REFUGE is back, Y is to rely on. Three Jewels are precious three: Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. Three refuge is said to return to rely on the Buddha, Dharma and Sang Bao.

Buddha is the omniscient, who has fulfilled two parts of self-interest and benefit. The Buddha was not dedicated solely to the Buddha, who lived more than 25 centuries ago in India, but only to those who had completely abandoned all craving, anger and delusion; have accomplished all the virtues, perfect compassion and wisdom. Their souls are pure, innocent, unblemished by any evil thought.

France has many meanings, sometimes only the law of cause and effect, the conditions of cause and effect of creating things and gender phenomena, including psychological and physical phenomena. But the most basic and traditional meaning is the teachings, the teachings of the Buddha. The meaning of the Dharma is sometimes generalized as the path, the path of peacefulness, the liberation or depiction of the nature of the Buddha's teachings are non-greed, unconditioned, let go, rupture, peacefulness, liberation ...

It also has many meanings, sometimes only the whole Buddhist community, including monks and nuns; only for those who have already emptied the emptiness of all things, whether religious or lay Buddhist. But the most basic and traditional meaning is only the community of followers who follow the teachings of the Buddha. This community embodies harmony and purity.

Money is precious, but not the most precious, especially Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. We live to find happiness, but do not know what is true long-lasting happiness, where only the feeling of instant satisfaction. Many people believe that fame, wealth, marriage, travel, a new car, beauty, branded clothes ... will make them happy. But these things only bring temporary happiness, not the key to long-lasting happiness. In reality, money and material just add to the hunger and never satisfy. Over eighteen years of scientific research on happiness, psychology professor Sonja Lyubomirsky concluded that happiness is not about money, matter, beauty or fame. She emphasized that happiness can not be found anywhere other than within ourselves. This was realized by the Buddha more than twenty-five centuries ago. He said that there is no happiness by inner peace. The whole of his doctrine is just to lead us to such an interior. That is why Buddha, Dharma and Sangha are considered the most precious.   

Refuge is the refuge. The concept of refuge sometimes makes many people understand the meaning of deviant, negative. Refraining does not mean you take refuge, rely on someone passively. Like when we were young, we hid behind our mothers to avoid some bully. That is not the meaning of the refuge. Reflection can be visualized like this: "It's raining, if we do not find a place to stay in the rain and still soak in the rain, we will catch a cold." Finding a shelter from the cold is the meaning of the refuge.

The truth of life in our lives is being greedily greed, anger, ignorance, envy and jealousy that soak our hearts and minds. We need to find a shelter to get rid of those rains. That is the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha.

According to Venerable Bhikkhu Bodhi, refuge or refuge is a term translated from the Pali language. Sarana in the Pali commentaries is explained in the sense of "extermination". Accordingly, refuge or refuge is to destroy, remove, and eliminate the fear, suffering, the risk of rebirth in suffering and afflictions.

Suffering or happiness is the result of our actions, words and thoughts. Once we have acted wickedly, speaking evil words, evil thoughts are inevitably reaping the consequences of suffering. We can not hide behind the Buddhas and monks to escape the suffering or ask them to deal with the consequences we create. Therefore, the true meaning of refuge is that we come back to assume responsibility for our actions, words and thoughts; Effort to train the transformation of one's mind.

With such refuge in mind, when taking refuge in the Buddha, we should not see him as his savior or have the feeling of protecting, protecting and blessing him. We only see him as a mirror to follow, as inspiration for us to reach the summit of peace and liberation.

The Buddha, during the 45 years of preaching the teachings, never claimed to be God's revelation or received revelation from a god who had the power to bless the devil. On the contrary, admitting that he is human, with all the puzzles and suffering beset by pain and exhaustion, he resolves all worries, fears, in human life and became fully free and liberated.

As an experienced foreman, in the 45 years of the sermon, the Buddha taught only how to experience the practice so that we achieve enlightenment and liberation like him only. Because he admits, "I am the Buddha, the Buddha is going to be", and "Tathagata is the only way, each one must go to himself, no one can go to anyone" or "you Make yourself an island for yourself, and take refuge yourself. Take the island as a refuge, do not take anything else as a refuge, make an island, do not take refuge anywhere else. These teachings have portrayed the image of the guru and also the mainstream thought in Buddhism. Therefore, refuge the Buddha is that we choose the direction of the Buddha, learn the virtues of the Buddha.

