Taking_the_Three_Refuges

Taking the Three Refuges : 

Taking the Three Refuges TMC Monthly Class U Kavinda

What is a Refuge? Why do we take Refuge? : 

What is a Refuge? Why do we take Refuge? Shelter or protection from danger. E.g. Your house is your refuge from the environment. A place we go to when we are scared and need safety In the Ancient Commentaries, refuge is something or someone that destroys our fears and sufferings in the woeful states in samsara.

What are the Three Refuges : 

What are the Three Refuges Triple Gem Buddha: His teachings encourages us to do merit and avoid demerit, thus, deterring us from what is not beneficial, the unwholesome states. Dhamma: When fully realized, one attains enlightenment, thus destroying all fears and suffering. Sangha: They are worthy of our gifts and respect. Thus, offerings and respect given to the Sangha will always yield the greatest benefit.

Taking Refuge : 

Taking Refuge According to the abhidhamma, when taking refuge, a wholesome consciousness arises in your mind, a kusala consciousness arises in your mind. That kusala consciousness is free from defilements. Taking refuge in the triple gem does not mean we rely on the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha to do everything while we do nothing. Taking refuge is just regarding them as our spiritual guides

Taking refuge Cont’d : 

Taking refuge Cont’d When saying, “I take the Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha as my refuge”, you are regarding the triple gem as your supreme resort – your ultimate refuge. If you really concentrate and take refuge, your mind will be free from defilements and you will have reverence for the Triple gem. The Commentary explains that there is no taking refuge without knowing, without mind. Taking refuge is to be done with full awareness or understanding.

Two Kinds of Refuge : 

Two Kinds of Refuge Supramundane – occurs when one attains enlightenment or at the moment of the arising of Path consciousness. At the point one realizes the 4 Noble truths, and Nibbana. Mundane – Puthujjanas. When taking refuge, we suppress those defilements or obstacles that are in the way. There are four kinds of mundane taking of refuge. When we properly take refuge, we are confident in the triple gem, we are not ignorant of their qualities, and we try to take the excellent qualities of the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha.

4 Kinds of Ways We Take Mundane Refuge : 

4 Kinds of Ways We Take Mundane Refuge 1st – To surrender oneself to the Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha.(Attasanniyyatana) E.G. one would say “Making this day the beginning, I surrender myself to the Buddha.” 2nd – To make the triple gem one’s supreme resort (Tapparayanata). 3rd – To become a disciple of the Three Gems (Sissabhavupagamana) 4th – To pay homage to the Three Gems (Panipata). Basically showing respect, usually by bowing down, or standing up from your seat, or folding your hands.

Paying Homage : 

Paying Homage When we say “Buddham saranam gacchami” we are following the 2nd way of taking refuge. We are considering the triple gem as our refuge.

How to really take refuge : 

How to really take refuge If you pay respect to the Buddha because he is your relative, is that taking refuge? If you pay respect to the Buddha out of fear and because you are afraid something bad will happen if you do not, is that taking refuge? If you pay respect to the Buddha only because he gave you good advice about mundane affairs, is that taking refuge? If you pay respect to the Buddha only because he is your teacher, is that taking refuge?

How to really take refuge cont’d : 

How to really take refuge cont’d One really takes refuge when one pays homage based on the greatest respect for the spiritual worthiness. When respect is given to the Buddha by understanding the Noble Virtues of his Morality, Concentration and Wisdom, only then will you have really taken refuge in the Buddha.

Fall From Refuge : 

Fall From Refuge There can be a breach of Mundane refuge only. There is no breach of Supramundane refuge. Even if a Sotapanna dies and is reborn elsewhere to a non-Buddhist family, he still has refuge in the Triple gem. There are two kinds of breach of mundane refuge: that which is “blameworthy” and that which is “blameless”. “Blameworthy” – when one surrenders oneself to another teacher or etc. “Blameless” – when a person dies.

Fall From Refuge Cont’d : 

Fall From Refuge Cont’d For example, in Buddhist Funerals, when we call upon a monk to perform a ceremony to “give refuge” and share merit to the dead. How is this possible if one’s refuge is broken at death? The Burmese call this “Putting him on refuge”. The idea is that Buddhist believe that once a person dies, he is reborn in another existence. “Giving refuge” is for the person with a new existence because he was born without refuge. We want him to have refuge with the Triple gem in his new life. Also, when we share merits, it is not with the person who is dead, but it is with his new existence that we share merits with.

Frequently Ask Question : 

Frequently Ask Question Do we need to take refuge everyday? Actually it is not necessary to take refuge every day. We take refuge every day or almost every day because we want to affirm our confidence in the Triple Gem. The Buddha said, “It is good to take refuge in the Three Gems.” But he also said, “Do not take any other as refuge.“ What does this contradictory statements mean?