In lay and monastic ordination ceremonies, Buddhists take the Three Refuges in the Three Jewels and are said to "take refuge. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices The History of Buddhism spans the 6th century BCE to the present starting with the birth of the Buddha Siddhartha Gautama. Foundation to the Common Era Some sources give the date of the Buddha's birth as 563 BCE and others as 624 BCE Theravada Buddhist countries tend to use the latter figure Lists and numbering of Buddhist councils vary between and even within schools Several Buddhist terms and concepts lack direct translations into English that cover the breadth of the original term Background Why the Buddha is said to have taught in this way is illuminated by the social context of the time in which he lived In sramanic philosophy Nirvana (निर्वाण| Nirvāṇa; निब्बान Nibbāna; Prakrit: णिव्वाण The Three Jewels, also called the Three Treasures, the Three Refuges, or the Triple Gem, are the three things that Buddhists take refuge Several Buddhist terms and concepts lack direct translations into English that cover the breadth of the original term According to the Buddhist tradition all phenomena other than Nirvana, ( sankhara) are marked by three characteristics sometimes referred to as the Dharma seals In Buddhist phenomenology and Soteriology, the five skandhas ( Sanskrit) or khandhas ( Pāli) are five "aggregates" Buddhist cosmology is the description of the shape and evolution of the universe according to the canonical Buddhist scriptures and commentaries Rebirth in Buddhism is the doctrine that the consciousness of a person (as conventionally regarded upon the death or dissolution of the aggregates ( Skandhas Dhamma ( Pāli: धम्म or Dharma (धर्म in Buddhism has two primary meanings the teachings of the Buddha which lead to enlightenment The doctrine of pratītyasamutpāda (Sanskrit paticcasamuppāda; rten Karma ( Sanskrit: कर्मन karman, Pāli: कमा Kamma) means "action" or "doing" whatever A number of noted individuals have been Buddhists. Historical Buddhist thinkers and founders of schools Individuals are grouped by nationality except in cases where the Siddhārtha Gautama ( Sanskrit; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual Teacher from Ancient India and the founder A number of noted individuals have been Buddhists. Historical Buddhist thinkers and founders of schools Individuals are grouped by nationality except in cases where the In Buddhism, buddhahood ( Sanskrit: buddhatva. Pali: buddhatta. In the Buddhist context a bodhisattva (बोधिसत्त्व bodhisattva;; Vietnamese Bồ Tát; बोधिसत्त bodhisatta The four stages of Enlightenment in Buddhism are the four degrees of approach to full enlightenment as an Arahant which a person can attain in this life Theravada Buddhism Theravada Buddhism 's teachings on the paramitas can be found in late canonical books and post-canonical commentaries Buddhist meditation encompasses a variety of Meditation techniques that develop Mindfulness, concentration, tranquility and insight In English translations of Buddhist literature, householder denotes a variety of terms Obtaining exact numbers of practicing Buddhists can be difficult and may be reliant on the definition used Buddhist beliefs and practices vary according to region There are distinctions between and within the Buddhism practised in various regions including In South Asia Mahayana Buddhism is the State religion of Bhutan, and Buddhists comprise 98% of its population. History See also History of Buddhism in Cambodia Unconfirmed Singhalese sources assert that missionaries of King Asohka introduced Buddhism into Chinese Buddhism ( Pinyin fójiào refers collectively to the various schools of Buddhism that have flourished in China proper since ancient times Buddhism is a world religion which arose in Bihar, India and is based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, who is known as the Buddha (literally Among the five official religions of Indonesia, according to the state ideology of Pancasila According to Suharto, Buddhism and Hinduism were Indonesia's classical The history of Buddhism in Japan can be roughly divided into three periods namely the Nara period (up to 784 the Heian period (794–1185 and the post-Heian period Korean Buddhism is distinguished from other forms of Buddhism by its attempt to resolve what it sees as inconsistencies in Mahayana Buddhism Buddhism is the primary religion of Laos. The Buddhism practiced in Laos is of the Theravada tradition Buddhism is the second largest religion in Malaysia after Islam, with 19 Buddhism in Mongolia is essentially Tibetan Buddhism of the Gelugpa school History The history of Buddhism in Burmaextends nearly a millennium Buddha was born in Shakya kingdom which lies in Rupandehi district Lumbini zone of Nepal Historically Buddhism was incorporated into Russian lands as early as the late 16th century, when Russian explorers travelled to and settled in As of 2000 425% of the Singaporeans register themselves as Buddhist by religion General Buddhism in Sri Lanka is primarily of the Theravada school and constitutes the religious faith of about 70% of the populationAccording to traditional Buddhism in Thailand is largely of the Theravada school Nearly 95% of Thailand 's population is Buddhist of the Theravada school though Buddhism Tibetan Buddhism is the body of Buddhist religious doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet and certain regions of the Himalayas, including Buddhism came to Vietnam in the first century CE By the end of the second century Vietnam developed a major Buddhist centre in the region commonly known as the Luy Lâu Buddhism in the West broadly encompasses the knowledge and practice of Buddhism outside of Asia. The Schools of Buddhism. Buddhism is classified in various ways History Origin of the school The Theravāda school is ultimately derived from the Vibhajjavāda (or 'doctrine of analysis' grouping which was a continuation Mahayana ( Sanskrit: mahāyāna, Devanagari: महायान 'Great Vehicle' is one of the two main existing schools of Buddhism and a term for Vajrayana Buddhism is also known as Tantric Buddhism, Tantrayāna, Mantrayana, Mantranaya, Secret Mantra, Esoteric Buddhism and The Early Buddhist schools are those schools into which according to most scholars the Buddhist monastic Sangha initially split due originally to differences in The term pre-sectarian Buddhism is used by some scholars to refer to the Buddhism that existed before the various subsects of Buddhism came into being Buddhist texts can be categorized in a number of ways The Western terms "scripture" and "canonical" are applied to Buddhism in inconsistent ways by Western scholars Historicity and Background Place in the Canon Various Mahayana Sutras have been included in the Tibetan Canon and the Chinese Canon. The Tibetan Buddhist canon is a loosely defined list of Sacred texts recognized by various sects of Tibetan Buddhism. The cultural elements of Buddhism vary by region and include Buddhist Festivals and Observances Vesak The following is a List of Buddhist topics: A Abhidharma Aggañña Sutta Ahimsa The Three Jewels, also called the Three Treasures, the Three Refuges, or the Triple Gem, are the three things that Buddhists take refuge " The practice of taking refuge on behalf of young or even unborn children is mentioned^[1] in the Majjhima Nikaya, recognized by most scholars as an early text (cf Infant baptism). The Majjhima Nikaya (-nikāya "Collection of Middle-length Discourses" is a Buddhist scripture the second of the five Nikayas or collections in the Infant baptism is the Christian religious practice of baptizing infants or young children