However, when we come to Buddhism, most of us lack that right view. We think of taking refuge in order to have the Dharma, so that whenever we go to the Buddhist temple to witness the blessing, blessing ourselves. When near the land, we think of refuge with the hope of closing the eyes of the guardian spirit without the devil leading the way into the realm for having a refuge in hand. With such a lack of good faith, the refuge message was merely a piece of paper confirming official Buddhist status as a fortune-teller.

With the right view on Buddhist refuge, so take refuge in the Fa, we must also have the same genuine view. Reflecting on the Fa is that we are committed to living with the spirit of the Buddha's teachings. That spirit is from compassion, compassion, joy, equanimity, selflessness, selflessness, unconditional love. All scriptures are only worth transforming our consciousness. They are not the object we rely on to demand money and fame. We can not bring Buddhist scriptures read to read to gain this benefit, the authority.

According to Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, refuge in the Fa is that we apply everything in life to our practice. We should not assume that this is philistine, this is divine, this is vicious, this is nice. Everything is the truth. That is a French definition. We take refuge in the Dharma as an alternative way of life, meaning that everything in life is considered useful for learning and cultivation. Whatever happens, suffering or happiness, good or evil, justice or injustice, are all part of the process. Therefore, there is nothing to complain about, since all are French.

If taking refuge in the Buddha as a mirror to follow, taking refuge in the Dharma as an avenue to walk in life, refuge as a companion to companionship. This means that we have many friends, refugee friends are practicing under the same dharma guidance as us. At the same time, people strive to observe their own precepts. When members of the Buddhist community experience the value of life and draw attention to the Buddha's refuge, refuge in the Dharma and the refuge of the Sangha, they act as a reminder and provide feedback. for each other. Our buddhist friends continually offer catechetical references to create a continuous learning process. They act as a mirror to remind or warn us in life situations. This is a kind of meaningful friendship of the Buddhist community.

The Sangha means that we are ready to work harmoniously with our friends, brothers, sisters and sisters in the Buddhist community, while remaining independent. Nobody imposes their heavy view on the rest of the masses. Each member of the union is an individual who walks the path in a different way than all the others. That is why we keep getting feedback of all kinds: positive and negative, motivated and depressed. These rich sources are valuable to us when taking refuge. The Sangha is a community of virtuous people that accompanies us, nourishes us with their wisdom. Friendship in the Sangha is a kind of pure friendship, without expectations and demands; No orders, but very satisfied and satisfied.

In the sense of taking refuge in such a way, do we necessarily have to take refuge in the Buddhist tradition or just understand and practice according to that is? This issue has been learned by many Buddhist writers about the meaning of refuge has been laid out and thoroughly resolved. All agree that it is necessary for us to take refuge in becoming an official Buddhist follower. According to Venerable Bhikkhu Bodhi, Buddhism can be viewed as a building with its foundation, foundation, stairs and roof. Like the other buildings, the dharma door also has a door and it is necessary to enter that door. The door to go to the Buddhist home is the Refuge Three Jewels. According to the virtue of mercy, the process of learning the Buddha also has a second-tier level as the system of education outside, elementary school, high school, university ... Therefore, want to learn Buddhist dharma we have to start the primary learn, Immediately take Refuge Three Jewels. If we do not take refuge in the Three Jewels, we can not go higher up the path to study Buddhism. According to Hanh Chon, if we do not practice basic refuge, there is no basis to prove "we understand and practice well" as if we justify ourselves not necessarily refuge. According to this author, refugees are always more active and more supportive than non-refugees, as in any area of ​​society the rule is always superior Rules of life, the spiritual life that needs to be close to good teachers, good friends. If we do not practice basic refuge, there is no basis to prove "we understand and practice well" as if we justify ourselves not necessarily refuge. According to this author, refugees are always more active and more supportive than non-refugees, as in any area of ​​society the rule is always superior Rules of life, the spiritual life that needs to be close to good teachers, good friends. If we do not practice basic refuge, there is no basis to prove "we understand and practice well" as if we justify ourselves not necessarily refuge. According to this author, refugees are always more active and more supportive than non-refugees, as in any area of ​​society the rule is always superior Rules of life, the spiritual life that needs to be close to good teachers, good friends.

