Taking Refuge

Terms

Sanskrit : Śaraṇa (शरण)

Pāli : Saraṇa

Etymology

The word Saraṇa means :

— refuge ;

— protection ;

— support ;

— shelter.

In Buddhism, taking refuge does not mean fleeing the world.

It is about consciously orienting oneself towards what helps develop wisdom, compassion, and inner freedom.

Translations in the main languages of Buddhism

Sanskrit : Śaraṇa

Pāli : Saraṇa

Chinese : 歸依 (Guīyī)

Tibetan : སྐྱབས་འགྲོ་ (Kyabdro)

Japanese : 帰依 (Kie)

Korean : 귀의 (Gwiui)

Vietnamese : Quy y

Thai : สรณะ (Sarana)

English : Refuge

French : Refuge

Definition

Taking refuge constitutes one of the fundamental acts of Buddhist practice.

Refuge expresses the trust placed in :

— the Buddha ;

— the Dharma ;

— the Saṅgha.

These Three Jewels then become guides on the path to Enlightenment.

Refuge is neither an imposed conversion nor a submission.

It is a free and conscious commitment.

The Three Refuges

THE BUDDHA

Refuge in the Buddha means :

to be inspired by the Awakened One,

to recognize the possibility of Enlightenment,

to develop the qualities of wisdom and compassion.

THE DHARMA

Refuge in the Dharma means :

to trust the teaching,

to study the truth,

to put the teachings into practice.

THE SAṄGHA

Refuge in the Saṅgha means :

to rely on a community,

to receive a transmission,

to walk with other practitioners.

The Traditional Formula

For more than two thousand five hundred years, practitioners recite :

I take refuge in the Buddha.

I take refuge in the Dharma.

I take refuge in the Saṅgha.

This formula is common to almost all Buddhist traditions.

The Deep Meaning of Refuge

Refuge is not only external.

It is also internal.

Taking refuge in the Buddha means developing one's potential for Enlightenment.

Taking refuge in the Dharma means living according to the truth.

Taking refuge in the Saṅgha means cultivating spiritual friendship.

Understanding According to Traditions

THERAVĀDA

Refuge marks the entry onto the Buddhist path.

MAHĀYĀNA

Refuge is often accompanied by the Bodhisattva's vow for the benefit of all beings.

VAJRAYĀNA

Refuge includes the Three Jewels and the Three Spiritual Roots.

Associated Images and Symbols

THE THREE JEWELS

Buddha, Dharma, Saṅgha.

THE LOTUS

Trust in the path to Enlightenment.

THE LAMP

Guiding light.

THE BRIDGE

Passage towards a deeper understanding.

Associated Concepts

001_BODHI

002_BUDDHA

003_DHARMA

004_SANGHA

011_TRIRATNA

012_DHAMMA

019NOBLEPATH

028_COMPASSION

Quote

« In the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Saṅgha, I take refuge. »

— Traditional Buddhist formula

Buddhachannel — A Simple Practice

Take a few moments of silence.

Then ask yourself three questions :

What inspires me deeply?

What guides me when I am lost?

Who helps me become a better person?

These three answers can become your refuges for the moment.

Refuge often begins with an inner direction.

Keywords

Refuge • Saraṇa • Three Jewels • Buddha • Dharma • Saṅgha • Trust • Commitment • Practice • Enlightenment

Buddhachannel Multilingual Buddhist Encyclopedia

013_REFUGE

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