With many thanks to Dharma friends for their patience, here are the notes of Geshe la’s Dharma talk that took place on Saturday, 18 March 2023.
Geshe la’s talk was intended to be introductory for those new to Buddhism. It therefore focused on what it means to be Buddhist. Dharma friends were introduced to the concept of taking refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha (collectively, “the Triple Gem”), which in simple terms, means developing the conviction that faith in the Triple Gem will protect one from rebirth in lower realms, and eventually lead one out of the sufferings of samsara.
In accordance with that theme, Geshe la introduced the fact that unlike theistic religions, there is no creator God(s) in Buddhism, nor is there an entity who is the ultimate arbiter of one’s fate in this life.
Instead, one’s fate lies in one’s own hands. The fortunes/ misfortunes that one experiences, the happiness and/or unhappiness that one has to go through and so on, occur due to the ripening of karmic seeds sown and brought over from previous lives, or karmic seeds sown earlier in this life. Such are the laws of Dependent Arising 缘起 and karma (Cause and Effect)因果.
Geshe la then explained that in order to have full faith in the Triple Gem (which is a prerequisite to one truly taking refuge in them), one would have to understand a few crucial concepts which Geshe la took the opportunity to developed upon during the lesson: –
A. Why it is important for one to take refuge?
B. The types of refuge
C. The benefits of taking refuge
D. How should one behave after having taken refuge.
A) WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR ONE TO TAKE REFUGE
Geshe la explained that without studying the Dharma and developing a faith in the Triple Gem, our minds have a tendency to gravitate towards non virtuous actions. In so doing, we not only fail to create merit through virtuous actions, but also continue to commit more and more negative karma by non virtuous actions, which will sooner or later ripen into undesirable effects or events in our lives.
Unless we study the Dharma and having studied and understood it, put it into practice, we will continue to suffer from a wrong conception of what we (and all worldly phenomenon) are. We will be driven again and again to commit unwholesome actions.
We believe ourselves to be inherently existing. Our dualistic minds believe that when we suffer or experience unpleasant things, it is actually someone external to ourselves that is causing the problem. Yet, this belief arises from an ignorant mind that fails to see that everything as being inter dependent – what is experienced here and now, is dependent on something done (by us) in the past.
Geshe la illustrated this with an important teaching that the Buddha once gave to this effect: –
“The Buddhas have infinite merit, but in spite of that, they can’t wash away the negative karma of sentient beings.
Nor can they pluck the suffering beings out of the hells and allow them to be reborn in higher realms.
Similarly, the Buddhas, whilst having infinite wisdom and attainments, cannot instantaneously “download” what they have realised/achieved to each and every other sentient being – that means each and every being must work hard on his/her own accord.
Finally, the Buddha can only share the truth of the Dharma to assist us in walking that path towards Enlightenment – that path we can only walk ourselves.”
It is for the above reasons that we need to learn the Dharma and put the Dharma into practice, whether it be the 10 Virtuous Actions, or other practices. Once we put such practices in our daily lives, we are on the road to Enlightenment. It is only through that that we can start to reduce the suffering that afflicts our minds, and remove the habitual tendencies that we have developed over the many lives past.
To aid us in this process, it is helpful to regard oneself as a patient, with the Buddha being the Doctor who gives us a diagnosis of the illness and prescribes what one should or should not do in order to recover including medication, the Dharma is such Medication, and the Sangha are medical caregivers who guide us with the taking of medicine and practice/ rehab.
By learning the Dharma, and developing an understanding of these natural laws of cause and effect, we become afraid of the sufferings of the 3 lower realms. With such fear, we will want, at the very least, to avoid rebirth in the lower 3 realms, and to also eventually exit the 6 realms of samsara. It is for this reason that one would take refuge.
The fear is not a negative one but a positive one – when we realise that we don’t know when we will die and after we die, where we will be reborn, this propels us into learning the teachings of the Buddha and having a firm belief in the teachings, and thereafter taking refuge, here and now in this life.
Geshe la went on to observe that we always believe that we have control over everything. But the truth is that we don’t. What we want to avoid i.e. suffering, keeps knocking on our doors, and what we want to obtain i.e. happiness keeps eluding us. When we will die, where we will be reborn, are all uncertain. The discomfort with this type of uncertainty is what the Buddha’s teaching hopes to address/ help us cope with.
Geshe la went on to explain why the Buddha, and indeed so many accomplished Mahayana masters of the past, trained lifetime after lifetime in accordance with the Five Paths and the Ten Grounds, which outline the various stages and attainments as one practising in the path of the Bodhisattva progresses towards Buddhahood.
