z:\ ambedkar\vol 011\vol11 06.indd MK SJ+YS 5 10 2013/YS 18 11 2013 415
| Col1 | THE SANGH 415 |
|---|---|
| BOOK V | |
§ 1. The Sangh and Its Organization
The followers of the Blessed Lord were divided into two classes: B HIKKHUS and Lay Followers called U PASAKAS .
The Bhikkhus were organized into a Sangh while the Upasakas were not.
The Buddhist Bhikkhu is primarily a Parivrajaka. This institution of Parivrajaka is older than that of the Buddhist Bhikkhu.
The old Parivrajakas were persons who had abandoned family life and were a mere floating body of wanderers.
They roamed about with a view to ascertain the truth by coming into contact with various teachers and philosophers, listening to their discourses, entering into discussion on matters of ethics, philosophy, nature, mysticism, etc.
Some of the old type of Parivrajakas lived under a teacher until they found another. Others lived singly without acknowledging any master.
Among these older type of Parivrajakas there were also women wanderers. The female Parivrajakas sometimes lived with men Parivrajakas ; sometimes they lived alone and by themselves.
These old type of Parivrajakas had no Sangh, had no rules of discipline and had no ideal to strive for.
It was for the first time that the Blessed Lord organized his followers into a Sangh or fraternity, and gave them rules of discipline and set before them an ideal to pursue and realize.
§ 2. Admission to the Sangh
The Sangh was open to all.
There was no bar of caste.
There was no bar of sex.
V