The Thre Refuges Flashcards
What is going for refuge
The three refuges is a basic formula repeated by Buddhists too affirm their identity
What is refuge associated with
It is assassinated with calm,safe environment, away from attack.
In a sense this is true
It is a place away from the unwholesome nature of the world in it eterirty
However it doesn’t justice how far the three refuges stress the positives the refuges are not hiding places and people who go for refuge are not looking to escape from anything
What is the refuge for Buddhists
It is a centre of excellence in spiritual terms - it is a place too rebuild and regain strength and feel refreshed
It is a place to to be purified and transformed - its where you can get support and guidance and follow a very demanding challenging path
The Buddha refuge?
The Buddha
The Buddha is seen as a teacher, the awakened or enlightened one. In Theravada, or traditional Buddhism, the Buddha is understood to be a human being and not a divine being. He is a figure whose words offer guidance and who is given respect for what he has achieved.
Buddhists pay devotion to, admire and respect the person of the Buddha, they do not worship him. The life of the Buddha is an example for others to follow. It is an example of how, from the human condition, Enlightenment can be realised.
The Buddha is a role model for inspiration. The Buddha was special since he was unique in this world.
He is sammasambuddhasa, the perfectly self-enlightened one. The idea of rediscovery of the Dhamma and his personal discovery of Enlightenment is what specifically makes one a Buddha. The Buddha’s life illustrates the fundamental teachings of Buddhism. For example:
* His discovery of the Middle Way between two extremes of living
* The insight provided by the Four Sights into the plight of the human condition
* The path away from suffering, the Eightfold Path
* The diagnosis of the Four Noble Truths
* The way of mindfulness and meditation.
This can be related to the idea that the life story of the Buddha is not intended to be a factual, historical account, but more a hagiography or a religious/spiritual biography, to inform the followers of a particular path (see Theme 1).
In Theravada Buddhism, then, there is generally a rational view of the Buddha.
He was human, but is revered for his wisdom and for the role model he provided.
Theravada Buddhists take literally his command: work out your own salvation with diligence’; they are to take refuge in the Dhamma and test it for themselves. There is no dependence upon the Buddha as a vehicle for salvation or Enlightenment.
Richard Gombrich refers to Theravada as a soteriology; it is a personal religious quest, with no god-figure.
Despite this, the humanity of the Buddha in Theravada Buddhism does not mean that supramundane powers were not possible. Indeed, we only have to draw upon the Theravada scriptures to see a teacher with some remarkable abilities. Some put these incidents down to legend and dispense with them.
Others may explain them in terms of the Buddhist abhinnas, supernatural powers developed through high states of meditation.
Mahayana Buddhism overtly plays down the historical aspects of the Buddha and accentuates his supramundane, metaphysical characteristics
. As Suzuki writes:
‘the Buddha in the Mahayana scriptures is not an ordinary human being walking in a sensuous world’.
Mahayana Buddhism emphasises the transcendent aspect of Buddha in all his glory, through the three bodies (Trikaya) ideal. The Buddha was not just human but semi-spiritual (Nirmanakaya), also has heavenly manifestations
(Sambhogakaya) and ultimate expressions (Dharmakaya). In line with this, the idea about the three bodies of the Buddha developed. In the Pure Land tradition, Amida Buddha (Amitabha) resides in his own resplendent Buddha universe.
In both Zen and Tibetan Buddhism, our own ‘Buddha nature’ within us is emphasised. Both Zen and Hua Yen Buddhism see the Buddha as one of countless Buddhas and Buddha universes, of which our current universe is part, all interconnected and interpenetrating according to the nature of existence (sunyata) and revealed through the insight of Enlightenment.
Indeed, Pure Land Buddhists take refuge in nembutsu, the Japanese term which means to think on or contemplate the Buddha, often involving the phrase as
‘homage to Amida Buddha’. It is that important in Pure Land Buddhism, according to Alfred Bloom, that it ‘has been considered the central core of practice to gain Enlightenment.
When they talk about about going for the the Buddha it isn’t the physical enlightenment one the talk about the actualisation of his mundane entrainment a state of perfect attainment
We body this attainment in the Buddha
The Buddhahood of the Buddha is the sum total qualities of the Buddha
When we go for refuge in the Buddha we go to him for for the supreme embodiment of the body
A person to guide us to safely
Key quotes for the Buddha
One is not yet fully enlightened, but that which is going to become a Buddha is present; therefore, these factors presently existent in our continuums are Buddha seeds and are called the Buddha nature, or the essence of the One Gone Thus (Tathagatagarbha). (Dalai Lama)
Every man possesses the Buddha nature. Do not demean yourselves.
(Dogen)
Emptiness which is conceptually liable to be mistaken for sheer nothingness is in fact the
reservoir of infinite possibilities.
(D.T. Suzuki)
The intuitive recognition of the instant, thus reality … is the highest act of wisdom. (D.T. Suzuki)
The Buddha nature which is ours from the very beginning is like the sun which emerges from the clouds, or like a mirror which, when rubbed, regains its original purity and clarity. (Conze)
Our true Buddha nature has no shape. And the dust of affliction has no form. How can people use ordinary water to wash an intangible body? It won’t work … To clean such a body you have to behold it.
