Six Points of Reverent Harmony

Social harmony stems from handling relationships and communal living with skill, effort, and a spirit of cooperation. We can learn a lot about keeping peace in social living from the six points of reverent harmony that the monastic sangha observes. Sangha is a Sanskrit word, which can be interpreted on many different levels. In its widest interpretation, it refers to all those who have the common purpose of following the Dharma.

The six points of harmony, or unity, in Buddhist monastic life are: doctrinal unity in views, economic unity in communal use of goods, moral unity through upholding the precepts, mental unity through shared joy, verbal unity through loving speech and refrain from criticisms and discord, and physical unity by living harmoniously in the same community.

Harmony in views: In the monastic sangha, monks and nuns share a common view of the Dharma, the guiding principle for all they do. Similarly, a society has a better chance to prosper when its people share common political and social views. If we look at the different nations of the world, we notice that there is a lot more cooperation and common ground in prosperous nations than in those that are less prosperous.

Harmony in economics: In the monastic sangha, all renunciants live an equally simple life and have equal access to the communal property. In the secular world, a society is inherently unstable if there is too much of a disparity between the haves and the have-nots. Also, the less effort invested in creating affinity, the wider the gap is between the rich and the poor. Thus, those who are well off should help those who are less fortunate. Those who are able should help those who are not.

Harmony in morality: In the monastic sangha, all individuals share the same moral code. In society, everyone should be equal in the eyes of the law. No one should be above the law. When the law is equally and justly applied to all, people will have respect for the law and will be more inclined to abide by it

Harmony in outlook: In the monastic sangha, all share the common purpose of spiritual development. In society, when we have concern for others’ well being, we accept others and are not envious of others’ success or critical of others’ shortcomings. We seek to uplift our fellow citizens, instead of oppressing them. Equanimity, support, and affirmation provide the foundation for peaceful living. With harmony in outlook, every place is a pure land.

Harmony in speech: In the monastic sangha, monks and nuns practice loving speech, and refrain from criticisms and discord. This practice fosters harmony in their community. In society, misunderstandings and animosity often arise from unskillful or harsh words. Therefore, being sincere and thoughtful in our speech can often lead to harmonious human relationships. 

Harmony in deeds: In the monastic sangha, monks and nuns bodily observe the same rites and rituals. In society, our actions can be used to help each other and foster respect in the world. In this way, we can peacefully coexist in the community.

These six points of harmony are as applicable to lay people as they are to monastics. Much societal discord could be transformed into societal accord if all members of a community took these observances to heart. If every single person could simply uphold “Harmony in speech,” then even in the presence of opposing political, economic, or moral positions, many feuds and brutalities would never come into being.

When we integrate the Buddha’s teachings into daily life, then the true beauty of relationships is revealed to us. We will directly experience the fact that affinity sings, and discord grumbles.

From Living Affinity, written by Venerable Master Hsing Yun.

Image from Pixabay.

More Featured Articles

At the many places I engaged in practice and study—at places such as Qixia in Nanjing, Jinshan and Jiaoshan in Zhenjiang, and Tianning in Changzhou, where I was brought up experiencing spring breezes, summer rains, autumn frosts, and winter snows—I studied silently and grew up quietly. I was always thinking as to how I could repay Buddhism’s kindness. I could not make a living by depending on Buddhism over Read more
Harmful attachments are often described in Buddhist literature as impediments or hindrances because they block our view of the truth and prevent us from seeing our own Buddha nature. Read more
Trustworthy WordsIf you lie, you will not be trusted. If you cannot be trusted, you will be ineffective in your own life and useless to other people. Lies hurt others because they damage their trust and their sense of what is right and wrong. This is a very serious kind of damage; it wastes time, frightens people and causes them to doubt their basic intuitions Read more
Love and affection are infinitely valuable. There are various levels of love and affection that we can aspire to. Some people describe how people love this way: Young people love with their words, middle-aged people love with their actions, and elder people love with their hearts.  Read more
Equality is a truth of human life within the universe, it is an aim of humanity, and it is also the basis of Buddhism.The Avatamsaka Sutra says:“All sentient beings are equal.”The Great Perfection of Wisdom Treatise says: “From the very highest level of all Buddhas to the low level of animals, all are equal and there are no differences between them.”The Diamond Sutra says: “All dharmas are equal with no Read more
Our emotions are a very important part of our everyday life, and they star in a leading role on the stage of relationships. The ability to feel and our freedom to act upon these feelings give us both joy and sorrow, and it is imperative that we maintain our emotional well-being to minimize the potential for suffering within relationships. Emotions are the glue that bind Read more
The Sumati Sutra discusses fulfilling both worldly and supramundane needs. Sumati’s first three questions are regarding obtaining an elegant appearance, obtaining wealth, and keeping a harmonious family life—all of these are concerned with success in this life. Being satisfied in this way ensures that a bodhisattva will not be hindered, and can freely walk the bodhisattva path.Rewards and blessings are not stolen, forcibly taken, or Read more
Humans are thinking animals! Since the beginning of time, there have always been people who fantasize, who have delusions, who dream—and many who have ideals. When we lie in our beds at night, we should be free from worry. Yet thoughts about our lives often arise then; thoughts about family, country, or even the world. Everything is within our minds.The average person often tends to Read more
To "commit" is to give assurance to others and to make a conscientious effort to deliver a promise. To instill credibility and trustworthiness, we must honor our words. Confucius once said, "One without credibility is like a large vehicle without a brake pedal, or a small carriage without axles. How can one go anywhere?"Living up to one's word is a basic courtesy. In past agricultural Read more
The analysis of the mind in Buddhism is both multifaceted and sophisticated. As a spiritual practice, Buddhism contains numerous descriptions of the nature and function of the mind and instructions on how to search for, abide with, and refine it. In this regard, Buddhist psychology has much to offer, as does Western psychology.In the beginning, “psychology” referred almost exclusively to “a science that explains the Read more
True stature is not created by form or ornament; words spoken out of jealousy and greed oppose it. Only when evil has been stopped at its roots, and when there is wisdom without anger is there true stature.— Dharmapadavadana Sutra The False Stature of This WorldEveryone wants to be well regarded by others. However, in seeking true stature, people too often waste their time in Read more
It is only through loving-kindness and compassion that we can find room in our hearts to forgive others. It is only through our willingness to let go of resentment that we can find a way to magnanimity.  Read more