To believe in Buddhism, you must have the Three Treasures!
Buddha Treasure refers to a person who has achieved perfect merit and wisdom through practice.
Dharma Treasure refers to the methods and principles of practicing to become a Buddha.
Sangha Treasure refers to those who are practicing Buddhism, helping others to practice Buddhism, and supporting sentient beings to practice Buddhism.
Only when the Three Treasures are complete can Buddhism be complete. Of course
, you can still learn Buddhism without going through the ceremony of taking refuge in the Three Treasures,
but after taking refuge, you will have good friends, Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Dharma protectors to help and bless you in your mentality, life, and habits.
Therefore, if you are weak-willed and lack confidence, taking refuge in the Three Treasures will strengthen your will and confidence.

Why should we take refuge in the Three Jewels?

We believe that among all Buddhists, most have never converted. Because, those who have converted to the Three Jewels will burn incense and worship Buddha, but those who burn incense and worship Buddha may not have received the Three Refuges ceremony. Although they have never converted to the Three Jewels, they still claim to be Buddhist believers, so we do not need to deny their beliefs.

Some people argue that as long as one is sincere in his belief in Buddhism, why must one convert to Buddhism? This idea may sound reasonable at first, but it is not in line with the requirements. For example, if a student wants to study, he must first go through the registration procedures. Otherwise, he will not be registered in the school. Even if he attends classes reluctantly, he will not get a diploma. Under normal circumstances, a student must be promoted step by step according to the academic year: when entering elementary school, he must first register; when entering middle school and university, in addition to registering, he must also take an exam to see if he has the ability to study. However, it is impossible to obtain a university diploma or even a doctorate without entering elementary school. Therefore, if you want to believe in Buddhism, you should start with converting to the Three Jewels. Although converting to the Three Jewels is the first step to entering Buddhism, if you don’t take the first step, how can you take the second and third steps? To take the second and third steps, you must start with the first step. The rank of a Buddhist disciple is determined by the level of precepts received: Taking refuge in the Three Jewels is the first and most basic level; there are the Five Precepts, Eight Precepts, Ten Precepts, Precepts for Bhikkhus and Bhikkhunis, and Bodhisattva Precepts. All precepts are based on taking refuge in the Three Jewels. Taking refuge in the Three Jewels is the first step in becoming a Buddhist. Buddhism does not abandon all sentient beings, so the criteria for those who request refuge are particularly lenient: except for those in hell who suffer too much and have no time to take refuge in the Three Jewels, all other sentient beings, whether human, heavenly, god, ghost, or animal, will be accepted by Buddhism as long as they are willing to take refuge. This is just like all children of school age, regardless of their wealth, status, intelligence, stupidity, beauty, or ugliness, can enter the national primary school without any screening for admission. If you want to go further, you have to pay attention to the selection of qualifications.

Some people think that they already have the ability to read Buddhist scriptures, and they can directly explore their path to Buddhahood in the Buddhist scriptures, so they do not need to convert, and they can still benefit from learning Buddhism. This seems to be acceptable in theory, but from the perspective of the regulations of practice, it is wrong. The Buddhist scriptures were spoken by the Buddha (some were spoken by the Buddha’s disciples), and then compiled into chapters by the Buddha’s ordained disciples and passed on to future generations. If you only know the Buddhist scriptures but ignore the Buddha who preached the Dharma and the Sangha who spread the Dharma, at best, you have only converted to the Dharma, which is an ungrateful act! Although Buddhism is based on the Dharma, the path to liberation all flows from the Dharma, but the production of the Dharma must be completed by the Buddha and the Sangha, so the Three Treasures cannot be separated.

If we talk about systems or rules, a person who believes in Buddhism but does not take refuge in the Three Treasures is like a foreigner who loves Chinese customs and cultural relics, who goes to live in China and does not apply for a change of his original nationality registration, but claims to be a Chinese citizen. He may be welcomed by the Chinese, but he is not a Chinese after all; he can fulfill his obligations as a Chinese citizen, but he cannot enjoy the rights and interests of Chinese citizens. Similarly, a person who does not take refuge but claims to be a Buddhist may gain some benefits of the Dharma, but he cannot obtain the confirmation of his identity. This is not an unnecessary attachment, but a necessary procedure. Therefore, it is said in the Buddhist scriptures that although people in the world do good deeds, they cannot eliminate the bad karma of their ancestors. If they can take the Three Refuges, they can destroy the bad karma of their ancestors.

Taking refuge is not only a matter of form, but also a matter of mind. When taking refuge, one should not only recite the words and bow with the body, but also think about it in the heart. The main thing is to receive the Three Refuges and the precepts. The precepts must be passed down from master to master by those who have taken refuge first. This is the inheritance of the Dharma. For ordinary people, they cannot prove it without a master, so the Three Refuges should not be taken by oneself in front of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. From this, we can see the solemnity and importance of taking the Three Refuges.

For example, if one wants to become a true Buddhist without taking the Three Refuges, that is impossible. If one only believes in the Dharma but does not pay respect to the Sangha, he has violated the Dharma from the very beginning. In the Dharma, the Three Jewels cannot be separated. If one forces the Three Jewels to be separated, he will destroy the Dharma. It will never be possible for a person who violates the Dharma and destroys the Dharma to still obtain the good results of studying Buddhism. Otherwise, since you believe in the Three Jewels, why not take refuge in the Three Jewels?

