All language subtitles for Discovering Buddhism Module 07 - Refuge in the three Jewels

Discovering Buddhism

Refuge in the Three Jewels

When we are uncomfortable
or anything unpleasant happens,

we look to take refuge in something.

Usually we turn
to food, alcohol, sex,

drugs, money,
power or relationships.

But none of these things
give us the lasting protection

or satisfaction we are looking for.

When you understand you can't find
lasting happiness in samsara,

then the desire to find
true refuge becomes strong.

In Buddhism, we take
refuge in the Three Jewels:

The Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.

The Buddha is like the doctor
who understands your disease

and knows how to treat it.

The Dharma, his teachings,
is the medicine he prescribes

and the Sangha is a spiritual community
that helps you to take the medicine.

To take refuge is to finally
seek protection from suffering

in a way that can really help you.

When we think about
the ultimate nature of reality

and what causes us to suffer,
this is the true meaning of refuge.

MOTIVATION

Before listening to
these, or any teachings,

it's essential to prepare one's heart
and mind in the appropriate way,

to set one's attitude
in the highest intention

to be able to benefit
all living beings.

Now, you are about to listen
to teachings on taking refuge

in the three jewels,
Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.

And this motivation in and
of itself is taking refuge,

is taking refuge in
the path to enlightenment.

So in order to gain the most
from listening to these teachings,

right now generate in your
mind strongly the determination

to be able to achieve
enlightenment as quickly as possible

in order to be
at the highest benefit

to each and every
suffering living being.

TEACHERS

Venerable Thubten Dhondrub is a fully ordained
Australian monk with over twenty-six years
of experience in Tibetan Buddhist practice.

He has taught at FPMT Centers in thirteen
different countries around the world.

He is well known for his accessible
teaching style, extensive knowledge,
sincere heart, and tangible humility.

We may think that taking
refuge is just a Buddhist thing,

a Buddhist topic, but actually
we've been doing it all our life.

We always try to take some
kind of refuge, go for refuge,

when we notice that we're suffering,

and of course,
when we are very young,

the first refuge
we had was our mother.

Whenever something went wrong,
we went running to our mother.

And she was quite
a wonderful refuge as a child,

seemed to solve all our problems
for us, or most of them.

But as we grew older,
then we found that maybe

our mother couldn't
solve all our problems,

so we discovered,
or had to find, other refuges.

And these were our friends,
the friends we found

and then as we grow older,

we look for other refuges,
particularly our wealth.

We all believe, most of us
most of the time,

that money will
be able to protect us

from suffering and bring happiness.

So we find a refuge in money,

especially in our society now,
this is the main refuge.

It used to be religion,
some kind of religion,

now it's money or power.

We take refuge in drugs,
socially accepted drugs like alcohol.

These are all types of refuge.

We go to them thinking, hoping,
believing that they will afford

some kind of protection, somehow
will bring an end to the suffering.

Also food, this is a very
popular form of refuge.

Sex.

Everything we do, actually, is
some kind of refuge from suffering

and also at the same time, we hope,

not only will it stop the
suffering but bring happiness.

But, we discover with experience,

that all of these different
things that we've relied on

as some kind of refuge
are not a complete refuge.

They don't completely
solve our problems,

they don't bring an end
to our suffering completely.

And some of us come
to the Buddha Dharma

because we've discovered that
the things we've relied on in the past

to overcome our suffering
and bring some happiness,

not one of them really works.

And even all of them together,
all of these ordinary forms of refuge,

even all of them
combined, don't work.

They don't really stop our suffering

and especially the
causes of our suffering.

What we need to take refuge in
is something perfect,

unbetrayable, pure mind free of all
faults, possessing all qualities.

And that is the definition of
Buddha mind, enlightened mind,

only that is unbetrayable, something
that we can completely rely on

and can give every solution.

Because one of the good
qualities of enlightened mind

is that it is omniscient,
knowing everything,

so therefore it can't make mistakes.

So when we recognize that we have
suffering and the causes of it,

we also recognize that this
all arises because of ignorance,

the wrong view of self that we have,

the wrong view that we have
of the way all phenomena exist.

So this poison in our mind,
this afflicted thought of ignorance

is like the worst possible
disease that we could have.

It's the worst disease because
it gives rise to every other disease.

The only reason we experience
sickness and death

is because of karma.

And karma is created
because of delusions.

And delusions depend on
the presence of ignorance.

If we really recognize that,
we have to find someone

who is the perfect doctor and
that perfect doctor is the Buddha.

Because that perfect
doctor of the Buddha

has themselves freed
themselves of every disease.

They know every disease and
the cure for every disease.

