Three Refuges

The Buddha established three refuges based on human nature which he maintained could be trained and developed. The Three refuges are held up to us being a very good example of how we should be.

The Buddha himself is, of course, the best example of how human beings should be and the Buddha should thus be our example and our refuge. The Buddha was a normal human-being, just like every one of us. When he studied his own nature and trained himself, he became enlightened, which is the meaning of the title Buddha. Study and training makes a normal man into a Buddha. Therefore, the Buddha reminds us that a normal man, who succeeds in study and in the training process, becomes a teacher of the world.

The Buddha said, “All human beings were born to learn and develop themselves. I am an example. I was not born Buddha, I learn and train myself to be the Buddha”. So all of us can become the Buddha if we dedicate our life to learning, training and developing, just as the Buddha and his disciples did. Education and training make us confident and courageous. The Buddha himself practised and experimented on everything found in nature. This we call Dhamma. He was sure that practicing and investigating was good for human beings, so he and his disciples taught this to the world. The Buddha is thus a real refuge or example for us all.

Dhamma, the truth found in nature, is ultimate knowledge which we can learn and put into action. Dhamma is the natural environment which is able to support human life and allows us to be happy. The Buddha showed us the Dhamma. which showed us a bridge in this world between life and nature. Dhamma helps us see the true nature of all that surrounds us. Therefore, we are neither confused nor deluded by what we see, hear and think.

The Sangha is a good example of a community whose life is focused on learning, training and self-development, whose members are trying to live together in peace and harmony. They use the Buddha’s teachings as a way of life. They preserve the Dhamma and disseminate it throughout the world. They show the world that every one can be happy if they study, train or develop themselves. There are disciplines e.g. loving-kindness, generosity, responsibility, truthfulness, and mindfulness or carefulness, which the Buddha and his disciples helped each other to lay down for the good of the many. If any community applies these disciplines in their life; they can become equally happy.

Finally then, the three refuges are; the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha. Each is intended to provide an example of excellence. The Buddha is the ultimate example of man’s greatest achievement through the use of his own abilities, which is also accessible to everyone through education, practice, training, and developing. The Dhamma is a bridge or path leading mankind to the ultimate goal. It is the relationship between mankind and the truth found in nature. The Sangha is an excellent example of how we need to help each other. Based on these disciplines people can live together in peace and harmony. These are real refuges for mankind. These refuges are good models of living. Education and practice join them together. We can characterize the Buddha as a teacher, the Dhamma as his teachings and see ourselves as the students. So how good are we at doing our job?