The general signification of Three Jewels is:　

• the Buddha;
• the Dharma, the teachings;
• the Sangha, the community of (at least partially) enlightened being, often approximated to community of monks and nuns (Bhikkhus and Bhikkhunis). Siddhārtha Gautama ( Sanskrit; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual Teacher from Ancient India and the founder Dhamma ( Pāli: धम्म or Dharma (धर्म in Buddhism has two primary meanings the teachings of the Buddha which lead to enlightenment This article concerns the concept of Sangha in Buddhism. For information on other senses see Sangha (disambiguation. A Bhikkhu ( Pāli) or Bhiksu ( Sanskrit) is a fully ordained male Buddhist Monastic. A Bhikkhuni ( Bhikṣuṇī ( Sanskrit), Bhikkhuṇī ( Pāli) or 比丘尼 ( Chinese characters, ภิกษุณี ^[2]

In Vajrayana sadhana, the refuge tree is often visualized by sadhakas and to aid in this interior viewing is represented as thangka. For Sadhana the actress see Sadhana (actress Sadhana (Sanskrit sādhanam) is a Sanskrit term for "a means of accomplishing something" In Tibetan Buddhism, the Refuge Tree, (alternate English renderings Refuge Field Merit Field Field of Merit 'field' is a rendering of the Sanskrit " Kshetra A sadhaka ( Sanskrit) is a practitioner of a particular Sadhana.

