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Refuge in Buddhism

In Buddhism, refuge or taking refuge refers to a religious practice which often includes a prayer or recitation performed at the beginning of the day or of a practice session. Since the period of Early Buddhism, all Theravada and mainstream Mahayana schools only take refuge in the Three Jewels (also known as the Triple Gem or Three Refuges, Pali: ti-ratana or ratana-ttaya; Sanskrit: tri-ratna or ratna-traya), which are the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. However, the Vajrayana school includes an expanded refuge formula known as the Three Jewels and Three Roots.[1]

Taking refuge is a form of aspiration to lead a life with the Triple Gem at its core. Taking refuge is done by a short formula in which one names the Buddha, the dharma and the saṅgha as refuges.[2][3] In early Buddhist scriptures, taking refuge is an expression of determination to follow the Buddha's path, but not a relinquishing of responsibility.[4] Refuge is common to all major schools of Buddhism.


In 1880, Henry Steel Olcott and Helena Blavatsky became the first known Westerners of the modern era to receive the Three Refuges and Five Precepts, which is the ceremony by which one traditionally become Buddhist.[5]

The , the fully enlightened one (i.e. the figure of Sakyamuni Buddha)

Buddha

The , the Buddhist teachings expounded by the Buddha

Dharma

The , the monastic order of Buddhism that practices and preserves the Dharma.

Sangha

Translations of
Refuge

शरण (śaraṇa)

saraṇa

শরন
(Shôrôn)

သရဏ
(Tharana)

皈依
(Pinyin: Guīyī)

帰依
(Rōmaji: kie)

សរណៈ
(Saranak)

귀의
(RR: gwiui)

සරණ(saraṇa)

Saranam / saran சரணம்

Salanam
(Baybayin: ᜐᜀᜎᜀᜈᜀ)

สรณะ, ที่พึ่ง ที่ระลึก RTGSsarana, thi phueng thi raluek

Quy y

 – Burmese Buddhist prayer

Awgatha

 – Supernormal knowledge in Buddhism

Abhijñā

 – Type of meditational and devotional practices

Anussati

 – Concept in Indian religions, signifying contemplation and spiritual cultivation

Bhāvanā

 – Basic framework of Buddhist thought

Four Noble Truths

 – Ritual of offering incense accompanied by tea and/or fruits

Jingxiang

 – Abode of a buddha or bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism

Pure land

Chodron, Ven. Thubten (June 18, 2012), , ThubtenChodron.org, retrieved 2022-12-03.

"Long refuge and precepts ceremony"

Kohn, Livia (1994), "The Five Precepts of the Venerable Lord", , 42 (1): 171–215, doi:10.1080/02549948.1994.11731253.

Monumenta Serica

Terwiel, Barend Jan (2012), Monks and Magic: Revisiting a Classic Study of Religious Ceremonies in Thailand, , ISBN 978-87-7694-101-7.

Nordic Institute of Asian Studies

at StudyBuddhism.com

Refuge

A Buddhist View on Refuge

Vajrayana refuge prayer audio

at Tricycle.org

What are the Three Jewels?