The third of the Holy Three Gems came into existence the moment Kondanna attainded the Eye of Truth. Since then the number of the Buddha's noble disciples continued to grow at a phenomenal rate and they all helped the Master in one way or another to spread the Dharma.

The Buddha discovered the Dharma and taught it to the world. But without the Sangha, his teachings would not spread very far or last much longer after he passed away; and the world today, probably, would not benefit from them.

The noble disciples, having realized the Dharma, endure to enlighten others, too. They are the treasures and the protectors of the Dharma; they study it, practice it, and teach it to others. This is how the tradition continues. The Shangha therefore plays a primary role in the preservation and spread of the religion. The fact that we still have a relatively easy access to the Buddha's teachings today, over 2,500 years after the Great Demise, is due largely to the efforts and sacrifice of the Sangha.

Sanghanussati means Recollection of the Sangha. The translation of Pali passage is as follows:

The Holy Order of the Blessed One's disciples is of good conduct:
The Holy Order of the Blessed One's disciples is of upright conduct;
The Holy Order of the Blessed One's disciples is of dutiful conduct;
The Holy Order of the Blessed One's disciples is of proper conduct.
This Holy Order, namely, the four pairs of men,
the eight individuals,
that is the Holy Order of the Blessed One's disciples,
worthy of gifts,
worthy of hospitality,
worthy of offerings,
worthy of reverential salution,
an incomparable field
of merits to the world.