Some people have not yet believed in Buddhism, but they have a good impression of Buddhism. However, they are unwilling to take refuge in the Three Jewels immediately. They fear that they will be restricted or unable to get rid of it after taking refuge, so they have a wait-and-see attitude. They regard the meaning of taking refuge as the same as marriage between a man and a woman. They dare not rush into marriage before they have a good understanding of each other. Otherwise, if their personalities are not compatible and their interests are not the same, it will inevitably cause lifelong pain. In fact, taking refuge in the Three Jewels and the issue of marriage between a man and a woman are completely two different things! For example, if we want to learn any kind of skill, we must seek advice from a teacher. Otherwise, it will be difficult to become a first-class expert. The benefit of learning from a teacher is that you can inherit the teacher’s knowledge and strengths. The teacher is also the teacher of the teacher, and even has accumulated hundreds of thousands of years of experience in the teacher. When we learn from a teacher, we also inherit hundreds of thousands of years of valuable experience. However, after learning a skill, we can learn without using it. Even if we feel that it is not in line with our own interests during the learning period, we can immediately drop out of the study. After learning, we can follow the teacher for life, but why can’t we leave the teacher and go our own way? As for taking refuge in the Three Jewels, it is also similar to learning from a teacher. If you want to understand more about Buddhism, you should start with taking refuge in the Three Jewels. If you just wait and see, you will eventually stand outside the door. Wanting to understand more Buddhist principles outside the door is wishful thinking. Buddhism is not a cage, but a great way to liberation. If you feel constrained after taking refuge, Buddhism can no longer be called the way to liberation. Buddhism certainly hopes that everyone will take refuge in the Three Jewels and, from the moment of refuge, move towards the state of Buddhahood. However, if one is unable to accept the profound meaning of the Dharma and cannot properly follow it due to differences in aptitude, after taking refuge one is allowed to believe in other religions, or no longer believe in any religion. What is rare is that even after leaving Buddhism, the door of Buddhist compassion remains always open, always welcoming the prodigal’s return.

Therefore, I would like to advise all people to take refuge in the Three Jewels. Whether you have already believed in Buddhism, or are preparing to believe in Buddhism, or are standing on the sidelines of Buddhism, or even if you are already a believer of other religions, please temporarily put aside your prejudices or original beliefs and try to take refuge in the Three Jewels. You will definitely gain real benefits and will not lose your freedom. If you truly take refuge in the Three Jewels, you will not retreat from the door of the Three Jewels unless there are demonic obstacles blocking your mind.

The two words “guiyi” literally mean “turn back” or “take refuge”; “yi” means “depend on” or “trust”. Any behavior of turning back, relying on, or taking refuge and trusting can be called “guiyi”, so the two words “guiyi” are not exclusive to Buddhism.

A child takes refuge in his mother’s arms, relies on her, and trusts her, so he can feel safe. This sense of security comes from the power of refuge. Therefore, any behavior that can generate a sense of security due to refuge and trust can be called refuge.

In this sense, children trust their parents, students trust their teachers, entrepreneurs trust their budgets, subordinates trust their superiors, fatalists trust fate, even dictators trust force, politicians trust strategy, greedy people trust property, etc., all have more or less elements of refuge. In other words: all things that can generate power through faith can be included in the group of refuge. Therefore, believing in Buddhism can be called refuge, and believing in other religions, even believing in, worshipping, and worshipping demons, gods, and ghosts can all be called refuge.

However, when it comes to the true meaning of refuge, any trust and belief that is not ultimate, real, or reliable cannot be called true refuge. For example, if there is a big flood, people can climb up the treetops, the roofs, and walk up the hills, but if the water is strong, the wind and waves are fierce, the water level will rise, the trees will fall, the houses will collapse, and the hills will be submerged. So, in such a situation and environment, if there is a high mountain nearby, should everyone climb the mountain? I believe that unless he is an idiot, he will never give up this opportunity to survive. Because the safety effect that the mountain can produce is far beyond that of trees, roofs, and hills!

Then, anyone who can recognize the impermanence of the world and understand that all worldly phenomena are caused by the interaction of things, will understand that although parents, teachers, budgets, superiors, fate, and even force, strategy, property, etc. can produce temporary security effects, they are not absolutely reliable and permanent. Parents will die, teachers’ knowledge will become outdated, budgets will exceed budgets, superiors will be transferred, fate is unreliable, and as for force, strategy and property, they are even more like illusions and smoke. Today’s king of the south may be a prisoner tomorrow; today’s millionaire may be a beggar in the alley tomorrow.

As for believing in other religions, one can be reborn in heaven, but it is not necessarily determined by belief. For example, believers in Christianity may be saved, but they may not be saved. If God does not favor you, no matter how earnestly you believe, you will not become one of the chosen people of heaven. Moreover, from the perspective of Buddhism, all religions other than Buddhism, even the most advanced religions, will never exceed the scope of rebirth in heaven. In Buddhism, even if one is reborn in the highest heaven, one is still in the cycle of life and death. Although the life span in heaven is longer than that on earth, it also has its limits. After enjoying all the blessings in heaven, one will fall into the afterlife again. Therefore, it is not a reliable place to take refuge. Only by taking refuge in Buddhism can one gradually embark on the path of ultimate liberation from suffering and attaining happiness. The overall concept of Buddhism is the Three Jewels of Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.