History

In Buddhism, instead of looking for any external saviour, most Buddhists believe they can take refuge in themselves: Dhammapada

160. The Dhammapada ( Pāli; Prakrit: Dhamapada; Sanskrit Dharmapada; sometimes translated into English as Path of the One truly is the protector of oneself, who else could the protector be? With oneself fully controlled one gains a mastery which is hard to gain.

165. By oneself is evil done, by oneself is one defiled. Evil, in many cultures is used to describe acts or thoughts which are contrary to some particular religion By oneself is evil left undone, by oneself is one purified. Purity and impurity depend on oneself--no one can purify another.

Mahaparinibbana sutta states:

For that which I have proclaimed and made known as the Dhamma and the Discipline, that shall be your Master when I am gone.

Faith (Saddha)

Main article: Saddha

Faith (saddha/sraddha) is an important constituent element of the teachings of the Buddha - both in the Theravada tradition as in the Mahayana. Siddhārtha Gautama ( Sanskrit; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual Teacher from Ancient India and the founder History Origin of the school The Theravāda school is ultimately derived from the Vibhajjavāda (or 'doctrine of analysis' grouping which was a continuation Mahayana ( Sanskrit: mahāyāna, Devanagari: महायान 'Great Vehicle' is one of the two main existing schools of Buddhism and a term for Sraddha is a Sanskrit word that is translated as Faith. Faith is a Belief in the trustworthiness of an Idea. Formal usage of the word "faith" is usually reserved for concepts of Religion, as in Sraddha has connotations of trust, perseverance, humility and steady effort. Trust is a relationship of reliance A trusted party is presumed to seek to fulfill policies, ethical codes Law and their previous promises Humility, or being humble, is the defining characteristic of an unpretentious and modest person someone who does not think that he or she is better or more important Sraddha is the result of thorough reasoning and accumulated experience. Reason involves the ability to think understand and draw Conclusions in an Abstract way as in Human thinking

In the Kalama Sutra the Buddha explicitly argues against simply following authority or tradition. The Kalama Sutta ( Sanskrit: Kalama Sutra กาลามสูตร Kalama Sut) is a Buddhist sutta in the Anguttara Nikaya In Politics, authority ( Latin Auctoritas, used in Roman law as opposed to Potestas and Imperium The word tradition comes from the Latin traditionem acc of traditio which means "a giving up delivering up surrendering" and is used in a number of He was referring to the Hinduism of his day. Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. Nevertheless, there remains a requirement for a degree of trusting confidence and belief in Buddhism, primarily in the spiritual attainment and salvation wisdom of the Buddha. In Theology, salvation can mean three related things being saved from or Liberation from something such as Suffering or the punishment of Wisdom is a concept of personal gaining of Knowledge, Understanding, Experience, discretion and intuitive understanding, along with a capacity Faith in Buddhism centres on belief in the Buddha as a supremely Awakened being, on his unexcelled role as teacher of both humans and gods, in the truth of his Dharma (spiritual Doctrine), and in his Sangha (community of spiritually developed followers). God is the principal or sole Deity in Religions and other belief systems that worship one deity. Faith in Buddhism functions as a form of motor, which is meant to propel the Buddhist practitioner towards the goal of Awakening (bodhi) and Nirvana. Bodhi (बोधि is both the Pāli and Sanskrit word traditionally translated into English as "enlightenment In sramanic philosophy Nirvana (निर्वाण| Nirvāṇa; निब्बान Nibbāna; Prakrit: णिव्वाण

