By Tony Simmons, director, Root Institute, Bodhgaya, India

For some reason it always seemed natural that Sangha shouldn’t pay. Even before I knew that they were supposed to live off others’ generosity, it seemed right that they should be our guests. After all, they have given up a lot for the cloth, so why not give them a little back. This is why the decision was made soon after taking over as director to host monks and nuns of any tradition free at Root Institute.

In actual fact we don’t have any hard and fast rules for Sangha staying at Root, except that they at least outwardly make an attempt to follow the vinaya. Each case is judged on its own merits, and we do not always have room for every Sangha member who wants to stay. It is generally the case with Sangha, as indeed with paying lay guests, that if a stay over two weeks is required they should be doing some type of formal practice, whether it be preliminaries, retreat or helping out at the center. Anyway, it just seems nice to have monks and nuns around, including those of other traditions who are always invited to lunch; before midday of course.

I must admit that there was a small worry in the back of my mind that the center would become a holiday camp for anyone in robes, which is not a bad thing in itself. However, Root Institute isn’t a monastery and we have a responsibility to keep rooms available for lay people who want to study.

The financial side never worried me at all, for by practicing generosity to Sangha the karmic result must be that the center prospers. This has happily proved to be the case. I don’t think it should ever be a concern that by offering to Sangha there will be a financial disadvantage to a center. It will only make the center grow in the Dharma and, in a wholesome way, in the world.

As long as I am director we will do our utmost to make sure that Sangha are taken care in a manner befitting their heritage. Offering to the Sangha is a very beautiful custom, but has somehow been lost from our own tradition, perhaps not lost from knowledge, but lost from practice, and more importantly, lost from our hearts. Sangha are, after all, our refuge, and without them the tradition begun by Shakyamuni Buddha will disappear. If that happens, little hope for Dharma will remain.