In fact, the tendency of taking refuge should start with taking refuge in the Three Jewels outside of the body. By taking refuge in the Three Jewels and relying on the inspiration and guidance of the Three Jewels, we can move towards the great path of liberation in the Great Nirvana City. But when we enter the city of Nirvana (liberation), our own present moment is the Three Jewels of the essence. All sentient beings have Buddha nature, but due to the confusion of karma, they cannot see the Buddha nature. The purpose of our taking refuge in the Three Jewels is to seek the manifestation of Buddha nature. We are originally the same as the Buddha, and we are originally with the Three Jewels. It is only because we have lost our true nature and wandered in the path of life and death, not knowing the way home, that we are called sentient beings! If we can start today and return to the embrace of the Three Jewels, it is actually like a prodigal son returning home.

Therefore, only by taking the road home can we be considered to have truly converted. A place that can only be used as a temporary resting place is definitely not enough for us to convert wholeheartedly. Otherwise, it would be like riding a clay ox across a river. When you first enter the water, you may have a false sense of security, but once you enter the water, the clay ox cannot even protect itself, so how can it be used as a tool to cross the river?

What are the Three Jewels? Why are the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha called treasures? This is very important. If a person wants to believe in Buddhism, he must first take refuge in the Three Jewels. But before taking refuge, he must first understand the general meaning of the Three Jewels. Otherwise, taking refuge without knowing what it means cannot be called true refuge. Just like when we apply for a university and study in a university, if we don’t know the name of the university, it will become a joke. However, we should not hide the fact that among the disciples of the Three Jewels today, when they accept refuge, they may not have understood the general meaning of the Three Jewels, and the refuge teachers may not have explained the general meaning of the Three Jewels. Speaking of which, this is shameful!

The Three Treasures are the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. Because in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, one can generate infinite merits and exert endless wonderful uses. They are inexhaustible, inexhaustible, infinite, and boundless. In the world, gold, silver and jewelry are valuable and useful, so they are called treasures. The merits and wonderful uses of the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha are common to the secular and transcendental worlds, so they can be called treasures even more. Due to the guidance of the Three Treasures, people can live peacefully in the human world and even get rid of suffering and gain happiness in the human world. Therefore, the Three Treasures are treasures and are the treasure of all treasures that is superior to all treasures.

There are many ways to distinguish the three treasures. Generally speaking, they are divided into two categories:
(1) In terms of phenomena, there are the three treasures of the monastery and the three treasures of the transformation.
(2) In terms of the essence, there are the three treasures of the unity and the three treasures of the essence.

Before explaining the types of the Three Jewels, we should first know the meaning of the Three Jewels: Buddha is the awakened one, who is self-aware, aware of others, and fully aware; Dharma is the rules, which have specifications that enable people to understand and maintain their own nature; Sangha is a harmonious group, who live in harmony in both matters and principles.

The so-called three treasures of the abbot are:

(1) All Buddha statues made of jade, stone, gold, copper, clay, wood, paint, ink, silk, or paper are Buddha treasures.
(2) All Buddhist scriptures, or Buddhist writings by ancient and modern masters, are Dharma treasures.
(3) All monks and nuns who shave their heads and wear dyed robes are Sangha treasures. Since Buddhism after the Buddha’s death depends on these three treasures to continue the wisdom of the Dharma, maintain the spirit of Buddhism, and spread the teachings of Buddhism, they are called the Three Treasures of the Abode.

The so-called Three Treasures of Transformation:

(1) During the period from the time when Sakyamuni attained enlightenment to the time when he passed away in India, Sakyamuni was the Buddha treasure.
(2) The various teachings that the Buddha gave to his disciples at that time, such as the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path, the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination, etc., were the Dharma treasure.
(3) The disciples, both ordinary and holy, who followed the Buddha to become monks at that time were the Sangha treasure.
These are aspects that only exist when the Buddha is in the world, so they are called the Three Treasures of Transformation.

The so-called Three Treasures in One: Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, each of which possesses the merits of the Three Treasures:

(1) The Buddha has the ability to awaken and enlighten, so he is the Buddha treasure; the Buddha can preach the Dharma and is free in the Dharma, so he has the ability to discipline and uphold, so he is the Dharma treasure; the Buddha has no fault of violating the Dharma, so he is the Sangha treasure.
(2) The Dharma itself has the nature of being able to give rise to all Buddhas, so it is the Buddha treasure; the Dharma itself has the function of discipline and uphold, so it is the Dharma treasure; all dharmas are equal and do not interfere with each other, so they are the Sangha treasure.
(3) Monks who have the wisdom of observation and enlightenment are the Buddha treasure; monks who have the ability to discipline and uphold are the Dharma treasure; monks who are the body of harmony are the Sangha treasure.

The so-called Three Treasures of the Essence of Truth refers to the Three Treasures inherent in all sentient beings. There are two types of these:

(1) From the perspective of practice and verification, ordinary people are trapped in the cycle of life and death due to “confusion, karma, and suffering”. If one can turn confusion into enlightenment, confusion will become prajna, karma will become liberation, and suffering will become dharmakaya. Prajna is the Buddha treasure, liberation is the dharmakaya, and dharmakaya is the monk treasure.
(2) From the perspective of the essence of truth (suchness), the truth that can be observed is the Buddha treasure, the things that are observed are the dharmakaya, and the unity of things and truth is the monk treasure.

