On retreat (1, the three jewels)

In the Buddhist tradition, we are encouraged to ‘take refuge’ in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha (the ‘Three Jewels’). In fact, for most this is what defines one as a Buddhist. This weekend I went on a short retreat, learning a lot about suffering (first hand!) only to return to more. More on that in the next post, but first a recap of the three jewels.

THE THREE JEWELS: THE BUDDHA

The Buddha is the man who awakened to (Buddha means ‘awakened one’) reality, seeing through the delusions the rest of us carry on with in life. What’s more, he taught a path for similar realization for each of us to undertake. So we take refuge in him as the bearer of a great gift, much as Muslims revere Mohammad or Christians Jesus. Like them, his gift promises a bridge between our mundane world and the transcendent (though one must be careful how these terms are explained). For Buddhists our mundane world is simply that of our repeated cycles of suffering; the transcendent is the cessation or overcoming of that suffering.

But unlike founders of other religions, the Buddha calls on his students to accomplish the exact same understanding awakening that he experienced. Thus the Buddha also represents our own ability to find peace and freedom from suffering. The Buddha is ‘in here’ as much as out there.

THE DHARMA

The Dharma is the reality we strive to awaken to. It is a world of spontaneity, freedom from suffering, joy of life, and a fully open heart. Dharma can mean ‘the truth,’ it can also mean ‘the law’ and even simply ‘the teachings’ found in Buddhism. It is a somewhat abstract term, and perhaps purposively so. It is beyond what our minds can understand, beyond what we can put a label on and know, beyond our words. It takes a little humility for some to believe that anything can be beyond all of this, perhaps faith for others, and yet others still have had a taste of it themselves.

THE SANGHA

The third jewel means literally ‘the community.’ It can refer strictly to the monastics following the Buddhist path or to everybody who considers themselves on it – or just everyone. Seeking refuge in the Sangha helps orient us in difficult situations and inspire us to greater spiritual heights. Like the Buddha and the Dharma, the Sangha becomes more and more something within us all to be uncovered and realized. As we walk the spiritual path, we see ourselves ever more within a great community of fellow travelers. We begin, too, to see that we are the source of orientation and inspiration, for others and for ourselves.