for groups such as Pure LandA part of Mahayana Buddhism mainly practised in China and Japan. It is believed that Nirvana has become too difficult to achieve through meditation, therefore devotion to Amitabha will lead to being reborn in his heavenly pure land, from which enlightenment can be achieved Buddhists). Therefore, members of the Sangha are not so important for the expression of these beliefs. Theravadans, too, have many devotional practices, but will often go to monasteries where there are a number of beautiful Buddha statues and images on special days.

As with any religion, belonging can make an important psychological difference to people's lives. It provides informal support networks, as well as social opportunities. However, it is important to remember that Buddhism teaches that all things are characterised by the Three MarksThree marks of existence: anicca (impermanence), dukkha (suffering) and anatta (not-Self) - impermanence, sufferingThe universal condition of humankind, partly caused by the impermanence of all things and not-Self. This means that while a sense of community and belonging has its benefits one shouldn't become attached to it. The same is taught of the Buddhist religion as a whole. The Buddha compares the Dhamma to a raft that one uses to cross a river. It may be an excellent raft, but when the river has been crossed, the heavy raft should not be carried with one on dry land. Similarly, one should not stay attached to the Dhamma once its benefits have been taken. Thus, for Buddhists, belonging has its benefits, but ultimately it must be set aside if one is to progress on the path - initially one might belong to the lay community, then one should renounce this and belong to the community of renunciants, finally one must abandon all belonging to the conditioned world as belonging can act like attachment.

Websites

http://buddhism.kalachakranet.org/refuge.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_chant

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_refuges

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uposatha

http://pof.reonline.org.uk/buddhism_1.php

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/holydays/index.shtml

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/religion/buddhism/buddha_day.shtml

http://www.buddhanet.net/audio-chant.htm

http://www.fwbo.org/sangharakshita.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciYO7mWq3Og

Bibliography