Vows

Lay Buddhist Practices
Devotional
Offerings · Bows 3 Refuges · Chanting
Precepts
5 Precepts · 8 Precepts Bodhisattva vows
Other
Meditation · Giving Supporting Monastics Study · Pilgrimage
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Often, one who takes refuge will make vows as well, typically vows to adhere to the Five Precepts (pañca-sila). In English translations of Buddhist literature, householder denotes a variety of terms Buddhist devotion is an important part of the practice of most Buddhists In Buddhism, symbolic offerings are made to the Triple Gem, giving rise to contemplative gratitude and inspiration In Buddhism, a prostration (Pali panipāta, Skt namas-kara, Ch The Three Jewels, also called the Three Treasures, the Three Refuges, or the Triple Gem, are the three things that Buddhists take refuge A Buddhist Chant is a form of musical verse or incantation in some ways analogous to Hindu or Christian religious recitations In the various Bodhisattva vows (sometimes called the Bodhisattva Precepts) of Mahayana Buddhism, the Bodhisattvas take Vows stating Buddhist meditation encompasses a variety of Meditation techniques that develop Mindfulness, concentration, tranquility and insight Bodhisattva and the Art of Giving The quality of giving is one of the virtues perfected over numerous lifetimes by Shakyamuni Buddha in his Bodhisattva A Bhikkhu ( Pāli) or Bhiksu ( Sanskrit) is a fully ordained male Buddhist Monastic. Buddhist texts can be categorized in a number of ways The Western terms "scripture" and "canonical" are applied to Buddhism in inconsistent ways by Western scholars The most important places of pilgrimage in Buddhism are located the Gangetic plains of Northern India and Southern Nepal, in the area between New Delhi and A vow ( Lat votum, vow promise see Vote) is a promise or Oath. Laypeople generally undertake at least one of the five, but traditions differ in how many vows is common to take. The Five Precepts are not given in the form of commands such as "thou shalt not . . . ", but rather are promises to oneself: "I will (try) . . . "

1. To refrain from harming living creatures (killing).
2. To refrain from taking that which is not given (stealing). In Criminal law, theft (also known as stealing or filching) is the illegal taking of another person's Property without that person's freely-given
3. To refrain from sexual misconduct. Sexual misconduct is Misconduct of a sexual nature In legal sense for a person in a position of authority it includes in particular any sexual activity between
4. To refrain from falsespeech.
5. To refrain from intoxicants which lead to loss of mindfulness. A psychoactive drug or psychotropic substance is a Chemical substance that acts primarily upon the Central nervous system where it alters Brain

In some schools of Buddhism, serious lay people or aspiring monks take an additional three to five ethical precepts, and some of the five precepts are strengthened. For example, the precept pertaining to sexual misconduct becomes a precept of celibacy.

Refuge Advice

Primary guidelines

To actualise refuge in:

- Buddha: commit yourself to one teacher, the Buddha

- Dharma: listen, study and practice Dharma to overcome your own delusions

- Sangha: respect Sangha and train in accordance with their example

Commit to:

- train the body, speech and mind, instead of letting our senses rule us: do not speak harsh, skeptical things and avoid being judgmental.

- practice ethics and vows.

- be kind and considerate to any living being.

Secondary guidelines

Referring to the refuge in the:

- Buddha: do not follow other, lower beings as ultimate spiritual guides.

- Dharma: do not harm or upset humans or animals.

- Sangha: do not be negatively influenced by any extremists or others opposing our beliefs

Show respect to the:

- Buddha: respect all images of the Buddha, treat these as if they are Buddhas.

- Dharma: respect texts, treat them with utmost care.

- Sangha: respect even piece of robes and all who wear robes (despite behaviour)

Six points of training

1. Take refuge in the Three Refuges, do not seek the source of your happiness and problems outside yourself.
2. Offer the first part of food or drink to the triple jewel, by blessing it before eating or drinking by reciting "Om Ah Hum". (The mantra applies only to the Vajrayana tradition. Any offering prayer may be used. )
3. Encourage others to become inner beings (Buddhists) and to take refuge; but only when one is asked for advice.
4. Recite the refuge prayer 3x in the day and 3x in the night.
5. Follow the example of the Three Refuges, rely on them as the only trustworthy refuge objects.
6. Never lose faith in the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha.