For context, the Five Paths are as follows:-
(a) the path of accumulation
(b) the path of preparation
(c) the path of seeing (the 1st Ground – see below)
(d) the path of meditation (the 2nd to 10th Ground – see below)
(e) the path of no more learning (Buddhahood)
The Ten Grounds (also known as the Ten Bhumis or grounds on which a given Bodhisattva abides) are as follows:-
(a) The first bhūmi, the Very Joyous in which one rejoices at realizing a partial aspect of the truth;
(b) The second bhūmi, the Stainless in which one is free from all defilement;
(c) The third bhūmi, the Light-Maker. in which one radiates the light of wisdom;
(d) The fourth bhūmi, the Radiant Intellect. in which the radiant flame of wisdom burns away earthly desires;
(e) The fifth bhūmi, the Difficult to Master. in which one surmounts the illusions of darkness, or ignorance as the Middle Way;
(f) The sixth bhūmi, the Manifest. in which supreme wisdom begins to manifest;
(g) The seventh bhūmi, the Gone Afar. in which one rises above the states of the Two vehicles;
(h) The eighth bhūmi, the Immovable. in which one dwells firmly in the truth of the Middle Way and cannot be perturbed by anything;
(i) The ninth bhūmi, the Good Intelligence. in which one preaches the Law freely and without restriction;
(j) The tenth bhūmi, the Cloud of Dharma in which one benefits all sentient beings with the Law (Dharma), just as a cloud sends down rain impartially on all things.
Geshe la explained that the systemic practices of the Path and Grounds are aimed at reducing the grasping at an inherently existent self/ego, to the stage that one abandons all habitual afflictions and delusions and until one has a direct realisation of the lack of inherent existence of a self, and appreciates that all things and phenomenon are empty (of inherent existence), upon which one exits the wheel of samsara.
It is for these reasons that the Dharma which the Buddha taught and which continues to be preserved till this day in its pure form due to the Sangha, are worthy of highest veneration and refuge. It is faith in the Triple Gem and the learning (and practice) of the Dharma that will lead one away from suffering and towards permanent happiness.
B) TYPES OF BUDDHIST REFUGE
Geshe la went on to explain the different classifications of refuge. In particular, refuge taken in the Mahayana tradition would be motivated by the wish to become enlightened for benefit of others, whereas refuge in the Theravada tradition would primarily be based on the motivation of liberation for oneself.
Gesha la also explained that in taking refuge, one takes refuge in those who are already enlightened (the Triple Gem etc), which we call Causal Refuge, and also introduced the concept of Resultant Refuge, where one takes refuge in the future enlightened being that we ourselves aspire to become.
C) BENEFITS OF TAKING REFUGE
Geshe la explained that once we have refuge in our hearts, we can overcome a lot of obstacles in our daily lives, and illustrated it with some beautiful stories.
There was once a Master was in retreat and was offered a robe of extremely high quality and monetary value. A robber had surreptitiously observed the benefactor making the offering and by night, the robber decided to rob the Master of the robe. Whilst outside the room where the Master was in retreat, the robber said: “I’ve seen the wonderful robe you were offered, you’d better give it to me, if not I will create trouble for you”.
Master replied calmly: “Ok, put your hand through the opening here, and I will pass the robe to you.”
When the robber did as he was told, the Master took a baton and beat the robber’s hand 4 times, and whilst doing so, uttered the following words:
“You shall take refuge in the Lama,
You shall take refuge in the Buddha
You shall take refuge in the Dharma
And you shall take refuge in the Sangha.”
Stunned, the robber ran away, and as he was escaping, he passed a bridge where there were malignant spirits waiting in the wings to harm him. Trembling with fear, the robber, still sore from his beatings but remembering the lesson he’d been given on refuge, uttered the refuge prayer in these simple terms, and through doing so, the spirits were unable to harm him.
Geshe la explained that if one understands the true meaning of taking refuge in the Triple Gem, that in itself, can protect one from many undesirable things. He emphasised however that we must have enough of conviction/ belief in the Triple Gem, and what it can do for us, and illustrated this with another story from the sutras.
When the Buddha was with us in this World System, he once sojourned to the Tavatimsa Heavens, also known as the Heaven of 33 忉利天. Devas （gods） born there can predict their own death and one such deva was distraught that he saw that in his next life, he was going to be reborn as a pig, and after that would be reborn in the hells. He cried out in despair and decided to seek advice from the Buddha who happened to be there (then teaching his late mother who had taken birth as a deva in this realm).