In fact, although the Three Jewels are divided into four categories, they only have two natures: the two sides of the phenomena and the principles. The Three Jewels of phenomena are real, so they are relatively easy to understand. The Three Jewels of the essence of the principles are abstract, so they are not easy to understand. Unless you have been enlightened and have realized the true nature of your own nature, you will always feel unfamiliar with it. However, this is the ultimate refuge for us. In order to make it easier for readers to understand, I have copied a passage of Master Yinshun’s explanation of this for your reference:

When it comes to the true refuge, it is the true merit of the Three Jewels. In ancient times, there were many distinctions. Now I will briefly discuss two categories.

(1) The Buddha’s unconditioned merits are the Buddha treasure: According to the Śrāvakas, they are the five-part Dharmakāya (Shengyan’s note: precepts, concentration, wisdom, liberation, and liberation knowledge and insight are the five-part Dharmakāya of the Buddha); according to the Mahāyāna, they are all the unconditioned merits included in the supreme (four wisdoms) Bodhi.
The Dharma or Nirvana is the Dharma treasure.
The unconditioned merits of those who have learned or not learned are the Sangha treasure: According to the Śrāvakas, they are the unconditioned merits of the four pairs and eight classes (Shengyan’s note: the four stages and four fruits of the Hinayana are collectively called the four pairs and eight classes); according to the Mahāyāna, they are the Bodhisattvas, who have obtained the unconditioned merits of the Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas.
(2) According to the Mahāyāna teachings: The purest Dharma realm (including the essence, characteristics, karma, and function) manifested by the ultimate perfection is the Buddha treasure;
the Sangha treasure is the one that partially manifests the pure Dharma realm;
the Dharma realm (or the real nature, the true nature, etc.) that is compiled into ten Dharma realms and does not increase or decrease, and is without duality or difference is the Dharma treasure. The Three Treasures of Oneness, the Three Treasures of Truth, and the Three Treasures of Eternity that we usually talk about are just different explanations of this meaning. ” (The Path to Buddhahood, p. 29)

If we do not have a basic understanding of Buddhism, we will not understand this passage. However, we are still ordinary people. If we can understand the Three Treasures of the Principle, that is good. If we cannot understand, we can only believe in the Three Treasures of the Principle. After believing to a certain level, the Three Treasures of the Principle will naturally appear. Just like before we travel in space, no matter how detailed the astronauts report the space scene, what we know is always estranged and even distorted. Only by traveling in space can we understand it clearly. Therefore, it is enough for us ordinary people to believe in the Three Treasures of the Principle. However, we should understand that without the Three Treasures of the Principle, the Three Treasures of the Principle cannot be manifested; without the Three Treasures of the Principle, the Three Treasures of the Principle cannot be established. The Three Treasures of the Principle are the great use of the Three Treasures of the Principle; the Three Treasures of the Principle are the whole of the Three Treasures of the Principle. Believing in Buddhism should start with believing in the Three Treasures of the Principle. The purpose of believing in the Three Treasures of the Principle is to pursue the manifestation (invention) of the Three Treasures of the Principle. Nowadays, there are some lay Buddhist disciples who have not yet realized the Three Jewels of the Dharmakaya, but use the excuse of only believing in the Three Jewels of the Dharmakaya to disrespect the Three Jewels that uphold the Dharmakaya. This is putting the cart before the horse and is an act of seeking to ascend but actually falling!

What we ordinary people can see are only the Three Jewels in terms of phenomena. The Three Jewels in terms of transformation only exist when the Buddha is alive. After the Buddha’s death, there are only the Three Jewels that support the Buddha. However, among the Three Jewels, although the Buddha is the most honorable and precious, and the Dharma is the highest and most victorious, the position of the Sangha is the most important and the most important. After the Buddha’s death, the Buddhist field will be maintained by the Sangha; the Buddhist scriptures will be preserved by the Sangha; the Buddhist culture will be spread by the Sangha; and the Buddhist believers will be guided by the Sangha. Therefore, when the Buddha was alive, Buddhism was centered on the Buddha; after the Buddha’s death, Buddhism was centered on the Sangha. Therefore, in this world, when believing in Buddhism, one should take refuge in the Sangha; when respecting the Three Jewels, one should also focus on the Sangha. Among the monks, there are good and bad people. When we take refuge, we can choose the good ones, but we should treat them all equally in terms of respect and offerings. The Buddhist scriptures say that even if a monk has broken his precepts, he is still qualified to be a teacher for humans and gods, so one should not differentiate between them, and one should not criticize them arbitrarily.

As for taking refuge in the Three Jewels, as mentioned above, it is the foundation of believing in and learning Buddhism. However, after stepping on the foundation and entering the Buddhist door, we cannot abandon the foundation, but gradually rise and expand from this foundation. Rising and expanding layer by layer, the Three Refuges are the rock of this path. Therefore, there are five types of taking refuge in the Three Jewels:
1. The Three Refuges of Renouncing Evils – the first step into Buddhism.
2. The Three Refuges of the Five Precepts – taking the Five Precepts after believing in Buddhism.
3. The Three Refuges of the Eight Precepts – taking the Eight Precepts on the six fasting days.
4. The Three Refuges of the Ten Precepts – a novice monk (nun) takes the Ten Precepts.
5. The Three Refuges of the Full Precepts – a monk (nun) takes the Great Precepts.

