Trust the intelligence of the silent mind L I F E S T Y L E  ··  T H R E E   R E F U G E S

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Summary

INTRODUCTION | BUDDHA | DHAMMA | SANGHA | SUMMARY
  In Buddhism there are traditionally three 'places'; of refuge: the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha. Each can be considered in two ways:
BUDDHA as a teacher:   an historical figure who realised enlightenment and, over 45 years taught what he had realised.
as freedom:   Siddhattha Gotama, a human being who realised enlightenment, freedom from suffering.
DHAMMA as a teaching:   this is what Gotama, the Buddha, taught after his enlightenment.
as truth:   what the Buddha taught was the truth of (his own) human nature.
SANGAHA as students:   the ordained followers of the Buddha and also lay people keeping the five precepts.
as goodness:   a community made up of a great variety of beings all making an effort in goodness.
black buddha sublime

So the Three Refuges - Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha - can be thought of as in conventional form:
  Teacher, Teaching & Students
or the spiritual aspect:
Freedom, Truth & Goodness
Try this as a mantra [MP3 - 400k]

For the refuges to have any value as a reasonable, safe refuge some faith in the enlightenment of the Buddha is necessary. Did he do it? Did he really get it down? I can’t know that for sure but feel that I have to trust something in my life. What I read and what I experience about Buddhism generally feels O.K. It seems that so many saints and prophets over different centuries, all in different countries, all seem to be offering a similar kind of teaching. What did the Buddha realise? He must have been up to something amazing for his teachings to have lasted 2500 years through history. I get a pretty strong feeling something’s to be had. This is the basis of faith. But, you still have to check it out for yourself.

You can study the refuges and can 'take them' on your own and feel that you are a Buddhist. However, it is nice to have a monk or a nun formally 'give them' to you in a ceremony. Making a public statement also helps you to remember this commitment when you feel like you want to go 'outside' the refuges -- when you want to be heedless and stupid; when you go against nature; when you want to be immoral.

INTRODUCTION | BUDDHA | DHAMMA | SANGHA | SUMMARY