In Buddhism, the term "sangha" refers to the Buddhist community, which includes both monastics and laypeople who follow the teachings of the Buddha. The Sangha is one of the Three Refuges in Buddhism, along with the Buddha and the Dharma. The term "sangha" comes from Sanskrit and Pali, and means "association", "assembly", "company" or "community".

In a religious context, "sangha" refers to the monastic communities of bhikkhu (monks) and bhikkhuni (nuns) . These communities are traditionally referred to as the bhikkhu-sangha or the bhikkhuni-sangha. Those Buddhists who have attained any of the four stages of enlightenment, whether or not they are members of the monastic community, are referred to as the āryasaṅgha ("noble Sangha") .

The Sangha was originally established by Gautama Buddha in the fifth century BCE in order to provide a means for those who wish to practice full-time in a direct and highly disciplined way. The modern Sangha is governed by disciplinary rules (vinaya) that form part of the sacred canon. Generally, the monastic order is dependent on the lay community for economic support in the form of alms or large gifts of money and property, since Buddhist monks do not engage in commerce or agriculture.

In addition to its religious meaning, "sangha" can also refer to a community of friends practicing the dharma together in order to bring about and to maintain awareness. The presence of a sangha is a wonderful opportunity to allow the collective energy of the sangha to penetrate into our body and consciousness. We profit a lot from that collective energy. We can entrust ourselves to the sangha because the sangha is practicing, and the collective energy of mindfulness is strong.