Taking Refuge
"Taking Refuge" is a practice common to all Buddhist traditions, and dates back to the first teachings given by the Buddha himself.
Sakyamuni Buddha taught that spiritual practice could create a refuge from the ignorance and suffering experienced in human existence. Sakyamuni Buddha, the historical buddha who lived 2500 years ago, was a teacher who in his own lifetime set the example of how to become liberated and transcend the limitations of ordinary human existence, and achieve the qualities of compassion and wisdom that define his Enlightenment. "The Dharma" refers to the content of the teachings provided by the Buddha after his enlightenment, and these instructions provide a clear path of specific teachings and methods we can use to achieve the same inner awakening. The Sangha refers to the community of buddhist practitioners, and those who have taken this same path and already achieved liberation by these same methods.
The Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha are known as The three jewels, and these are the three aspects of refuge. The Buddha taught that seeking "refuge" in these three elements was the first and most important method to overcome our ignorance and "suffering in our human existence".
The formal ceremony of ‘taking refuge’ is how one starts out on the Buddhist path, and it focusses the person's mind to have formally taken the buddhist teachings and principles as a path of learning and growth. This then provides the foundation to be able to start receiving teachings and initiations from. The simple ceremony can be performed by any suitably qualified Buddhist teacher, and is conducted by HE Zimwock Rinpoche at Jamchen Buddhist Centre on regular occasions (and can be arranged by request).
When we see Buddhist students bowing before an image of the Buddha prior to teachings taking place or prior to the practice of meditation, this is the formal expression of their taking refuge in the three jewels and is an expression of their following the Buddhist path to liberation.
In the Tibetan Buddhism "taking refuge" (in its basic form) is determined by:
- Taking refuge in the Buddha means understanding and accepting the four seals (see below).
- Taking refuge in the Dharma means adhering to the buddhist concept of compassion, accepting and implementing the moral guidelines, not harming other living beings, and relying on the buddha's teachings and methods as a path to liberation.
- Taking refuge in the Sangha means taking the example of others who have taken this same path and already achieved liberation, and relying on their support while on the path
The four seals, in their most basic explanation, are:
- Compounded phenomena and physical objects are impermanent (this includes everything "conditioned")
- Everything defiled or contaminated with ego is leading to suffering and pain. This refers to our afflicting emotions, habitual patterns and the clinging to an illusory self.
- All phenomena are empty, devoid of self-entity, and without an intrinsic independent or inherent existence.
- Nirvana is peace.and beyond extremes, and places us beyond the experience of afflicted emotions, deluded perception, and karma
All the 84,000 types of teachings given by Buddha Shakyamuni can be condensed into the Four Seals of the Dharma, and everything in Buddhism can be traced back to these four seals, and that’s why they are called ‘seals’.
