Scholar and Scripture: Three Refuges Flashcards
(9 cards)
The Three Refuges – The Buddha: Dhammapada 276
“You yourselves must strive; the Buddhas only point the way.”
- The Buddha is not a saviour but a teacher.
- Emphasizes individual effort; the Buddha only guides.
- Reinforces the Buddhist value of self-responsibility on the path to enlightenment.
The Three Refuges – The Buddha: Keown
“Taking refuge in the Buddha means seeing him as the embodiment of the ideal human being.”
- Highlights the symbolic importance of the Buddha.
- Refuge is aspirational: the Buddha shows what humans can become.
- Contrasts refuge with worship; the Buddha is not a god.
The Three Refuges – The Buddha: Gethin
“Taking refuge in the Buddha is not simply reverence for a teacher, but an acknowledgment of the possibility of awakening.”
- Focuses on the aspirational and practical dimension of refuge.
- The Buddha is a prototype of enlightenment.
- Refuge is transformative and psychological, not just devotional.
The Three Refuges – The Dhamma: Dhammapada 190–191
“He who sees the Dhamma sees me; he who sees me sees the Dhamma.”
- Shows the inseparability of the Buddha and his teaching.
- Suggests living the Dhamma is living the Buddha’s path.
- Can be linked to Buddha-nature in Mahāyāna.
The Three Refuges – The Dhamma: Bhikkhu Bodhi
The Dhamma is “the conceptual and practical manifestation of truth.”
- The Dhamma isn’t abstract — it has theory and application.
- It’s a pragmatic system aimed at reducing suffering.
- Truth that must be lived, not just learned.
The Three Refuges – The Dhamma: Harvey
“The Dhamma is the true refuge because it is the realisation of the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path.”
- Refuge in the Dhamma means engaging in a method, not a belief.
- Suggests it is the most direct refuge.
- Strong Theravāda emphasis on practice.
The Three Refuges – The Sangha: Harvey
Notes that the Sangha serves as the living embodiment of the Dhamma and is essential for its preservation.
- Without the Sangha, the Dhamma would not survive.
- It’s not just a community but a means of preserving teachings.
- Highlights its institutional importance.
The Three Refuges – The Sangha: Keown
“Refuge in the Sangha is not refuge in a group of individuals, but in the ideal of enlightened community.”
- Emphasizes the symbolic Sangha — a community living the Dhamma.
- Distinguishes between flawed human Sangha and ideal.
- Sangha is a representation of enlightenment in action.
The Three Refuges – The Sangha: Gross
“The ideal of the Sangha must be distinguished from its historical manifestations, which are often patriarchal and exclusive.”
- A feminist critique of traditional Sangha structures.
- Points out exclusion of women and laypeople in early Buddhism.
- Raises questions about inclusivity and modern reinterpretations of Sangha.