(Bodhidharma)
True freedom comes when we follow our Buddha nature, the natural goodness of our heart. (Kornfield)
My the dharma
The Dhamma as a whole is the teaching (sasana) of the Buddha, later to become the Pali Canon. However, as Buddhism expanded, new scriptures belonging to Mahayana Buddhism were either preferred or added to the Pali teachings. These early scriptures were either in Prakrit, Sanskrit or Chinese and have been translated into numerous languages. In effect, there is really no such thing as a ‘Mahayana Canon’ of scriptures that is recognised. Taking refuge in the Dhamma, in particular, means different things for different Buddhists.
The Pali Canon of scriptures consists of three sections called pitakas (lit. ‘baskets’):
* The Vinaya Pitaka including the rules for discipline in a monastic setting (see below).
* The Sutta Pitaka the writings that describe the teaching in the context of the life of the Buddha.
* Abhidhamma Pitaka which is a later philosophical section (the content of which varies according to schools of Theravada Buddhism).
Throughout the ministry of the Buddha, there were often points of misunderstanding or conflict among his followers. The Buddha’s cousin, Devadatta, was a constant critic of the Buddha and often led splinter groups away from his following. This is not an unfamiliar practice in Indian traditions. We have seen that even the Buddha himself broke away from his teachers to form his own group.
Most issues associated with early points of conflict and discussion were addressed by the Buddha personally. It is no surprise, then, to see that after the death of the Buddha there were immediately disputes. Most of the disputes were settled and the Pali Canon was established and written down, albeit hundreds of years after the death of the Buddha and mostly based on versions preserved and transmitted faithfully by word of mouth. Theravada Buddhists, therefore, take refuge in the teachings of the Buddha as found in the Pali Canon.
For Tibetan Buddhists (Vajrayana), refuge in the Dhamma (Dharma) centres on the teachings as found in the kangyur (translated words) that recall the Buddha’s teachings in new Mahayana Sutras (writings) and the tengyur (translated commentaries). They also include a variant of the Pali Canon translated into Tibetan, probably from Chinese. When Tibetan Buddhists take refuge in the Buddha’s teachings, therefore, they are the teachings as found in the Vinaya, Perfection of Wisdom Sutras, Avatamsaka, Ratnakuta and other Mahayana Sutras. Tibetan Buddhists recognise that refuge in the Dhamma incorporates the acceptance of a wide variety of interpretations of the Buddha’s teachings.
When it comes to Zen (Ch’an Chinese) Buddhism there is a rich doctrinal and textual background. It has been influenced by sutras such as the Lankavatara Sutra, the Vimalakirti Sutra, the Avatamsaka Sutra, the Lotus Sutra, the Platform Sutra together with collected sayings of Zen masters as well as a body of koan literature.
However, Zen is said to be based on a special transmission outside scriptures which did not stand upon words. It is this belief that the ‘Dhamma’ or the teachings (sasana) of Buddha, although reflected in the Buddhist scriptures, are essentially not contained within them! As Fischer writes, ‘not relying on scripture, doctrine or ritual, Zen is verified by personal experience and is passed on from master to disciple, hand to hand, ineffably, through hard, intimate training. Zen Buddhism has often been referred to as non-intellectual. Zen monks have been known to tear up Buddhist scriptures in order to stress this view, for example the famous Zen patriarch Hui Neng. Therefore, once again, for Zen Buddhists, taking refuge in the Dhamma is quite a different experience.
Key quotes for the dharma
This is what the path of Dharma is like. It’s not that you have to do all the practices. It is sufficient to take just one of them, whichever one you really have an affinity with, and through practising that one alone, for the rest of your life, you will achieve Enlightenment. Whichever practice you choose doesn’t matter; they are all valid methods for achieving Enlightenment-if you practise. The key is to practise with diligence for the rest of your life.
(Dhomang Yangthang)
A special transmission outside the scriptures, Not founded upon words and letters. By pointing directly to mind,
It lets one see into own true nature and attain Buddhahood.
(Bodhidharma)
Yamaoka Tesshu… desiring to show his attainment, said: The mind, Buddha, and sentient beings, after all, do not exist. The true nature of phenomena is emptiness. There is no realisation, no delusion, no sage, no mediocrity. There is no giving and nothing to be received.
Dokuon, who was smoking quietly, said nothing. Suddenly he whacked Yamaoka with his bamboo pipe. This made the youth quite angry. ‘If nothing exists’, inquired Dokuon, where did this anger come from?’ (Zen Koan)
A student once asked Joshu: ‘If I haven’t anything in my mind, what shall I do?’ Joshu replied: ‘Throw it out’.
‘But if I haven’t anything, how can I throw it out?’ continued the questioner.
