THE THREE REFUGES
BUDDHAM SARANAM GACCHAMI: TO THE BUDDHA I GO FOR REFUGE.
DHAMMAM SARANAM GACCHAMI:TO THE DHAMMA I GO FOR REFUGE.
SAGHAM SARANAM GACCHAMI: TO THE SANGHA I GO FOR REFUGE.
According to the Buddha , there are two kinds of illness or diseases that afflict human society: physical illness and mental illness. The Buddha also said that there are few people in the world who are free from physical disease for one moment, one day, one week or one year or for even one hundred years. However , there is not one in the world who is free from mental disease. Disease, means disease, or not at ease.When something happens which affects our body or mind it becomes diseased. When desire, anger, jealousy, etc. arise in the mind then the mind becomes dis-eased.
Whenever our senses come in contact with a sense object we react with either like or dislike. These likes and dislikes are craving and aversions. Whenever they arise in us, our minds become dis-eased. Whenever we experience unhappiness, or sorrow, lamentation or any kind of negative state, then negative feeling arise in us as our minds are already unhealthy and we already have diseased.
All human beings are social beings. It is a fact that no one can live without society. When someone does something, or says something, which goes against our idea we become angry. This happens not only because of what the person did or said but also because we have anger, craving or attachment in us as latent dispositions (anusaya-kilesa).If we do not have any craving, anger or attachment in us then we will not become angry because of whatever he or she said or did to us.
The Buddha said that we, ourselves, are responsible for our own happiness or our own unhappiness. It is we, ourselves who create our own heaven and hell. Therefore, we regard the Buddha as a great Physician who can diagnose our disease and prescribe the appropriate medicine to cure it. This is the reason that when taking refuge we say: “Buddham Saranam Gacchami;(to the Buddha I go for refuge).
The medicine the Buddha offered is the Dhamma. The Dhamma is three-fold and it consists of Sila (morality), Samadhi(concentration) and Panna(wisdom).
Generally speaking sila means moral precepts to be observed by the laity or by monastic. Briefly speaking sila means that one should not do any evil.Whatever deeds we do, whatever words we speak, our actions and words should cause no harm to any other being that makes them unhappy then we are going against sila, the moral precepts.
Samadhi or concentration means meditation. Meditation in our daily existence enables us to control our emotions, thoughts and feelings. If we can not control our mind and feelings, then we can not preserve the moral precepts. Any unwholesome action or speech we perform with ill intent causes suffering and stems initially from our minds and thoughts.
The Buddha opened the Dhammapada with these words:
“MIND IS THE FORERUNNER OF EVIL STATES.MIND IS CHIEF;THEY ARE MIND MADE.IF ONE SPEAKS OR ACTS WITH A WICKED MIND, SUFFERING FOLLOWS ONE. IF ONE SPEAKS AND ACTS WITH A PURE MIND, HAPPINESS FOLLOWS ONE.”
The Buddhas also said:
“ THOUGH ONE SHOULD CONQUER A MILLION MEN IN BATTLE, HE IS NO REAL CONQUEROR; YET HE INDEED IS THE NOBLEST VICTOR WHO HAS CONQUERED HIMSELF.” (DHAMMAPADA)
Panna or wisdom means understanding the true nature of our own life. When we understand that the nature of life is impermanent, suffering, and without an unchanging self, this understanding can dispel all our negative forces. This means that when wisdom arises one can uproot all latent defilements and dispositions. It is like when a light appears, darkness is dispelled. This kind of penetrating wisdom can be attained through practising meditation.Through this way we take refuge in the Dhamma to cure our dis-ease.
To take refuge in Sangha means that we follow the holy community, the Sangha.Anyone who practises Sila, Samadhi and Panna; and by so doing has purified his mind, to some extent, may be said to have become a member of the Sangha or holy community.If we want to cure our selves of our dis-ease, then we should follow the path. It is to this end that we take refuge in the Sangha.
If you understand the real meaning of the taking of these refuges you will discover that there is, in actual fact, no Buddhism. Anyone , regardless of whether or not one is a Buddhist, who wishes to cure his or her illness can and should practices the Dhamma and applies sila, Samadhi and Panna in his or her daily life can be said to be living a pure and happy life. Therefore, you need have no fear or suspicion about practising Buddhism; for Buddhism is not a religion of saving grace. It is away of life and a wholesome path to follow for the achievement of our own liberation.It is a path to happiness and well-being.
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