The same problem, according to HE Khentin Tai Situpa, the spiritual source in the Buddhist lineage is very important, it determines the inner power of Buddhists. That source originated from the Buddha until today's generation. After enlightenment, Lord Buddha gave the refuge for refuge to five ascetic friends in the past as his brother Kieu Tran Nhu. The first five disciples of this Buddha began to form the lineage; They passed the refuge to their disciples, the turn of their disciples to the lineage of their disciples, as it continues today, passing through the centuries from the master to the unadorned. And when we take refuge we also participate in the same spiritual beginning, feel the peace and the vows that the Buddha handed over to his first five disciples. Therefore, if not refuge,

According to Akong Tulku Rinpoche, refuge helps us to have the strength to do good deeds, because in the solemn mass, before the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and virtuous spiritual masters, we deliver the sworn words. Love to help others and keep the five moral principles. If we do not take refuge in the vows, in good or joyful circumstances, we can love helping others and obey the five moral principles, but in difficult circumstances, Many times, we just worry about ourselves and let go of the preservation of the five principles of morality, because we do not take refuge in trying to overcome that psychological condition to preserve them. Therefore, taking refuge in whatever circumstances, psychologically, we still practice developing love and complying with the five principles of morality.

There is a difference between taking vows to take care of the five ethical principles and not harming simply. Suppose we vow never to kill a dragon, but in reality the dragon does not exist, then why do we have to vow not to kill the dragon. If we do not kill the dragon, we do not create karma, but at the same time we do not create merit. Since vowing not to kill the dragon and maintain that vow, we are accumulating merit. In the refuge, we accumulate merit every minute by holding our vows.

In short, taking refuge is a positive decision, opening the direction of good and peaceful in life. Refuge does not mean that we throw ourselves out of society; on the contrary it helps us learn to live a more productive life and create a more positive society. We take refuge in developing our spiritual path to be able to better help others. We step into the path of Buddhism to both develop ourselves and learn how to benefit others. Refuge is rather a decision to learn how everything exists through the principles of Buddhism.

Refuge is actually the vow of vows, including vow to keep the five precepts are the minimum basic precepts for lay Buddhists, not killing, not stealing, not sexual mischief, not lying and Do not use narcotic and addictive substances.

The preposition Pali is Sila, which has three levels of meaning. The first is the inner virtue, in which we always have existing moral qualities such as kindness, simplicity, sincerity, patience, love and so on. The second is the moral actions of the body and speech that express those moral qualities outwardly. Third is the moral law established to govern the behavior of the body and the mouth in accordance with moral ideals. Actually these three levels of meaning are always intertwined, not always distinguishable from each other. But if we separate them, precept as inner virtue can be regarded as the purpose of moral training; gender as the moral actions of body and speech are considered as manifestations of that purpose; Gender as the moral code is considered a system of methods to achieve that purpose. Thus, precepts like inner virtue are reinforced by bringing the deeds of the body and mingling with the moral ideal and this is done through a system of moral laws.

Gender, according to the classic explanation, has the characteristic of harmonizing the action of the body and speech, that is the action of the body and the mouth in accordance with their own interests and the welfare of others. Therefore, the function of gender is to create harmony between ourselves and others. Gender-based violence will lead to harmony among people, creating peace, cooperation and respect for one another, while upholding ethical principles will lead to competition, exploitation and prosperity. use and violence. Harmony achieved through the maintenance of precepts or moral discipline is not limited to the social level, but also brings our actions in harmony with the higher law, the law of the universe, Invisible dominate the whole world of beings.

The Five Precepts in Buddhism are based on the principle of self as the criterion for deciding how to act in relation to others. This principle is expressed with the phrase "see yourself as other people and others like yourself." The method of applying this principle is the exchange of imagination between ourselves and others. To decide whether or not to take some action, we take ourselves as the criterion of evaluation, see what is happiness and what is suffering for us. Then contemplate others on the basis of their own, what happiness and suffering with you are also happy and suffering with others. We do not want other people to suffer for us, we should not cause suffering to others. As in the Sutra, the Buddha explains:

"The householders, the Holy Disciples think like this: 'I want to live, do not want to die, want to lose, suffering. If someone comes to take my life, a person who wants to live, does not want to die, wants to get lost, hates suffering, is such an unattractive, unexplored job for us. But if we take the life of a person who wants to live, not wanting to die, wanting to lose, hating suffering, then it is an unforgivable affair for him. This method is not available, not for us, the time is not well, not willing for other people. And this one is not nice, not willing to give me, when I bring the pill to someone else? ' Because of such thinking, he renounces killing, encourages others to give up killing, speaks, renounces killing. So on the body, he is completely pure "

"The householders, the Holy Disciples, think, 'If anyone takes something for my own sake, called a robbery, it is an unforgivable affair. But if we take the other's belongings, called thieves, it is an unforgivable affair. This method is not available, not for us, the gun is not good, not willing for other people. And this one is not able, not willing to give us, when to bring the dhamma to others? Because of such thinking, he gives up the gift, encourages others to give up, gives praise to give up. Thus, on the body, he is completely pure "