Because, when receiving precepts, one must take the Three Refuges. When one first enters the Buddhahood, one must take the Three Refuges. When one receives the Five Precepts, the Eight Precepts, and the Ten Precepts, one must take the Three Refuges to obtain the precepts and accept the precepts. Although the precepts for the śikṣa-pāṇa and the precepts for the bhikṣus and bhikṣu-nīs are received through the karma method, there is no precept that does not include the Three Refuges. Also, when one receives the Mahayana Bodhisattva precepts, one must take the Three Refuges before repenting and making vows. Therefore, although the Three Refuges are not precepts, they are the root of all precepts (in fact, the Three Refuges contain the meaning of precepts).

The Three Refuges are not only the foundation of all precepts, but also the foundation of daily practice for Buddhists. The morning and evening prayers in temples all include the Three Refuges, and the conclusion of all Buddhist affairs should also be based on the Three Refuges. Therefore, in areas of Theravada Buddhism, they attach particular importance to the Three Refuges, chanting the Three Refuges as a practice, and also chanting the Three Refuges to bless others.

Now that we understand the concept of taking refuge in the Three Jewels, we should take refuge in the Three Jewels.

As for the ceremony of taking refuge in the Three Jewels, in the Buddha’s time, because the roots of those who took refuge were deep, there was no need for any ceremony. For example, the first disciple of the Buddha who took refuge in the Three Jewels, Yasodha’s father, said in front of the Buddha: “I now take refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. I only hope that the Buddha will accept me as a lay Buddhist.” This was considered as taking refuge in the Three Jewels.

In reality, before the Buddha ordained the five bhikkhus, there were no bhikkhus in the world. The Buddha gave refuge to the two merchants and the dragon king, chanting the Three Refuges, asking them to take refuge in the future Sangha. It can be seen that the Three Treasures are one. Taking refuge in the Buddha and the Dharma without taking refuge in the Sangha is not a refuge.

The words of taking refuge in the Three Jewels are actually very simple, but it is best to memorize them before taking refuge. People who have taken refuge have always had the refuge master recite them one by one. Some people, because the refuge master is unclear or they are nervous, do not even know what the refuge words are after taking refuge. In theory, such refuge is not a real refuge.

The words of refuge are three refuges and three knots, which are copied as follows:

I, A (either Dharma name or real name is acceptable), take refuge in the Buddha for the rest of my life. I take refuge in the Dharma for the rest of my life. I take refuge in the Sangha for the rest of my life. (Say this three times) I have taken refuge in the Buddha, I have taken refuge in the Dharma, I have taken refuge in the Sangha. (Say this three times as well)

The first three times of reciting the Three Refuges are the actual giving of the Three Refuges precepts, and the latter are the three conclusions of the Three Refuges. The key moment of taking refuge is when the Three Refuges are recited three times; accepting the non-action precepts of the Three Refuges is also at this time of the actual giving. It is best to visualize this when you are giving the Three Refuges: when you say the Three Refuges for the first time, due to your own merits, the earth in the ten directions will shake, and clouds of merit will slowly rise from the ground in the ten directions; when you say the Three Refuges for the second time, the clouds of merit that surge up from the ten directions will slowly gather above your head and form a canopy; when you say the Three Refuges for the third time, this canopy of clouds will become a funnel and slowly pour down into your crown, filling your entire body and expanding from your body, so that your body and mind will expand and cover the ten directions as the clouds of merit expand. At this point, you have accepted the precepts of the Three Refuges, and your body and mind will also be the same size as the universe, just like the merits of the precepts. Just imagine how sacred and solemn such a refuge would be!

If you cannot visualize this, at the very least, you must listen to the words of refuge clearly and speak them clearly. This cannot be neglected. Therefore, Master Hongyi once said a very sincere word, which is now copied as follows:

Whether you are a monk or a layperson, when you take the Three Refuges, there are two most important points:

1. Pay attention to the significance of taking refuge in the Three Jewels.

2. When receiving the Three Refuges, one should be very clear about what the master says. If the master’s words are all in classical Chinese and cannot be understood, then one cannot receive the Three Refuges. If one is too far away and cannot understand what the master says, then one cannot receive the Three Refuges. If one can understand roughly what one hears but still has one or two doubts, then one cannot receive the Three Refuges. Also, when receiving the Three Refuges, the three words “I take refuge in the Buddha, I take refuge in the Dharma, and I take refuge in the Sangha” are said. These are the most important words and should be paid special attention to. The following words “I take refuge in the Buddha, I take refuge in the Dharma, and I take refuge in the Sangha” are called the Three Bonds and are not important. Therefore, when you decide to receive the precepts, you should first understand the meaning of the Three Refuges. Also, when receiving the Three Refuges, one should pay attention to the three words “I take refuge in the Buddha” and so on, so that one can receive the Three Refuges. ” (See “Essentials of Vinaya Studies”)

From this we can see that although the Three Refuges are simple, it is not easy to truly obtain the precepts of the Three Refuges. We believe that, based on this, many Three Refuge disciples today have not received the Three Refuges. If you know that you have not received the Three Refuges, you may as well ask your own refuge master or ask someone else to give you a new one. This is the most unreliable in a large-scale refuge ceremony with dozens or hundreds or thousands of people. It is only based on their various good roots.