They've cured themselves
of every disease

and they know how to cure us.

And the medicine,
the perfect medicine

is the teachings, the Dharma.

The Arya Sangha, meaning the
ordained followers of the Buddha

who have practiced intensively
and gained a direct insight

into the nature of
themselves and phenomena,

they are like the nurses
who help us to take the medicine,

they are like the nurses
who help us to take the medicine,

remind us when to take it,
how to take it,

in what dosage and so on.

And they inspire us to do so.

As an ordinary worldly person,

we are always seeking happiness,
in the external world, out there.

And all our suffering and
problems, we put the blame on that,

on something out there,
someone out there.

But when we take refuge
or when we do refuge,

we become an inner being,
we make this conscious recognition

that the source of my
suffering is not out there,

it's within me.

When we first take refuge,
that's what we recognize.

The moment that we start to
recognize for our self and understand,

that the real cause of my suffering
is not out there, that it's inside,

and that the real cause of happiness
is not out there, but within me,

as soon as we have
really understood that,

at some level, then we have refuge.
We become an inner being.

We realize that everything,
good and bad, is in us

and we have to work from within,
cultivating the garden of our mind.

When we become an inner being,

we become a practitioner
of the law of cause and effect.

We see that that is
the key to everything.

His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso
has lived in India as the exiled

Head of State and Spiritual Leader of the Tibetan people
since the Chinese occupation in1959.

His Holiness, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize,
is one of the most renowned and beloved
spiritual leaders in the world

and has traveled over 46 nations as a major
proponent of human rights and world peace.

So as in conventional
expression we say that

if there is a threat,
seek a refuge somewhere.

So similarly in the context
of spiritual practice,

to protect oneself from the threat
of unfortunate or unfavorable rebirth,

one needs to seek refuge
in the Three Jewels.

So when we speak about taking
refuge in the context of Buddhism,

we must understand that actually

there are different levels of
refuge and different types of refuge.

For example,
the highest form of refuge

would be that of
a Mahayana practitioner

where the refuge that
you are seeking from

is the threat of being
caught in the extremes

of samsaric existence
on the one hand

and isolated nirvana,
solitary nirvana on the other.

So, to be protected from these two
extremes of samsaric existence and peace,

you seek the attainment
of Buddhahood

that is the embodiment of
Dharmakaya, Buddha-body of reality,

and Rupakaya, the
Buddha-body of perfect form.

And not only that but also
you seek such an enlightened state

for the benefit of
all sentient beings.

And this kind of taking, going for
refuge in the Buddha, Dharma, Sangha

is that of the Mahayana practitioner

and also the refuge
that you are seeking from

is much more comprehensive.

So then, we can also recognize
a second level of going for refuge

where the protection
that is being sought from,

the refuge that is being sought from,

is the suffering of conditioning,
pervasive conditioning

and also the suffering of
being caught in cyclic existence

and also your fear
of the destructive power

of all the negative
emotions and thoughts.

And in order to seek
refuge from that

you go for refuge to the Buddha,
the Dharma and the Sangha,

which embodies the total
transcendence of cyclic existence

and the sufferings, particularly
the suffering of conditioning.

And then there is again
a third kind of taking refuge

where the spiritual
aspirant is seeking refuge

only from a sort of
an immediate threat

which is the threat of being reborn
in the lower realms of existence

and having a tremendous sense
of fear for that possibility

and then seeking refuge in the
Buddha, Dharma and the Sangha

to provide protection from that.

So when we talk about
this kind of refuge

the threat that we
are seeking refuge from

is the possibility of suffering
in the lower realms of existence.

So when we think about
the lower realms of existence

we should not think of a place
so far away in the distant future,

this is not really the case,

because what divides us
from the present moment

and such a possibility of next
life in a lower realm of existence

is simply the
continuity of this breath

that we all inhale and exhale.

The moment that ceases, the next life
is right there in front of you.

Our lifelong dissatisfaction
compels us to find refuge in
Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha
- Lama Yeshe

Born in Sweden, Venerable Karin Valham met
the Dharma at Kopan Monastery
in 1974 where she ordained.

For over twenty years she has inspired
thousands of westerners with
her teachings on Buddhism at Kopan.

So we go for refuge, to Dharma.

When we go for refuge, to Dharma,

we go for refuge to Buddha
who taught the Dharma.

We go for refuge to
Sangha, who are the helpers.

So, the wish to practice Dharma leads

to the practice of going for refuge.

And the first advise, from the
Buddhas, when we go for refuge,

is to observe our karma.

Be mindful of our actions, so
we don't create negative actions

to be born in the lower
realms of existence.

