“A true Sangha is a community that practices the teaching of liberation and becomes free; a true Sangha practices the teaching of understanding and becomes more understanding; a true Sangha practices compassion and becomes more compassionate. Climbing the hill of the twenty-first century can be very joyful if we climb as a Sangha. If we support each other, we become much stronger, and we can more easily resist the temptation of despair.
Despair is a great temptation of our century. Whether you are a political leader, a businessperson, a social worker, a teacher, or a parent, everyone needs to be reminded that the blue sky is still there for us. We should not allow ourselves to be overwhelmed by despair. That is why we need a Sangha; a Sangha can help us from sinking into despair. Sangha-building is the most important practice – the most important action – of our century. How can the twenty-first century be a century of spirituality if we do not take up the work of Sangha-building?"
(From transcriptions of talks given by TNH in Plum Village, December 2001.)
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