Early Monastic Buddhism v1.c22.1

v1.c22.1

We shall now turn to the constitution of the Saṅgha that led to the growth of the several Buddhist institutions or saṅghārāmas which trained up the Buddhist monks and sent them out to the world to preach the religion and alleviate human sufferings. A glance at the ancient map of India shows what a large number of such institutions grew up in the different parts of India and how magnificent were some of them, their ruins striking us even to-day with awe and wonder. These Saṅghārāmas wielded at a time a great amount of influence over the people of India. Some of these institutions were built by the devotees at an immense expense and were large enough to accommodate thousands of monks. They were mostly located at a distance from the din and bustle, but not beyond the easy reach, of the city to which the inmates looked for their daily necessaries of life. The sites chosen by them were in many cases valleys separated from the inhabited localities by hills, mountains or forests. In cases where such sites were not available, they were shut out from the world by huge walls with gates guarded by competent gate-keepers. Great discretion was used to keep the site aloof from the distractions of the town or village life, giving at the same time an opportunity to the townsfolk and villagers to frequent the āvāsas for listening to religious discourses and making their offerings. An individual monk or a donor was not allowed to select the site for a monastery. It is enjoined in the Pātimokkha-sutta that it must be done by a group of monks (see Saṅghādisesa rule 6).