|
|
|
Quotations on:
Refuge
The Buddha |
Once, the Lord dwelt amongst the Sakyans in the Banyan Tree Monastery
at Kapilavatthu, and while there, Mahanama the Sakyan came to him and asked;
"How, Lord, does one become a lay disciple?"
"When one has taken refuge in the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha, then
one is a lay disciple".
"How, Lord, is a lay disciple virtuous?"
"When a lay disciple abstains from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct,
lying and drinking intoxicants, then he is virtuous."
Anguttara Nikaya, Vol IV |
His Holiness the Dalai Lama |
Buddha is the teacher, Dharma is the actual refuge and the sangha is
the one which assists in understanding or establishing the objects of refuge.
...a buddha is someone who has attained full enlightenment through the cultivation
of compassion and the wisdom of no-self, the absence of self-existence. From
our discussion we also saw how the Dharma jewel is to be understood as the path
by which we can gradually accomplish the same result as the fully awakened Buddha.
Likewise, the Sangha jewel is the community of sincere practitioners who have
directly realised emptiness, the ultimate nature of reality.
For those of us who consider ourselves to be practising Buddhists, it is crucial
to have this kind of deeper understanding of the Three Jewels when we go for
refuge to the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.
Lighting the Way |
Last
updated:
April 27, 2009
|