From the perspective of the formation and cultivation of religious sentiment, the more solemn the ceremony of receiving the precepts, the more it can inspire piety; the stricter the requirements of receiving the precepts, the more it can make people feel sacred and solemn. To receive the Three Refuges, one only needs to ask a refuge master and say the Three Bows three times in front of the Buddha. In order to make the matter more serious, the monk Jianyue of Baohua Mountain in Nanjing in the late Ming Dynasty compiled a book “Three Refuges and Five Precepts Standards”, which was compiled in accordance with the transmission rituals of the Bodhisattva precepts and even the complete precepts. This book is still in circulation today and is still used as a blueprint for most refuge masters.

There are eight items in the Three Refuges:

1. Laying the seat and inviting the teacher – the person who is taking refuge sets the seat for the teacher, offers incense and flowers, lights and candles, and then invites the teacher to take the seat. 
2. Enlightenment – Explain the meaning of the Three Refuges.
3. Inviting the saints – Invite the Three Jewels of the ten directions to witness the taking of refuge, as well as the guardian dragons and gods to supervise the altar and protect the precepts.
4. Repentance – Repent of past karma, in order to purify the three karmas of body, speech and mind, and then receive the pure and unstained Three Refuges.
5. Taking refuge – Take the Three Refuges and Three Bonds, and make the Three Vows.
6. Make a vow – Make the supreme Bodhi mind, vowing to save all sentient beings.
7. Explain the benefits and exhortations – Explain the merits of the Three Refuges, and ask to follow the teachings.
8. Dedication – Dedicate the merits of taking refuge to all sentient beings who are trapped in the cycle of life and death, so that they can quickly escape from the cycle of life and death and be reborn in the Buddha’s land.

In fact, only in this way can the Three Refuges be regarded as solemn and complete. However, the Three Refuges are not practical at present, because the words used in them are all classical Chinese. Although the writing is elegant and graceful, if the refuge master is conservative and does not change, when he speaks about refuge, he reads it literally, then the refugee will not be able to absorb it. Since he cannot absorb it, he will not be able to take refuge. Therefore, Master Hongyi also criticized this:

“The Three Refuges and Five Precepts compiled by Master Jianyue of Baohua Mountain mostly uses colloquial language for all its teachings, which is impossible for the listeners to understand. It is just empty words. It is best to ask a master to translate it into vernacular Chinese.” (See “Essentials of Vinaya Studies”)

In practical terms, the eight items listed in the Three Refuges are indispensable. Monks are not allowed to stand to preach to laymen, so they must sit; they must explain the significance of the Three Jewels, so they must be enlightened; the refuge master represents the Three Jewels to give refuge to people, so a saint should be invited; in order to make a new life, one should confess past sins; the Three Refuges, the Three Blessings, and the Three Vows are the core of taking refuge, so they are necessary; the Three Refuges are divided into three grades: those who aspire to save themselves and others are the best grade, those who only care about escaping birth and death are the middle grade, and those who only want to avoid falling into the three evil paths and still be reborn in the human and heavenly realms are the worst grade, so it is necessary to encourage aspiration; in order to increase diligence and firm determination, it is also appropriate to exhort and exhort; in order to cultivate a selfless and compassionate mind, it is also right to dedicate merit to all sentient beings.

Here I want to point out one thing: Original Buddhism did not distinguish between Mahayana and Hinayana, but it was more Hinayana in form. Therefore, the Three Refuges in the Vinaya are very simple, with nothing else except the Three Refuges. When Buddhism came to China, everything was converted to Mahayana, and all precepts were followed in accordance with Mahayana, so many additional items were added. However, this addition is good, not bad. Today, if we do not take the original Three Refuges as the practice of Mahayana, we can also do without making vows and dedications.

If time and circumstances limit us, we may simplify the Three Refuges ritual. Now, I will try to simplify it as follows:

After the refuge master has bowed to the Buddha and sat down, the refugee kneels down on both knees and puts his hands together. After the refuge master briefly explains the meaning of taking refuge in the Three Jewels, he teaches the refugee to recite the verse of repentance:

“All the evil deeds I have committed in the past are due to the endless greed, anger and ignorance; they were born from my body, speech and mind. Now I confess my sins before the Buddha.”

Recite three times, bowing on the spot each time. Then comes the three refuges and the three knots:　　

“I, so-and-so, take refuge in the Buddha for the rest of my life, take refuge in the Dharma for the rest of my life, and take refuge in the Sangha for the rest of my life.”

Recite three times, bow once each time, then recite:

“I, after taking refuge in the Buddha, would rather give up my body and life than take refuge in the gods, demons, or externalists. I, after taking refuge in the Dharma, would rather give up my body and life than take refuge in the heretical teachings of externalists. I, after taking refuge in the Sangha, would rather give up my body and life than take refuge in the followers of externalists.”

