- Exploring Buddhism's Traditional And Lesser Known Refuges
In early Buddhism there were various understandings of "refuge". Most well known is that of the Three Jewels: Buddha, dharma, and sangha. But there were others as well. We will take a look at them, and consider how they interrelate.
- Heart of Early Buddhist Practice: the Sangha or an Island?
On the one hand the Buddha recommended the sangha as a vital place of practice, one of the three jewels. On the other hand, at the end of his life the Buddha recommended we take refuge in ourselves and the dharma, and in nothing else. Can…
- The Preeminence of Dharma Among the Buddhist Refuges or Jewels
Many of us will be familiar with the three refuges or three jewels of Buddha, dharma, and sangha. But how do they interrelate? We will look at a number of early suttas that indicate the Buddha's approach to them, and that suggest the…
- Hidden History: Were There Originally Two Buddhist Refuges?
Nowadays traditional Buddhism involves taking the so-called "three refuges": refuge in the Buddha, dharma, and sangha. How many refuges were there in the Buddha's day? We'll look at the early accounts where the Buddha recommended we have…
- What are the Three Refuges?
Traditional Buddhists often take the "three refuges". What are they and can they be understood in secular terms? Music in this video: