Monasteries also received donations of land to support the sangha, who were forbidden from pursuing independent livelihoods. Instead, monasteries hired others, or used slaves, to obtain food from their land.
The lay community organized festivals, in which Buddhist scriptures would be recited.
Since Buddhism had no central authority, monasteries were more often dependent on political powers to help keep these establishments in line with Buddhists doctrine. This meant that monasteries were vulnerable to changes in political power.