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Take a walk down your memory lane and you will find shades of colours in your life. There are moments of joy and moments of black and white. Life is not easy because we, humans, face one plight: Suffering.

This recap is part 1 of Going for refuge to The Three Jewels.

By Goh Siqi   •   3 minute read

We face suffering in this life, future lives and cyclic existence (rebirth and death). We see our loved ones pass on and we, ourselves, face deteriorating health as we age.  And as sentient beings with consciousness, we suffer from negative emotions and feelings.

When life bombards us with difficulty, giving up is easy. We can surrender ourselves to negativity. We can wallow in self-pity. We can curse and blame our fate for the plight we faced, but is this what we want in us? 

While suffering may plunge us into our nadir, faith and refuge lift us from rock bottom. However difficult life may be, don't lose faith in Buddhism and always supplicate to the Three Jewels. The Three Jewels will help you.

Three Jewels 

The Three Jewels encompass the Buddha, the Dharma, the Sangha. The Buddha jewel refers to anyone who has achieved omniscience (perfect wisdom and perfect compassion). All these Buddhas embody great compassionate spirit and will help us when we go to them for refuge.

The Dharma Jewel refers to the teachings of the Buddha and the scriptures that recorded the teachings of the Buddha. In essence, the true Dharma jewel is the teachings that exist in the mindstream of Buddhas. Taking refuge in the Dharma means that we want to learn and practice these teachings. Familiarising and practising the Dharma help to hone our wisdom and compassion. As we enlightened ourselves with the Truth, we will find that the answers to our predicaments lie in the Dharma per se. 

Lastly, the Sangha Jewel. It refers to noble beings such as arhats and bodhisattvas who have already eliminated affliction from their mindstream and attained liberation. It also refers to a community of monks and nuns who observe and practice the full monastic precepts. At times of difficulties, we can seek advice from the monks and nuns. 

Immediate Steps to Take

As beginners, we can start by attending the Refuge ceremony conducted by a Refuge master. This marks the start of our acceptance of the Triple Gem. However, the journey doesn't stop here. After refuge, we should habitually seek the help of the Buddha and Triple Gem in whatever things we do, and whatever difficulty we face. Most importantly, one should learn the Dharma and put it into practice, with the aim of achieving Buddhahood.

Believe and Be Saved

As all of us have had a nasty taste of suffering, it is not surprising for one to seek rebirth in Amitabha Pureland. This majestic, mammoth place guarantees effective liberation from cyclic existence. It is void of evil, suffering, worry, sorrow and affliction. From other perspectives, it is the catalyst to Buddhahood for we can witness and hear the teachings of Amitabha. Merely reciting the name of Amitabha with the purest motivation is insufficient to land us in Pureland. We need to take sincere refuge in Amitabha and the three jewels. So, what is considered a sincere refuge? The attributes of a sincere refuge are an aversion to suffering and genuine faith. 

Suffering begets pain. The Buddha wants us to understand the abhorrent nature of suffering and hence develop a strong wish to extirpate oneself from it. By virtue of this, one sets Buddhahood as an objective of life. Also, we need to wholeheartedly believe that the precious, miraculous energy bestowed by Buddha and Triple Gem can hear us and aid us! This genuine faith is cultivated from recalling the distinctions and good qualities of the Buddha and Triple Gem. 

Many might be disheartened at the Dharma ending age but Venerable Bensi assures us that if we meet a Teacher-Teachings-Community environment, we can be reborn in Pureland. Nothing can stop you in the quest for Dharma. With an enquiring spirit, head towards BW Monastery or our biweekly VenTalk session for some enriching lessons. And may the immeasurable assets obtained set you forth on your journey towards Buddhahood.