The Buddha advised that deva that he would have to take refuge in the Triple Gem, which he dutifully did. He was then able to avoid rebirth in the animal realm, and was instead reborn in the human realm upon his death and became an ordained monk in that human life.
With the above illustrations in mind, Geshe la enumerated the benefits associated with taking refuge.
- When we have truly Taken Refuge, we are actually Buddhists in the true sense of the word.
- Once we are able to Take Refuge, we will be eligible to take other vows, such as Bodhisattva Vows &/or where applicable, Tantric Vows when taking on Tantric Empowerments/ Permissions. In the absence of true refuge taken in one’s heart, one cannot receive or truly benefit from a Tantric Empowerment, even if one is physically there.
- After taking refuge, negative karma created from one’s past will gradually become weaker and weaker. So if we practise each day after refuge taking, we can purify our past karma very effectively and quickly. Conversely, the accumulation of merits can also take place at a quicker pace.
- Any sentient being who truly takes refuge in his/her heart will have the doors to the lower realms i.e. animal, hungry ghosts and hells, closed.
- If a given person is destined to have many obstacles/ undesirable events in his/her life, these will also be reduced or removed after having taken refuge.
- One who has taken refuge will also naturally gravitate away from bad company and therefore reduce the likelihood of performing non virtuous actions and accordingly avoid creating negative karma.
- Through the power of taking refuge, all our wishes that accord with the Dharma will be more easily fulfilled.
- It will also propel one quicker on the path towards enlightenment.
D) ONE’S BEHAVIOUR AFTER TAKING REFUGE
No Taking Refuge in any other(s)
Gesha la explained that if one has taken refuge in the Triple Gem, we cannot and should not thereafter take refuge in other gods or spirits of this world system. Geshe la emphasised, however, that that does not mean we cannot make offerings or pray to other deities that are not of the Buddhist pantheon or other unenlightened worldly spirits. For example, for long life, wealth or health, we sometimes also do propitiate worldly deities who are not (yet) enlightened deities.
The Refuge commitment arises from fear of the 3 lower realms and unhappiness in samsara. If we believe that these other deities or spirits can help us in this regard to leave samsara, that would be a violation of the Refuge Vows. But merely propitiating them for worldly wishes will not offend the Refuge Vows, Geshe la explained.
No Harming of any sentient beings
Apart from not having any other object of refuge, we should ensure that we do NOT intentionally harm any sentient being. It may well be that sometimes we inadvertently harm sentient beings – that is sometimes unavoidable but what we need to guard against is intentional harm.
Holy Images/ Reliquaries
We would also be expected treat all holy images of the Buddhas/ Bodhisattvas with respect as if they represent the Buddhas & Bodhisattvas themselves .
Also when we make offerings, ensure that we visualise the image as the Buddhas/ Bodhisattvas themselves, regardless of whether the artwork is pleasing to the eye and/or realistic.
Dharma Materials
As to Dharma literature, regardless of the language or form that it takes, we must treat them as precious, and be respectful to them. We also need to dispose of them respectfully, and not allow them to be mixed with ordinary trash.
Respect for the Sangha
As regards members of Sangha, even if it is one who gives an appearance of being a member of the Sangha, we should also treat them with respect.
Making of offerings (even if mentally)
We should try to keep the Triple Gem in our minds at all times. Before eating, before drinking, or partaking in something nice that we have received, we should make an offering of them to the Triple Gem. Through this visualisation and offering, we gain immense merit.
Geshe la explained that intention or motivation is most important. It is not necessary to have folded hands or to be chanting any elaborate mantras. The thought and intention in one’s mind is enough.
Geshe la ended the session with the Refuge Prayer, which Geshe la encouraged everyone to recite more of. Geshe la emphasised that if one recites the Refuge Prayer and reflects on its meaning often, it will have immense powers of protection for us. For ease of reference, it is reproduced here for everyone’s easy reference, both in the Tibetan transliteration and its meaning in English.
“Until I am enlightened, I take refuge
In the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.
Through the merit I create by practicing giving and the other perfections
May I attain Buddhahood for the sake of all sentient beings.Sangye choe dang tsok kyi chok nam la
Jang chup bar du dak ni kyap su chi
Dak gi jin sok gyi pay sonam kyi
Dro la phen chir sangye drup par shok”
May all of you be well and happy.
The Maha Tare Team