Recite it three times, bowing on the spot after each recitation, and make the Four Great Vows:

“I, so-and-so, vow to save countless sentient beings. I, so-and-so, vow to eliminate my endless worries. I, so-and-so, vow to learn the countless Dharmas. I, so-and-so, vow to attain the supreme Buddhahood.”

Recite three times, bowing once each time. The refuge master briefly explains the merits of refuge and encourages people to follow the teachings. He teaches people to recite the dedication stanza:　　

“The merits of taking refuge are extraordinary. All the boundless merits are dedicated to all sentient beings who are drowning in suffering. May they quickly go to the Pure Land of Buddhas. All the Buddhas of the ten directions and three times, all the Bodhisattvas, Mahasattvas, and Mahasprajnaparamita.”

At this point, the merit of taking refuge is complete. After the refuge master gets down from his seat and bows to the Buddha, the person receiving refuge should thank the refuge master and usually bow three times, but in fact it is bowing to the Buddha and the monks, so only one bow is enough.

The simplified form of conversion proposed above does not need to be chanted, but it will suffice if it can be recited clearly word by word so that the person receiving the conversion can understand it.

Among them, the three vows under the Three Refuges and Three Bonds should be explained: “I will not take refuge in the gods, demons, and outsiders,” “I will not take refuge in the heresy of outsiders,” and “I will not take refuge in the followers of outsiders.” With the establishment of these three vows, the Three Refuges also have the nature and function of precepts. This is not because Buddhism is exclusive, but because all religious doctrines of outsiders, that is, all religious doctrines other than Buddhism, may have some truth, but they are all incomplete. The Buddha is a great enlightened being who is full of blessings and wisdom, so if you take refuge in the Buddha, you don’t need to take refuge in the gods, demons, and outsiders; the Dharma is the treasure of all wisdom, and if you take refuge and practice it, you will definitely be able to leave (desire) suffering and gain happiness, so you don’t need to take refuge in the heresy of outsiders; the monks are the best teachers who can teach the pure way, so you don’t need to take refuge in the followers of outsiders. The purpose of these three vows is to prevent those who have entered the right path from going astray. As for taking the Three Refuges, if one worships gods and ghosts and pays respect to the heavens and gods in order to protect the safety of one’s home, property, land, people, and life, as long as one does not have the heart of refuge, one will not lose refuge. If one has the heart of refuge, one will lose refuge. As for the issue of precepts, after taking refuge in the Three Jewels, there are indeed some things that should be avoided. A high-level refugee will naturally observe all the precepts of the Three Jewels; even a low-level refugee should only eat five kinds of pure meat (meat that is not suspected to be killed by me, that is not seen or heard of, that died naturally, and that is eaten by birds and beasts), and should not engage in evil businesses such as slaughtering, drinking, prostitution, gambling, etc. In the fifth and ninth months of each year, and on the six fasting days of each month (the eighth, fourteenth, fifteenth, twenty-third, and the last two days of the month), one should observe the precepts and fast. If one can do so, one will be able to obtain liberation in the first meeting of Maitreya Buddha in the future.

There is another very important concept in taking refuge in the Three Jewels. We must understand that after we take refuge in the Three Jewels, we have taken refuge in all the Three Jewels of the ten directions and three periods of time. Therefore, under the dedication stanza, “There are all the Buddhas of the ten directions and three periods of time, all the Bodhisattvas, Mahasattvas, and Mahasprajnaparamita.” The first sentence refers to all the Buddha Jewels, the second sentence refers to all the Sangha Jewels, and the third sentence represents the supreme Dharma Jewel. These three sentences include the Three Jewels of the essence and the phenomena. We are now focusing on the phenomena, so we should respectfully offer all the holy images of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, all the Buddhist scriptures, and all the Buddhist monks. However, our original teacher Buddha is Sakyamuni, and our original teacher monk is the teacher of refuge. In order to repay the kindness, it is also human nature to focus on the original teacher Buddha and the original teacher monk. If we only regard the original teacher Buddha as the Buddha, and other Buddhas are not Buddhas, that is against Buddhism; similarly, if we only respect the teacher of refuge and do not respect all other monks, it is also wrong. It is just like denying millions of good deeds and only affirming one; it is just like planting one piece of field and leaving millions of fields barren. This is nothing short of foolish!

There are so many benefits of taking refuge in the Three Jewels. One can seek happiness in this life, happiness in the afterlife, and even the ultimate happiness of Nirvana. In summary, there are about eight benefits:

1. Become a disciple of Buddha. 　
2. It is the basis for receiving precepts. 　
3. Reduce karmic obstacles. 　
4. Accumulate great merit. 　
5. Do not fall into the evil ways. 　
6. Do not mess with humans or non-humans. 　
7. All good things will succeed. 　
8. Be able to achieve Buddhahood.

