The True Meaning of the Three Refuges

The Prayer for Taking the Three Refuges: I have taken refuge in the Buddha. I would rather sacrifice my life than ever take refuge in autonomous celestial demons and the like. I take refuge in the Tathagata, the supremely genuine, perfectly enlightened One. He is my revered one, and I do this out of compassion. I have taken refuge in the Dharma. I would rather sacrifice my life than ever take refuge in the scriptures of non-Buddhist paths. I take refuge in all the sutras spoken by the Tathagata, comprising the Tripitaka and the twelve divisions of scriptures. They are my revered ones, and I do this out of compassion. I have taken refuge in the Sangha. I would rather sacrifice my life than ever take refuge in the evil assemblies of non-Buddhist paths. I take refuge in the pure Field of Merit Sangha. They are my revered ones, and I do this out of compassion.

Why is the aforementioned vow necessary after taking the Three Refuges? Because only after sincerely making the vow can one truly accomplish the Three Refuges, refraining from taking refuge in non-Buddhist assemblies and non-Buddhist dharmas, and not entering into non-Buddhist paths. Non-Buddhist paths are not the Buddha's path. Although some of their methods may be beneficial to the five-aggregate physical body, they cannot liberate one from the physical body and the five aggregates. They are not ultimate dharmas; they are not the path leading to liberation. Becoming engrossed in them leads one astray, only obstructing one's own practice. Therefore, one must vow not to follow autonomous celestial demons, not to study non-Buddhist scriptures, and not to follow non-Buddhist evil assemblies. Within this, one needs the power of wisdom to discern non-Buddhist demonic assemblies and non-Buddhist dharmas. If one cannot distinguish right from wrong, it is difficult to truly accomplish the Three Refuges.

Many Buddhists nowadays study scriptures other than the Buddhist sutras. According to the guidelines of the Three Refuges, is their refuge not yet complete? Only the Dharma principles within the Buddha's teachings and sutras can liberate sentient beings. If non-Buddhist dharmas outside the Buddha Dharma could also liberate sentient beings, would the Buddha's coming to the Saha world to deliver beings be meaningless? Non-Buddhist dharmas are all non-ultimate. No matter how miraculous their attainments may seem, they cannot liberate one from the suffering of birth-and-death samsara. Therefore, they ultimately take refuge in the Buddha and the Three Jewels to attain liberation. Yet now, we revere non-Buddhist dharmas instead—isn't this somewhat inverted?

After receiving the Bodhisattva Precepts, studying non-Buddhist dharmas constitutes a violation of the precepts. The Buddha does not allow Bodhisattvas to waste time and energy on unbeneficial activities, except for Bodhisattvas who have attained the Bhumis (Grounds). They may study non-Buddhist dharmas in order to deliver non-Buddhists, thereby refuting non-Buddhist dharmas and guiding non-Buddhist followers onto the Buddha's path. Only Bodhisattvas who have attained the Bhumis can fully comprehend the substance of non-Buddhist dharmas without being deceived. Therefore, the Buddha permits them to study non-Buddhist theories, explain them, and refute their non-ultimate aspects in order to guide non-Buddhist disciples to take refuge in the Three Jewels seeking liberation. Bodhisattvas who have realized the Mind but not yet attained the Bhumis do not yet have the full ability to recognize the flaws in non-Buddhist dharmas and cannot refute them. Hence, the Buddha does not allow such Mind-realized Bodhisattvas or ordinary Buddhist disciples to study non-Buddhist dharmas.

Of course, within non-Buddhist dharmas, there exists some partial goodness, some methods beneficial for maintaining the physical body, and some content regarding understanding the secular world and improving moral cultivation. These aspects can be greatly beneficial for being a good person. We can simply extract these beneficial parts. At the same time, we must know that those contents are non-ultimate and are to be refuted. Therefore, temporarily studying and absorbing them is acceptable. The most important thing is to follow good spiritual friends within Buddhism and diligently study the Buddha Dharma exclusively. The Buddhadharma transcends the wholesome dharmas of non-Buddhists; it surpasses the peculiarities of non-Buddhist dharmas. The great spiritual powers and miraculous abilities of the sages and saints are even more extraordinary, but these are merely by-products of practice. As long as one strives diligently on the path, all dharmas will be fulfilled. The real fear is mistaking the non-ultimate aspects of non-Buddhist dharmas as objects of refuge, thereby becoming bound by them and failing to attain liberation. That would be truly regrettable.