Taking Refuge

In the Buddha, the Dharma and the Supreme Assembly

I take refuge until I attain enlightenment.

Through the merit of practising generosity and so on,

May I attain buddhahood for the benefit of all beings.

Here I shall explain taking refuge, which is the foundation of the path to liberation, the basis of all vows, the source of all enlightened qualities and the point of differentiation between buddhists and non-buddhists, together with generating the mind of bodhicitta, which is the foundation for accomplishing the level of complete enlightenment and the source of all that is positive in existence and peace.

1. Taking Refuge

This has three sections: (i) the objects in which we take refuge, (ii) the duration of refuge and (iii) the actual practice of taking refuge.

i. The Objects of Refuge

There are three objects: the perfect Buddha who is the unsurpassable teacher, the sacred Dharma which is the unsurpassable protection and the supreme assembly of the noble sangha, who are the unsurpassable guides.

Buddha

The Buddha is the one endowed with the four kāyas and five wisdoms.

The four kāyas are:

1. The svābhāvikakāya, which is the nature of phenomenal reality devoid of any obscurations.

2. The dharmakāya, which is the unceasing aspect of wisdom.

3. The sambhogakāya, which is the self-appearing rūpakāya adorned with major and minor marks.

4. The nirmāṇakāya, which appears in order to tame disciples who are to be tamed.

The five wisdoms are:

1. The wisdom of dharmadhātu, which is the inherent purity of absolute space.

2. The mirror-like wisdom, which is wisdom’s unceasing clarity aspect.

3. The equalizing wisdom, which is the absence of attachment and aversion towards anyone or anything, near or far.

4. The wisdom of discernment, which knows objects without confusing or conflating them.

5. The all-accomplishing wisdom, which effortlessly brings about the welfare of others.

Dharma

The Dharma is identified as scripture and realization.

The Dharma of scripture consists of the three collections (piṭakas):

1. The Vinaya collection, which tames ('dul ba) the disturbing emotions in one’s mindstream.

2. The Sūtra collection of summarizing (mdo) texts in which points are arranged in categories.

3. The Abhidharma collection for generating the wisdom that clearly (mngon par) realizes the way things are.

The Dharma of realization is the threefold higher training:

1. The training in higher discipline, which is the subject matter of the vinaya collection.

2. The training in higher meditation, which is the subject matter of the sūtra collection.

3. The training in higher wisdom, which is the subject matter of the abhidharma collection.

The two truths [of cessation and the path] come from taking these three trainings into one’s experience, as abandonment and realization develop on the five paths and ten bhūmis. The truth of cessation is the perfect abandonment and the truth of the path is the perfect realization.

Sangha

The sangha is the irreversible sangha of bodhisattvas. These are the bodhisattvas on the ten bhūmis, who can not revert to saṃsāra, because they have realized emptiness directly through their wisdom, and who do not fall into the extreme of quiescence, because in their compassion they care for beings with the love of a mother for her only child.

ii. The Duration of Taking Refuge

The verse says “…until I attain enlightenment.” In this context, the mahāyāna level of taking refuge is distinguished by three features.

Difference in terms of Objects

The followers of the hīnayāna take as their refuge the supreme nirmāṇakāya Śākyamuni, who is “The Buddha, the supreme of all humans (literally ‘those on two legs’).” They do not accept the dharmakāya and sambhogakāya, and they believe that even the nirmāṇakāya stops benefitting beings once it has passed beyond this world. They believe that the Dharma jewel refers only to the state of nirvāṇa, which is the truth of cessation. They refer to this as “peace and supreme freedom from passions.” For them, the “sangha, which is the supreme of all assemblies” consists of the noble śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, the stream-enterers, once-returners, non-returners and arhats.

In the mahāyāna, on the other hand, it is as I have explained above.

Difference in terms of Duration

The followers of the hīnayāna take refuge temporarily for as long as they live, and ultimately until they attain their own particular fruition.

Difference in terms of Attitude

The followers of the hīnayāna take refuge with an attitude of renunciation, wishing to find freedom from all the sufferings of saṃsāra for themselves alone. The followers of the mahāyāna take refuge with bodhicitta, in the wish that all sentient beings might attain buddhahood.

iii. The Actual Practice of Taking Refuge

When taking refuge with the words “I take refuge…” and so on, consider that in every atom appear buddhas as numerous as all the atoms in existence, each surrounded by an assembly of their bodhisattva heirs, reaching to the very limits of phenomenal reality. Consider that the enlightened minds of all these victorious buddhas and their bodhisattva sons and daughters are filled with the sacred Dharma of scripture and realization, and they all remain before you as great leaders, ready to care for and guide you and all sentient beings with their vast qualities of wisdom, love and power. As you remain before them, together with all other sentient beings, all clasping your palms together, you think the following, “From this moment on, until the essence of enlightenment is reached, we rely on you, Three Jewels, as our objects of refuge. We make offerings to you. You are our only practice. We have no other refuge or hope but you.” Then with total trust and heartfelt conviction, take refuge.

by Patrul Rinpoche