If we were to give examples, there are too many in the Buddhist scriptures. I have chosen five and will translate them into colloquial language below:

§ If one takes refuge in the Three Jewels, the blessings he will receive in the future will be so great that they are inexhaustible. For example, if there is a treasure and all the people in the country move it for seven years, it will still not be finished. The merits of taking refuge in the Three Jewels are thousands of times greater than this. (Upāsakaśīla Sūtra)

§ In the past, there was a prince of the Trayastrimsa Heaven. After enjoying the blessings of heaven, his body became weak and his life would end in seven days. He knew that he would be reborn as a pig after his death, so he was very panicked and asked God for help. However, God could not help him. God told him to seek help from the Buddha. The Buddha taught him to take refuge in the Three Jewels. After his death, he not only avoided being reborn as a pig, but was reborn in the human world. He also met Sariputra and asked the Buddha to preach. As a result, he attained the holy fruit. (The Sutra of Subduing the Arhat)

§ In the past, there was a prince of the thirty-third heaven. His heavenly blessings had ended. He had seven days left before he would die. All the joys of the past had left him. The beautiful celestial maidens no longer approached him. His once majestic appearance had now become pale. His body was weak and filthy, and he kept sweating from his armpits. He also saw that he would be born in a pig’s womb, so he lay on the ground, grieving, crying, and complaining. The gods knew about this and instructed him to sincerely take refuge in the Three Jewels, teaching him to recite “I take refuge in the Buddha, the Two-footed One; I take refuge in the Dharma, the Desire-free One; I take refuge in the Sangha.” He followed the gods’ instructions and took refuge in the Three Jewels. When the seven-day limit was up, he died. The gods wanted to know where the prince had been born after his death, but they could not see the prince’s whereabouts even after looking everywhere they could. He had no choice but to ask the Buddha, who told him, “Due to the merit of taking refuge in the Three Jewels, he has been transformed from degenerate to ascend to Tushita Heaven. You gods can only see the lower realms, not the upper realms.” (“The Sutra of the King of Dharma Taking Refuge in the Three Jewels and Being Saved from the Evil Paths”)

§ If all the four continents in the east, west, south, and north were saints who had attained the state of the Two Vehicles, and someone made offerings to them for the rest of his life, or even built pagodas for each of them, the merit of that person would be immeasurable, but far less than the merit of taking refuge in the Three Jewels. (The Sutra on Measuring Merits)

§ In the past, there was a monk named Shadu who devoted himself to chanting the names of the Three Jewels. After ten years, he attained the first fruit of Sakadagami. Now he is a Pratyekabuddha in the world of Puxiang. (The Wood Sutra)

From the five examples above, we can know that taking refuge in the Three Jewels is extremely rare. At the same time, the Buddha also said that as long as someone takes refuge in the Three Jewels, the Four Heavenly Kings will send thirty-six good gods to protect them. He also hoped that after taking refuge in the Three Jewels, the disciples would write down the names of these thirty-six good gods and carry them with them, so that they can ward off evil and go out without fear. Now, let’s copy the names of these thirty-six good gods as follows for your reference:

1. Militubulava (good light), the master of disease.
2. Militubhasa (good brightness), the master of headache.
3. Militubalopa (good strength), the master of cold and heat.
4. Militukandra (good moon), the master of abdominal distension.
5. Militudarisha (good vision), the master of carbuncle.
6. Militualaluoha (good offering), the master of sedition.
7. Militugavati (good giving), the master of stupidity.
8. Militusidita (good silence), the master of anger.
9. Militubusatsa (good enlightenment), the master of lust.
10. Milituttipala (good god), the master of evil spirits.
11. Militukhasati (good residence), the master of casualties.
12. Milituburu (good fortune), the master of graves.
13. Militubhijaga (good technique), ruler of the four directions.
14. Militukalissa (good emperor), ruler of enemies.
15. Militubharaja (good master), ruler of theft.
16. Militubsuganda (good incense), ruler of creditors.
17. Militudanapo (good charity), ruler of robbers.
18. Militubzhidana (good intention), ruler of epidemics.
19. Militubaravana (good luck), ruler of the five plagues.
20. Militubavada (good mountain), ruler of flying corpses.
21. Militubasamatra (good tune), ruler of connection.
22. Militubalitra (good preparation), ruler of recovery.
23. Militubalitra (good respect), ruler of mutual attraction.
24. Militubalina (good purity), ruler of evil parties.
25. Milituo Qiangadi (good things), the master of poison.
26. Milituo Viritu (good knot), the master of terror.
27. Milituo Chidana (good life), the master of disaster.
28. Milituo Jialinma (good passing away), the master of milk.
29. Milituo Aluga (good wishes), the master of county officials.
30. Milituo Jalita (good solid), the master of speech.
31. Milituo Agata (good light), the master of sorrow.
32. Milituo Ava (good life), the master of restlessness.
33. Milituo Suharo (good arrival), the master of all kinds of strange things.
34. Milituo Bolina (good treasure), the master of jealousy.
35. Milituo Kudana (good sound), the master of curse.
36. Milituo Wetra (good wonder), the master of disgust.

The thirty-six good gods copied above come from the “Initiation Three Refuges, Five Precepts, and Wearing the Protective Mantra Sutra”. The sutra says that anyone who has received the Three Refuges will be sent by the Four Heavenly Kings to protect him. At the same time, each of these thirty-six gods has a number of ghosts and gods as their dependents, who take turns to protect those who have received the Three Refuges. It would be best if you can write the names of the gods and carry them with you. The two transliterated names of the twenty-fourth and thirty-fourth are the same, but the meanings are different, so there should be no problem.

However, we should know that although taking refuge in the Three Jewels can bring us peace and happiness in this life, the ultimate goal of taking refuge in the Three Jewels is to return to the embrace of the Three Jewels and to make ourselves become the Three Jewels – we can all become Buddhas, so we must not give up on ourselves.