You know our mind is the cause
of our suffering or happiness.

It arises out of our mind,

so it's much more important
to protect our mind

than to protect our body.

It's much more important to
protect a positive state of mind

than to protect our possessions,
our body and external things.

But we have a habit of thinking
they are more important than our mind.

So we trash our mind,
and we protect our body,

so we have to learn how to accept

trashing our body
to protect our mind.

Because it's with anger
and hatred and aggression

that we destroy our happiness.

So my purpose is not to harm others.

You think my purpose
is to practice Dharma

to extend kindness,
compassion to others.

So that you generate a
state of refuge in your mind,

remember, oh yes,
ultimate purpose of my life

is to awaken my mind
to benefit others.

For this I rely on the
Buddha, Dharma, Sangha.

We need these three
jewels because they help us

overcome our problems and put us
on a safe and sound direction in life.

But the purpose of going for refuge
to Buddha, Dharma, Sangha externally

is to develop those
qualities within ourselves.

You can have different
meanings of refuge,

because there is a kind of inner
refuge and there is an outer refuge.

And we say we go for refuge,

we can also say I take
refuge in my own wisdom,

but since our wisdom is limited
and we need to develop our wisdom

we have to rely on beings with
greater wisdom than ourselves.

So that is why we rely on Buddha,
who teaches perfect wisdom.

So we go for refuge to
Buddha, that's external refuge,

So we go for refuge to
Buddha, that's external refuge,

to develop our own inner refuge.

And then we go
for refuge to Dharma,

which is the wisdom itself
in the mind of Buddha,

that perfect wisdom understanding,
relative and ultimate truth,

understanding the law
of cause and effect.

And so we go for
refuge in that wisdom,

to gain perfect wisdom
ourselves. That's the Dharma.

And then we go
for refuge to Sangha

because Sanghas are
the helpers on the path.

They say that this state of refuge,

generating a state of
refuge and compassion

completely stops lower rebirth.

It is impossible to
take a lower rebirth

when your state of mind is
focused on refuge and compassion.

It blocks.

So that's the best state of mind
for us ordinary people to die in,

to actually be in a state of mind
of refuge, bodhicitta, compassion.

The Benefits of Going for Refuge
1. We can call ourselves Buddhist.
2. We will be able to take pure vows.

The Benefits of Going for Refuge
3. Our wrongdoing will decrease.
4. We will accumulate vast merit.

The Benefits of Going for Refuge
5. We will not be reborn in a lower realm.
6.Neither humans nor non-numans will be able to harm us.

The Benefits of Going for Refuge
7. All our good wishes will be fulfilled.
8. We will quickly attain Buddhahood.

STUDENTS

What does REFUGE
mean to you?

In the past, I often looked
to drugs a good amount,

for taking refuge,
whether smoking pot,

whatever various drugs
I was doing, or alcohol.

The teachings say that it's
harmful to do activities like that

and to my mind at the time,

that wasn't so appealing.

Like, I just wanted
to keep doing that,

going out and having
fun with my boyfriend

and taking drugs or
getting drunk or whatever.

But, more and more
I started thinking

about the teachings
they were giving me,

and that taking refuge in
external things like that

can't bring any kind
of lasting happiness.

I started to find that,

not only were the experiences
I had on drugs and alcohol

not so fun anymore,

and were actually more
of a suffering experience

and brought even more
confusion to my mind.

I found that the more I took refuge
in doing my practices everyday,

and going to teachings instead
of to parties and to get drugs,

and to voluntarily
trying to quiet my mind,

that the teachings were working,

and that I was finding
more stability inside,

more peace, more ability
to work better at my job.

And I think the coolest thing
about refuge as I've gone on,

is that the more
I wholeheartedly give myself

to refuge and have faith in it,

really cool things
have started to happen,

in terms of things that
I've always really wanted,

have actually been able to happen.

The kind of people I've
wanted to be around show up.

Really amazing teachers
keep coming into my life.

If there's a teaching
I've been wanting,

it will almost drop into my lap.

By and large, I'm a happier
person than I was without refuge.

And, it's my inner experience
of having taken refuge

that I've seen
a change in my mind.

I don't even need to
check with anybody outside

to see if they've
seen a change in me

or if refuge has made
me a better person,

because I've experienced it.

When people ask me if
refuge has made a difference,

one hundred percent yes,
if not more.

Going for refuge is the basis for everything,
just as the earth is the foundation for all exitance.
- Geshe Wangyal

Please dedicate the positive energy generated
by listening to these teachings,

so you can quickly attain Enlightenment
for the benefit of all beings.