the three jewels/refuges Flashcards
what are the three jewels?
the buddha, the dharma, the sangha
what does refuge mean?
safety and escaping suffering
What does Buddha mean in the three jewels ?
Buddha’ means ‘awakened’ or ‘enlightened’. However Buddhists also teach that all human beings can become enlightened. The different Buddhist
practices, and especially meditation, are all designed to help people to realise that they can become enlightenments and Buddha is the teacher that can help Buddhists achieve this
enlightened too.
What does sangha mean in the three jewels?
The Sangha is the whole Buddhist community and helps people to correctly understand the Dhamma (the
Buddha’s teachings). Laypeople are ‘ordinary’ or ‘everyday’ Buddhists. They:
o visit the vihara (monastery) to meditate and
o listen to the teachings of the monks and nuns,
o bring the monks and nuns food and clothing
The monks & nuns try to live as the Buddha did. They:
o have given up all their family, friends and money and any possessions they do not absolutely need meditate
o study the holy texts
o teach the Dhamma to lay Buddhists
What does the dharma mean in the three jewels?
These Buddha teachings refer to the truth and universal laws of nature about how to live life . Therefore if Buddhists follow these , they can reach enlightenment . The dharma is a sense of help by the Buddha teachings .
Why is the Buddha important ?
The Buddha is important as he created a guide for Buddhists to follow to become enlightened and more specifically he taught all human beings can become enlightened .
Why is the dharma important?
It is important as it shows how one can reach enlightenment
Why is the sangha important ?
The sangha is important because it brings people together as part of the Buddhist family and helps gain enlightenment by practising dharma and other teachings .
