Sangha
/ˈsʌŋ.ɡə/noun
The Buddhist community, especially the ordained monastic community, or more broadly a community of Buddhist practitioners.
Did you know?In Buddhism, the Saṅgha is one of the Three Jewels—alongside the Buddha and the Dharma—making spiritual community itself a formal object of refuge.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sem-
“Together; one; united—an ancient root associated with sameness and joining.”
Ancient Sanskrit
Sanskrit
saṃ-han / saṃgha
“To bring together; an assembly or organized community.”
3rd Century BCE
Pali
saṅgha
“The Buddhist monastic community, especially the community of monks and nuns.”
Ancient Buddhist Sanskrit
Sanskrit
saṃgha
“The Buddhist community or congregation, later used broadly for practitioners.”
19th Century
English
sangha
“An English loanword referring to the Buddhist monastic order or spiritual community.”
Modern English
English
sangha
“A Buddhist community, commonly used in both religious and secular discussions of collective practice.”