"The householders, the saintly students think like this: 'If one has wrong conduct with my wife, that is an unforgivable, not for me. But if I have the misconduct of someone else's wife, it is an unforgivable affair for him. This method is not pleasant, not for us, this method is not available, not for other people. And this one is not good, not usable, when we bring the dhamma to others? By such thinking, he himself renounces the mischief in the sexes, encourages others to give up the mischief in the sex, says the praise of renunciation in the sex. Thus, on the body, he is completely pure "

"The householders, the saintly disciples, think, 'If anyone harms our interests with lies, it is unacceptable for us. But if we also harm other people's interests with lying, such is an unforgivable, unreasonable thing for him, This one is not pleasant, not usable, this method is not possible. Love is not for others. And this one is not nice, not willing to give me, when I brought the dhamma to others? Because of such thinking, he gives up lying, encourages others to give up lying, says praise to give up lying. So that's how it works completely pure "

The method of inference used by the Buddha is drawn from the first four in relation to others. The Fifth, "not using narcotic and addictive substances" seems to address only the connection with the body itself, to what is incorporated into the body. However, breaking into the fifth precept may result in the transgression of all the other precepts and the degree of harm to others more brutal. The story of the young man when the wine is not in control of the mind has stolen chickens to kill meat, the neighbors are rare proof. Its enormous negative effects on society are very clear, and this gender is also included in the same kind of deductive method.

Most of the Buddhist precepts begin with the word "no", which includes the five precepts, creating negative feelings, forcing or forbidding the loss of freedom. Therefore, instead of saying, "No killing, no stealing, no sexual misconduct, no narcotic addicts," the Buddha explained, we can borrow the style of Zen Master Nhat Hanh Interpretation of the gender:

The first precept: not killing.

"Being aware of the suffering caused by the killing, I would like to study the virtue of compassion to protect the lives of people and all species. I vow not to kill my life, not approve of killing and not letting others kill, whether in my mind or in my daily routine. "

Second Precept: do not steal.

"To be aware of the suffering caused by deception, theft and social injustice, I would like to learn the good deed to bring happiness and peace to all people and all species, to share the time and energy. The strength and resources of the children with those who are really in short supply. I will not take possession of any property not created by me. I vow to respect the private property of others, but also to prevent others from allowing them to hoard and misappropriate wealth on the suffering of men and animals. "

The third precept: no sexual misconduct.

"Conscious of the misery caused by adultery, I would like to learn in a responsible way to help protect the virtue and safety of everyone and every family in society. I vow not to lie to those who are not your spouse. I am aware that illicit acts will cause pain to others and to myself. I know that I want to protect my happiness and that of others, I have to respect my commitments and others. I will do all I can to protect the children, not allow adultery continue to cause the disruption of families and of life couples.

About fourth: do not lie.

"Being aware of the suffering caused by speechless mindfulness, I would like to learn to love and to listen to the joy and relief of suffering. Knowing that words can bring happiness or suffering to a person, I say only words that can increase confidence, joy and hope, words of truth that are worth building understanding and harmony. solution. I vow not to spread the news that I'm not sure is true, not criticize and condemn what I do not know. I vow not to say things that can create disunity in families and organizations that can break families and unions. "

Fifth: Do not use narcotic and addictive substances.

"Being aware of the suffering caused by the use of drugs and toxins, I learn to transform my body and mind, build my physical and mental health by practicing mindfulness in eating and consuming. . I will only consume what can bring peace to my body and mind and to my body and family and society. I vow not to drink, to use drugs, to eat or to consume toxic products, including some radio, television, books, movies, and conversations. I know that decaying the body and mind with alcohol and the toxins is betraying the ancestors, parents and betrayal of future generations. I vow to convert violence, hatred and fear and anger by practicing dietary habits for my children, my family, and my society. I know this abstinence is essential to transform itself,

Starting from this experience, we volunteer not to kill, not to steal, not to commit adultery, not to talk, not to use addictive substances. From here, the five precepts are no longer perceived as constraining, forbidding the loss of freedom, but rather the precepts of morality and the peaceful life of liberation. END=NAM MO SHAKYAMOUNI BUDDHA.( 3 TIMES ).VIETNAMESE TRANSLATE ENGLISH BY=THICH CHAN TANH.THE MIND OF ENLIGHTENMENT.VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUN=GOLDEN LOTUS MONASTERY=AUSTRALIA,SYDNEY.5/9/2017.