Refuge Wording

Sanskrit version:

बुद्धं शरणं गच्छामि।

धम्मं शरणं गच्छामि।

संघं शरणं गच्छामि।

Buddhaṃ śaraṇaṃ gacchāmi. Sanskrit (sa संस्कृता वाक् saṃskṛtā vāk, for short sa संस्कृतम् saṃskṛtam) is a historical

Dharmaṃ śaraṇaṃ gacchāmi.

Saṃghaṃ śaraṇaṃ gacchāmi.

I take refuge in the Buddha.

I take refuge in the Dharma.

I take refuge in the Sangha.

Pāli (Theravāda) version:

Buddham saranam gacchami (to the Buddha for refuge I go)

Dhammam saranam gacchami (to the Dharma for refuge I go)

Sangham saranam gacchami (to the Sangha for refuge I go)

Dutiyampi Buddham saranam gacchami (For the second time . Pali ( ISO 15919 / ALA-LC: Pāḷi is a Middle Indo-Aryan language or Prakrit of India. History Origin of the school The Theravāda school is ultimately derived from the Vibhajjavāda (or 'doctrine of analysis' grouping which was a continuation . . (repeated for each of the three))

Tatiyampi Buddham saranam gacchami (For the third time . . . (repeated for each of the three))

Chinese (Mahāyāna) version:

南無帰依仏 (to the Buddha for refuge I go)

南無帰依法 (to the Dharma for refuge I go)

南無帰依僧 (to the Sangha for refuge I go)

However, some substitute the above with mention of three refuge in Lotus Sutra which read,

自皈依佛，當願眾生，體解大道，發無上心。 (I take refuge in the Buddha, wishing for all sentient beings to understand the great way and make the greatest vow. Mahayana ( Sanskrit: mahāyāna, Devanagari: महायान 'Great Vehicle' is one of the two main existing schools of Buddhism and a term for )

自皈依法，當願眾生，深入經藏，智慧如海。(I take refuge in the Dharma, wishing for all sentient beings to deeply delve into the Sutra Pitaka, gaining an ocean of knowledge. )

自皈依僧，當願眾生，統理大眾，一切無礙。(I take refuge in the Sangha, wishing all sentient beings to lead the congregation in harmony, entirely without obstruction. )

A Tibetan (Mahāyāna, Vajrayāna) version:

Until I am enlightened,

I go for refuge to the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. Mahayana ( Sanskrit: mahāyāna, Devanagari: महायान 'Great Vehicle' is one of the two main existing schools of Buddhism and a term for Vajrayana Buddhism is also known as Tantric Buddhism, Tantrayāna, Mantrayana, Mantranaya, Secret Mantra, Esoteric Buddhism and

Through the virtue I create by practising giving and the other perfections,

may I become a Buddha to benefit all sentient beings.

Levels of Refuge

According to Atisha in the 11th century 'Lamp for the Path' and in the subsequent Lamrim tradition as elaborated by Tsongkhapa, one can distinguish several levels of refuge:

These purposes are introduced using the concept of the 'scope' of a practitioner

• Worldly scope is taking refuge to improve this life (not Buddhist)
• Lowest Buddhist scope is taking refuge to gain high rebirth and avoid the low realms
• Middle Buddhist scope is taking refuge to achieve Nirvana
• High Buddhist scope is taking refuge to become a Buddha
• Highest Buddhist scope is also sometimes included, which is taking refuge to achieve Buddhahood in this life (using Buddhist Tantra techniques)

Another distinction between different levels of Going for Refuge, given by Sangharakshita in his text Going for Refuge is:

• Ethnic Going for Refuge, when one is born into a Buddhist culture and practice is a matter more of social conditioning than personal commitment. Early life Atisha is most commonly said to have been born in the year 980 in Vajrayogini village in Bikrampur, the northeastern region of Bengal (located in Tsongkhapa ( (1357 &ndash 1419 whose name means "The Man from Onion Valley" was a famous teacher of Tibetan Buddhism whose activities led later to the formation In sramanic philosophy Nirvana (निर्वाण| Nirvāṇa; निब्बान Nibbāna; Prakrit: णिव्वाण Tantra ( Sanskrit: तन्त्र; " Weave " denoting continuity) tantricism or tantrism is any of several esoteric Sangharakshita (1925- is the founder of the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order ( FWBO) and the Western Buddhist Order (WBO
• Effective Going for Refuge, when one has taken the conscious decision to commit oneself to the Three Refuges, typically by joining a Buddhist Order.
• Real Going for Refuge, when the Three Fetters of Conditioned Arising has been broken and Stream Entry has been attained. In Buddhism, a mental fetter or "chain" or "bond" ( Pāli: samyojana, saŋyojana, saññojana) shackles a person
• Absolute Going for Refuge, which corresponds with the attainment of Enlightenment.