Well’, said Joshu, then carry it out’. (Zen Koan)
The sanga
The Sangha is the Buddhist community. The term is used in different ways but, in terms of refuge, it refers to the Buddhist community in its wider sense. The purpose of the Sangha as a refuge is for training. This can take place either in a group or within a more formal setting, for example, a monastery. The aim of the Sangha is to follow the path that the Buddha taught and to gain help and assistance from others. It is the gathering of like-minded people for encouragement, each with the common goal of Enlightenment.
There is a famous parable that the Buddha taught about an elephant that belonged to a king. The elephant was of exceptional character, calm and friendly. However, the king noticed the elephant’s character changing. The elephant became irritable, prone to tempers and more difficult. Eventually the problem was identified. A group of criminals was meeting at the elephant’s stable. The elephant was clearly picking up characteristics of the people it was spending time with. The criminals were removed and, in time, the elephant rediscovered its old character. The idea of refuge in the Sangha can be compared to this. A person will develop characteristics from those people with whom they interact. The Sangha therefore is a place of positive, wholesome activity, with people who will help and not hinder spiritual progress.
Although there is much diversity in practice within Buddhism and monastic Buddhism in particular, all Buddhists traditions would agree in the broad understanding of refuge in the Sangha as defined
We are near people that can help us expand on our spiritual development and go and get the community around us
Sangha quotes
Your friends in the sangha provide a continual reference point which creates a continual learning process.
They act as mirror reflections to remind you or warn you in living situations. That is the kind of companionship that is meant by sangha. We are all in the same boat; we share a sense of trust and a sense of larger-scale, organic friendship. (Chogyam Trungpa)
Chanting the refuges
a declaration of adherence to the Buddhist way of life. It is a crucial psychological reminder and focus for meditational practice. It is seen as essential preparation mentally for meditation and walking the path that the Buddha taught.
Within Buddhism itself as a religion there are variations within traditions as to how the words of the chant are both used and understood.
Heritage Buddhists are Buddhists that live in a country that has had a history of involvement with Buddhism. Convert Buddhists are those that live in a country Where Buddhism has no heritage but has established itself as a new religion.
The meaning of taking or chanting the three refuges for those in a Buddhist country could vary from those who are indoctrinated into Buddhism and those who choose freely. In this way, heritage ‘converts’ and Western converts both share the same religious commitment. However, it is more the application of the meaning of the refuges, that is, their practical outworking, where there is difference. For instance, the alms round and the role of a village monk are very different to the alms round and the role of a Western monk. Monks and lay people in the West have had to adapt Buddhism to their society so that alms rounds may not be in the local village and the monk performs ceremonies to a Sangha community that may span a larger radius of lay people than just the immediate village. Dhamma talks often take place in a monastery in a Buddhist country but in the West there are satellite groups that meet due to geographical issues.
However, the significance of the refuges in practice, although more immediate and prominent for the heritage Buddhist, does not mean that they are any more profound. Another way of looking at the issue is that Buddhism in itself has no real heritage but simply adapts to whichever heritage it encounters. This is what the history and development of Buddhism has demonstrated. Hence all the variations!
Buddhists, then, repeating the Triratna underlines the centrality of the three jewels in their lives. Chanting them transforms commitment into a meaningful rite which is often part of many Buddhist ceremonies, devotions and celebrations.
Repetition is important in Buddhism, as we have seen from Indian philosophy, because it has the power to alter mental states, and, in Tibetan Buddhist Tantra in particular, the physical world around us. The refuges are repeated in themselves three times during chanting practice, and they are chanted at every opportunity by individual Buddhist devotees.
The three refuges in the coming the context of other possible refuges in the modern world
To take refuge appears to be a human trait. The secular values of modern society, such as the freedom to pursue wealth and happiness, are seen as values worth maintaining and promoting. Others may look for support and inspiration in heroes and heroines, albeit transitory and imperfect. Others derive their values from particular religious or political ideological frameworks. The problem is that materialism corrupts and fuels greed; even some Buddhist monasteries have been in danger of this at times; for example, when gifts and donations flow freely that a monastery becomes so powerful. Indeed, as seen from the history of Buddhism in Sri Lanka, some monasteries had to return wealth to the King because they had become more powerful than the monarch! Relationships can be fickle and can cause so much pain and suffering through attachment - how many people have been betrayed by people they have trusted and idolised, including religious leaders Secular and political values are subject to the whims and rulings of individuals anc can be oppressive, as we have seen in the case of the plight of the Tibetan people and the work of the Dalai Lama. For a Buddhist, the refuges are unchanging, secu and safe.
The three refuges in the context of other possible refuges in the modern world quote
We have allegiance to ‘that’ and allegiance to this. There are hundreds and millions of choices involved in our lives - particularly in regard to our sense of discipline, our ethics, and our spiritual path. People are very confused in this chaotic world about what is really the right thing to do. There are all kinds of rationales, taken from all kinds of traditions and philosophies. We may try to combine all of them together; sometimes they conflict, sometimes they work together harmoniously. But we are constantly shopping, and that is actually the basic problem. (Chogyam Trungpa)
What is taking refuge
Finding saftey in something