The Dhammapada on Refuge

Driven only by fear, do men go for refuge to many places — to hills, woods, groves, trees and shrines.

Such, indeed, is no safe refuge; such is not the refuge supreme. Not by resorting to such a refuge is one released from all suffering.

He who has gone for refuge to the Buddha, the Teaching and his Order, penetrates with transcendental wisdom the Four Noble Truths — suffering, the cause of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the Noble Eightfold Path leading to the cessation of suffering.

This indeed is the safe refuge, this the refuge supreme. Having gone to such a refuge, one is released from all suffering.

— Dhammapada 188-192

Taking Refuge and the "Three Jewels"

Taking refuge in the Three Jewels is central to Buddhist lay and monastic ordination ceremonies, as originated by Gautama Buddha, according to the scriptures. The Dhammapada ( Pāli; Prakrit: Dhamapada; Sanskrit Dharmapada; sometimes translated into English as Path of the The Three Jewels, also called the Three Treasures, the Three Refuges, or the Triple Gem, are the three things that Buddhists take refuge Siddhārtha Gautama ( Sanskrit; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual Teacher from Ancient India and the founder

Taking refuge in the Triple Gem is generally considered to make one officially a Buddhist. Thus, in Theravada Buddhist communities, the following Pali chant, the Vandana Ti-sarana is often recited by both monks and lay people:

The Mahāyāna Chinese/Japanese version differs only slightly from the Theravada:

The Vajrayana prayer for taking refuge. Vajrayana Buddhism is also known as Tantric Buddhism, Tantrayāna, Mantrayana, Mantranaya, Secret Mantra, Esoteric Buddhism and

External links

• A Buddhist View on Refuge
• Refuge Vows (including commentary)
• Taking the refuges and precepts online by Bhikkhu Samahita

Access to Insight

• The Threefold Refuge (tisarana)
• The Five Precepts (pañca-sila)
• Abhisanda Sutta (Anguttara Nikaya)
• Saranagamana (Khuddakapatha)
• Going for Refuge and Taking the Precepts by Bhikkhu Bodhi
• Refuge: An Introduction to the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Notes

1. ^ Middle-Length Discourses of the Buddha, tr Nanamoli, rev Bodhi, Wisdom Pubns, 1995, pages 708f
2. ^ Some consider that Vajrayana Buddhists also take a fourth refuge in the Lama, though this may be countered as the Lama is both a representative of Buddha and a member of the Sangha and is therefore subsumed within the triratna. Access to Insight is a popular Theravada Buddhist Website providing access to a huge collection of translated texts from the Tipitaka, as well The Anguttara Nikaya (aṅguttaranikāya "Gradual Collection" or "Numerical Discourses" is a Buddhist scripture the fourth of the five Nikayas or The Khuddakapatha (-pāṭha Pali for "short passages" abbreviated as "Khp" is a Buddhist scripture the first collection of discourses ( Suttas Bhikkhu Bodhi (b 1944 NYC) born Jeffrey Block, is an American Buddhist monk, ordained in Sri Lanka and currently teaching in the Thanissaro Bhikkhu (Geoffrey DeGraff (1949 -) is an American Buddhist monk of the Thai forest Kammatthana tradition Vajrayana Buddhism is also known as Tantric Buddhism, Tantrayāna, Mantrayana, Mantranaya, Secret Mantra, Esoteric Buddhism and Lama ( is a title for a Tibetan teacher

References

• Sangharakshita, Going for Refuge. Windhorse Publications. (1997)